Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 73

Devanagari script

एकतः सर्वतीर्थानि सर्वदानानि चैकतः । एकतस्तु वृषोत्सर्गः कार्तिक्यां पुष्करेषु च

Transliteration

ekataḥ sarvatīrthāni sarvadānāni caikataḥ | ekatastu vṛṣotsargaḥ kārtikyāṃ puṣkareṣu ca

Translation

ഒരു വശത്ത് എല്ലാ തീർത്ഥങ്ങളും, ഒരു വശത്ത് എല്ലാ ദാനങ്ങളും; എന്നാൽ മറുവശത്ത് കാർത്തികത്തിൽ പുഷ്കരങ്ങളിൽ ചെയ്യുന്ന ഏക വൃഷോത്സർഗം (അവയെക്കാൾ മഹത്തരം) ആണ്.

Word by Word

• एकतः: on one side
• एकतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पक्ष/एकदेशवाचक (on one side / in one measure)

• सर्वतीर्थानि: all sacred places
• सर्वतीर्थानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; 'सर्व-तीर्थ' = सर्वाणि तीर्थानि

• सर्वदानानि: all gifts/charities
• सर्वदानानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + dāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; 'सर्व-दान' = सर्वाणि दानानि

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

• एकतः: on one side (together)
• एकतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पक्ष/एकदेशवाचक (on the other side / in one measure)

• एकतः: on one side
• एकतः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पक्षवाचक (on one side)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात (but/indeed)

• वृषोत्सर्गः: the bull-release (rite)
• वृषोत्सर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣa + utsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; 'वृष-उत्सर्ग'

• कार्तिक्याम्: in Kārttika
• कार्तिक्याम्: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārttikī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), एकवचन; कालवाचक

• पुष्करेषु: at Puṣkara(s)
• पुष्करेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṣkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th case), बहुवचन; देशवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and)

Speaker

Sūta

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Puṣkara (Kārttika vṛṣotsarga)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic balance scale: on one pan are icons of many tīrthas and heaps of gifts; on the other pan stands a single released bull at Puṣkara in Kārttika, tipping the scale—illustrating the verse’s superlative claim.

Characters & Entities

• Puṣkara
• Kārttika
• Vṛṣotsarga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma emphasizes that a single, well-situated act (right place and time) can outweigh vast accumulations of general pilgrimage and charity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Puṣkara—especially during Kārttika—is exalted as the setting where vṛṣotsarga becomes supremely meritorious.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform vṛṣotsarga (dedication/release of a bull) specifically in the month of Kārttika at Puṣkara.