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

Apabila memberi kepada penerima yang layak demikian, hendaklah dipersembahkan seekor lembu—lembu susu berwarna kekuningan (kapilā), bersama anaknya, lengkap dengan segala sifat yang baik.

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.