Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

यथा कामदुघा गावो भवन्तीष्टफलप्रदाः । तथा स्वर्गापवर्गैकहैतुभूता सरस्वती

Transliteration

yathā kāmadughā gāvo bhavantīṣṭaphalapradāḥ | tathā svargāpavargaikahaitubhūtā sarasvatī

Translation

ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്ന ഫലങ്ങൾ നൽകുന്ന കാമധേനുവിനെപ്പോലെ, സരസ്വതി സ്വർഗ്ഗത്തിനും മോക്ഷത്തിനും ഏക കാരണമായി വർത്തിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana-marker (Simile marker/उपमानसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• कामदुघाः: wish-yielding
• कामदुघाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + दुह् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (कामं दुहति इति)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• भवन्ति: are/become
• भवन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इष्टफलप्रदाः: givers of desired fruits
• इष्टफलप्रदाः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इष्ट + फल + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (इष्टस्य फलस्य प्रदाः)

• तथा: so/likewise
• तथा: Anvaya (Correlation/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्यतावाचक-अव्यय (correlative adverb)

• स्वर्गापवर्गैकहैतुभूता: the sole cause of heaven and liberation
• स्वर्गापवर्गैकहैतुभूता: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वर्ग + अपवर्ग + एक + हेतु + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समाहार/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषप्रायः (स्वर्गस्य अपवर्गस्य च एकः हेतुः यस्या सा; हेतुभूता = 'cause-become')

• सरस्वती: Sarasvatī
• सरस्वती: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सरस्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya (contextual continuation)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Sarasvatī (as svargāpavarga-hetu)

Type: river

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sarasvatī is envisioned as a luminous river-goddess whose waters pour blessings like a wish-fulfilling cow, with pilgrims receiving boons—some shown ascending to svarga, others in meditative liberation.

Characters & Entities

• Sarasvatī
• Svarga
• Apavarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A truly sanctifying tīrtha supports both worldly uplift (svarga) and the highest aim (apavarga/mokṣa).

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Sarasvatī as a sacred river-tīrtha within the Dharmāraṇya/Prabhāsa milieu.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the verse summarizes Sarasvatī’s supreme salvific efficacy.