Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 56

Devanagari script

यावद्वत्सस्य पादौ द्वौ मुखं योन्यां प्रदृश्यते । तावद्गौः पृथिवी ज्ञेया यावद्गर्भं न मुञ्चति

Transliteration

yāvadvatsasya pādau dvau mukhaṃ yonyāṃ pradṛśyate | tāvadgauḥ pṛthivī jñeyā yāvadgarbhaṃ na muñcati

Translation

ตราบใดที่เห็นเท้าทั้งสองและใบหน้าของลูกวัวอยู่ภายในครรภ์ ตราบนั้นพึงรู้ว่าแม่วัวคือพระแม่ธรณีเอง—จนกว่านางจะปล่อยทารกในครรภ์ออกมา

Word by Word

• yāvat: as long as
• yāvat: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्बन्ध-परिमाण/काल-सीमा सूचक indeclinable: 'as long as/until')

• vatsasya: of the calf
• vatsasya: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• pādau: two feet
• pādau: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन

• dvau: two
• dvau: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• mukham: the face
• mukham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• yonyām: in the womb
• yonyām: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• pradṛśyate: is seen/appears
• pradṛśyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√dṛś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• tāvat: so long
• tāvat: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (तावत्—तावद्; तावत्-परिमाण/काल-सीमा सूचक: 'so long/that long')

• gauḥ: the cow
• gauḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• pṛthivī: the Earth
• pṛthivī: Pratipādya/Predicate (सम्बन्ध/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• jñeyā: to be known (as)
• jñeyā: Pratipādya/Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √jñā (धातु) → jñeya (कृदन्त)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेयविशेषण

• yāvat: until/as long as
• yāvat: Sambandha (Correlative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (काल-सीमा सूचक: 'until/as long as')

• garbham: the fetus/embryo
• garbham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (निपात/अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• muñcati: releases/lets go
• muñcati: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator addressing the King (context from surrounding verses)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā) tīrtha-zone

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Nara-adhipa (king) / tīrtha-śravaṇa audience

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene cowshed near a riverbank: a pregnant, gentle cow stands with a faintly ‘revealed’ calf-form suggested within; sages indicate that she embodies the Earth. The river Revā flows behind with tīrtha markers and lamps.

Characters & Entities

• gauḥ (cow)
• Pṛthivī (Earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The cow is equated with Earth, highlighting her life-sustaining sanctity and why her gift is considered supremely meritorious.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Revā/Narmadā māhātmya context frames the teaching, though the verse itself is symbolic rather than topographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite; it provides a theological identification (cow = Earth) to elevate the significance of go-dāna.