Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 46
सर्वेभ्यश्चैव विप्रेभ्यो नानागोत्रेभ्य एव च । सुरभीसहिता गावो दातव्या नात्र संशयः
sarvebhyaścaiva viprebhyo nānāgotrebhya eva ca | surabhīsahitā gāvo dātavyā nātra saṃśayaḥ
सर्वेभ्य एव विप्रेभ्यो नानागोत्रसमुद्भवेभ्यः । सुरभीसहिता गावो दातव्याः, नात्र संशयः ॥
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced; Māheśvara Khaṇḍa narration to sages)
Tirtha: Kedāra
Type: kshetra
Listener: Ṛṣis (Naimiṣāraṇya frame typical) / pilgrims (implied)
Scene: Sages in a Himalayan hermitage near Kedāra instruct that Surabhī-associated cows be gifted to brāhmaṇas of many gotras; cows adorned with garlands, vessels of water and kuśa present, Śiva’s presence implied by liṅga/triśūla motifs.
FAQs
Charity aligned with dharma—especially go-dāna to worthy recipients—is affirmed as a certain and meritorious act.
The command is voiced within Kedāra Khaṇḍa’s mahatmya setting, where dharmic acts support the sacred narrative of Kedāra.
Go-dāna: giving cows (with Surabhī) to brāhmaṇas across different gotras, explicitly stated as obligatory/commendable.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Skanda Purana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.