Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

कामधेनोः प्रभावं तं ज्ञात्वा प्राह ततो द्विजम् । दक्षिणां देहि मे विप्र कल्मषां धेनुमुत्तमाम्

Transliteration

kāmadhenoḥ prabhāvaṃ taṃ jñātvā prāha tato dvijam | dakṣiṇāṃ dehi me vipra kalmaṣāṃ dhenumuttamām

Translation

ครั้นทรงทราบอานุภาพอัศจรรย์ของกามเธนูแล้ว จึงตรัสแก่ทวิชะว่า “โอ้ท่านวิปร ขอท่านจงมอบโคอันประเสริฐนามกัลมษาแก่เราเป็นทักษิณาเถิด”

Word by Word

• कामधेनोः: of Kāmadhenu (wish-cow)
• कामधेनोः: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma-dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• प्रभावम्: power, magnificence
• प्रभावम्: Karma (Object of knowing/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• तम्: that
• तम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (प्रभावम्)

• ज्ञात्वा: having learned
• ज्ञात्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Prior action/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund), ‘having known’

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequence/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/कारणवाचक-अव्ययम् (then/thereupon)

• द्विजम्: to the twice-born (Brahmin)
• द्विजम्: Karma (Addressee/object of speech/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• दक्षिणाम्: a gift, fee
• दक्षिणाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣiṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• देहि: give
• देहि: Kriyā (Command/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुषः (2nd person), एकवचनम्, परस्मैपदम्

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradāna (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (अस्मद्-सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचनरूपम् (Genitive/Dative singular); अत्र चतुर्थी (to me)

• विप्र: O Brahmin
• विप्र: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः (Vocative), एकवचनम्

• कल्मषाम्: (named) Kalmaṣā
• कल्मषाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kalmaṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (धेनुम्)

• धेनुम्: cow
• धेनुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhenu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• उत्तमाम्: best, excellent
• उत्तमाम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; विशेषणम् (धेनुम्)

Speaker

Narrator (request voiced by the king)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Jamadagni-āśrama (Revā-tīra)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The king, eyes fixed on the divine cow, speaks forcefully to the brāhmaṇa; Kāmadhenū (Kalmaṣā) stands radiant, surrounded by a subtle aura; the hermitage atmosphere tightens with impending rupture.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmadhenū
• Kalmaṣā (cow)
• Dvija/Brāhmaṇa (Jamadagni, implied)
• Rājā (the king)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred gifts (dakṣiṇā) are not a pretext for appropriation; dharma condemns covetousness masked as ritual.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The narrative is situated within the Revā Khaṇḍa’s sacred geography of the Narmadā region.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dakṣiṇā (ritual fee/charitable gift) is referenced, but here it is misused as a demand rather than a voluntary offering.