Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 92

Devanagari script

शिवलोकस्तदुपरि गोलो कस्तत्समीपतः । गोमातरः सुशीलाद्यास्तत्र संति शिवप्रियाः

Transliteration

śivalokastadupari golo kastatsamīpataḥ | gomātaraḥ suśīlādyāstatra saṃti śivapriyāḥ

Translation

Acima disso está o mundo de Śiva, e perto dele fica Goloka. Ali habitam as mães-vacas—Suśīlā e outras—queridas de Śiva.

Word by Word

• शिवलोकः: Śiva’s world
• शिवलोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + लोक (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Nominative singular; शिवस्य लोकः (realm of Śiva)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — Accusative singular; ‘that (world)’

• उपरि: above
• उपरि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb/postposition: ‘above’)

• गोलोकः: Goloka
• गोलोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + लोक (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन — Nominative singular; गवां लोकः (world of cows)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Sambandha (Reference/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन — Accusative singular; ‘that (Goloka)’

• समीपतः: near
• समीपतः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समीपतः (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘near/by’)

• गोमातरः: cow-mothers
• गोमातरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो + मातृ (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/1st case), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; गवां मातरः (cow-mothers)

• सुशीलाद्याः: virtuous and others (beginning with the virtuous)
• सुशीलाद्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुशील + आदि (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; ‘सुशीलाः आद्याः’ = beginning with the well-conducted; विशेषण (qualifying गोमातरः)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: ‘there’)

• सन्ति: are/exist
• सन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन — Present, 3rd pl

• शिवप्रियाः: dear to Śiva
• शिवप्रियाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिकौ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन — Nominative plural; शिवस्य प्रियाः (dear to Śiva); विशेषण (qualifying गोमातरः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial panorama: Śiva-loka above, radiant and ash-white; nearby Goloka as a verdant, luminous pasture. Divine cows—Suśīlā and companions—stand with gentle eyes, garlanded, attended by siddhas; Śiva’s presence felt as a tranquil aura.

Characters & Entities

• Śivaloka
• Goloka
• Gomātaraḥ
• Suśīlā
• Śiva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Cows are exalted as intimately connected with Śiva’s own realm, underscoring their supreme sacred status.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tirtha is named; the verse glorifies a divine geography (Śivaloka–Goloka) within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; the verse motivates cow-sevā and gau-dāna by revealing their celestial dignity.