Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

गायत्री जाप्यनिरता अग्निहोत्र परायणाः । द्विमुखी गो प्रदातारः कपिलादान तत्पराः

Transliteration

gāyatrī jāpyaniratā agnihotra parāyaṇāḥ | dvimukhī go pradātāraḥ kapilādāna tatparāḥ

Translation

ਉਹ ਗਾਇਤ੍ਰੀ ਜਪ ਵਿੱਚ ਨਿਰਤ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ, ਅਗਨਿਹੋਤ੍ਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਡੋਲ ਰਹਿੰਦੇ; ਗੋਦਾਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੇ ਹਨ ਅਤੇ ਕਪਿਲਾ (ਤਾਂਬੇ ਰੰਗ ਦੀ) ਗਾਂ ਦੇ ਦਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਤਤਪਰ ਹਨ।

Word by Word

• गायत्री-जाप्य-निरताः: engaged in recitation of the Gāyatrī
• गायत्री-जाप्य-निरताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक) + जाप्य (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गायत्रीजाप्ये निरताः)

• अग्निहोत्र-परायणाः: devoted to the agnihotra rite
• अग्निहोत्र-परायणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अग्निहोत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (अग्निहोत्रे परायणाः)

• द्विमुखी: two-faced (cow with two mouths)
• द्विमुखी: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (द्वे मुखे यस्याः)

• गोः: of a cow
• गोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• प्रदातारः: givers/donors
• प्रदातारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु) → प्रदातृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; कृदन्तः—तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun)

• कपिल-आदान-तत्पराः: intent on giving a tawny (kapilā) cow (as donation)
• कपिल-आदान-तत्पराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदान (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कपिलादाने तत्पराः)

Speaker

Skanda

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and sages (frame; not explicit in verse)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A Vedic householder at a small altar performing Agnihotra at dawn, with a japamālā for Gāyatrī; nearby, a ceremonial gifting of a Kapilā cow to a worthy brāhmaṇa, all in a tīrtha-town setting.

Characters & Entities

• Gāyatrī
• Agnihotra
• Go-dāna
• Kapilā (cow)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Vedic discipline (japa and homa) joined with generous charity (go-dāna) forms a highly praised dharmic life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse lists virtues rather than a single site, within the broader glorification of Kāśī’s spiritual culture.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Gāyatrī-japa, daily Agnihotra, and go-dāna—especially Kapilā cow donation.