Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

एवंविधे तु यत्पात्रे गामेकां तु प्रयच्छति । समानवत्सां कपिलां धेनुं सर्वगुणान्विताम्

Transliteration

evaṃvidhe tu yatpātre gāmekāṃ tu prayacchati | samānavatsāṃ kapilāṃ dhenuṃ sarvaguṇānvitām

Translation

ഇത്തരം സുപാത്രനു ദാനം ചെയ്യുമ്പോൾ ഒരു പശുവിനെ നൽകണം—കിടാവോടുകൂടിയ, കപില (താമ്രവർണ്ണ) പാലുതരുന്ന ധേനു, സർവഗുണസമ്പന്നമായത്.

Word by Word

• एवंविधे: in such a kind (of person)
• एवंविधे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एवं + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव-समास (एवं-प्रकारे)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), contrast/emphasis

• यत्: which
• यत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; relative pronoun used adjectivally with पात्रे

• पात्रे: in/for a worthy recipient
• पात्रे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• गाम्: a cow
• गाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• एकाम्: one
• एकाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; numeral adjective qualifying गाम्

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• प्रयच्छति: gives/bestows
• प्रयच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• समानवत्साम्: having a calf of the same (color/type)
• समानवत्साम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: समान + वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (समानः वत्सः यस्याः) used adjectivally

• कपिलाम्: tawny/brown
• कपिलाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• धेनुम्: milch-cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; appositional to गाम्

• सर्वगुणान्विताम्: endowed with all good qualities
• सर्वगुणान्विताम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + गुण + अन्वित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) from अन्वि+इ (to be endowed) used adjectivally; तत्पुरुष (सर्वैः गुणैः अन्विता)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A tawny kapilā cow with a calf stands adorned with garlands; a worthy, tranquil recipient receives the gift as the donor pours water (saṅkalpa) beside a lamp and kalasha; the coastal Prabhāsa shrine silhouette anchors the scene.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In sacred charity, both the worthiness of the recipient and the integrity/quality of the gift matter.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, where go-dāna is taught as a high-merit act when properly performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offer a kapilā dhenu (tawny milch-cow) along with her calf, and ensure the cow has good qualities.