Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 5

Devanagari script

सर्वस्याधारभूता ये वत्स धेनुस्त्रयीमयी । अस्यां प्रतिष्ठितं विश्वं विश्वहेतुश्च या मता

Transliteration

sarvasyādhārabhūtā ye vatsa dhenustrayīmayī | asyāṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ viśvaṃ viśvahetuśca yā matā

Translation

ดูก่อนบุตรเอ๋ย โคศักดิ์สิทธิ์นี้—อันเป็นรูปแห่งไตรเวท—เป็นที่พึ่งรองรับสรรพสิ่ง ทั้งจักรวาลตั้งมั่นอยู่ในนาง และนางถูกนับว่าเป็นเหตุแห่งโลก

Word by Word

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• आधार-भूता: having become the support; supportive
• आधार-भूता: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक) + भू (धातु) → भूत (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; भूत (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• ये: who/which (those)
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (relative pronoun)

• वत्स: O child/dear one
• वत्स: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• धेनुः: the cow
• धेनुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रयी-मयी: consisting of the three Vedas
• त्रयी-मयी: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयी (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• अस्याम्: in her/in this
• अस्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• प्रतिष्ठितम्: established/resting
• प्रतिष्ठितम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति-स्था (धातु) → प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (viśvam इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विश्व-हेतुः: the cause of the universe
• विश्व-हेतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक

• या: who/which
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun)

• मता: considered/held to be
• मता: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (या इत्यस्य विशेषणम्)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trayīmayī Go (conceptual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: vatsa (disciple/son)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A luminous cosmic cow, vast yet gentle, with subtle Vedic motifs inscribed on her body; the universe (planets, beings) appears as if resting within/around her form; a teacher addresses a disciple (‘vatsa’).

Characters & Entities

• Dhenu (sacred cow)
• Trayī (Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence for the cow is reverence for Vedic dharma itself; she symbolizes the sustaining power of sacred knowledge and nourishment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within Dharmāraṇya’s sanctified setting; the line chiefly glorifies the cosmic, Vedic nature of the cow.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse prepares for go-pūjā (cow worship) and go-sevā (care/protection), grounded in Vedic symbolism.