Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 19

Devanagari script

वृषस्यैव समुत्सर्गं कारयेत्प्रीयतां हरः । सांनिध्ये कारयेत्पुत्र चतस्रो वत्सिकाः शुभाः

Transliteration

vṛṣasyaiva samutsargaṃ kārayetprīyatāṃ haraḥ | sāṃnidhye kārayetputra catasro vatsikāḥ śubhāḥ

Translation

Agar Hara (Śiva) berkenan, hendaklah lembu jantan dilepaskan sebagai sedekah suci. Dan dalam hadirat itu juga, wahai anakku, hendaklah diatur empat anak lembu betina yang bertuah sebagai persembahan.

Word by Word

• वृषस्य: of the bull
• वृषस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• समुत्सर्गम्: the releasing/letting loose (ceremonial release)
• समुत्सर्गम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुत्सर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कारयेत्: should cause (to be done)
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त (causative)

• प्रीयताम्: may (he) be pleased
• प्रीयताम्: Kriya (Benedictive/आशीर्वाद-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्री (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सांनिध्ये: in the presence (of)
• सांनिध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सांनिध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कारयेत्: should cause (to be done)
• कारयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिजन्त

• पुत्र: O son
• पुत्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• चतस्रः: four
• चतस्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतस् (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वत्सिकाः: heifer-calves
• वत्सिकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्सिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• शुभाः: auspicious
• शुभाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; वत्सिकाः इति विशेषण

Speaker

Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Gopāreśvara (within Revā/Narmadā māhātmya)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira

Visual Art Cues

Scene: At a riverside Śiva shrine near the Narmadā, a donor ceremonially releases a decorated bull while attendants present four auspicious heifer-calves; brāhmaṇas witness the rite; Śiva’s presence is implied through liṅga and sacred aura.

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣotsarga
• Hara (Śiva)
• Vatsikā (calves)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Offerings performed with correct accompaniments and in Śiva’s sacred presence are aimed at divine pleasure and dharmic merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse presumes a Śiva-sannidhi within the Revā Khaṇḍa tīrtha network, where vṛṣotsarga is ritually performed.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vṛṣotsarga (bull release) and arranging four auspicious calves as part of the rite in Śiva’s presence.