Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 63

Devanagari script

विशेषतः प्रदातव्या सवत्सा गौः स्वलंकृता । शय्या सोपस्करां दद्याद्विष्णुर्मे प्रीयतामिति

Transliteration

viśeṣataḥ pradātavyā savatsā gauḥ svalaṃkṛtā | śayyā sopaskarāṃ dadyādviṣṇurme prīyatāmiti

Translation

尤当施舍一头装饰庄严的母牛，并连同其犊。亦应布施备具齐全的卧榻，并祈愿曰：“愿毗湿奴悦纳于我。”

Word by Word

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त क्रियाविशेषण)

• pradātavyā: should be given
• pradātavyā: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra+dā (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (Gerundive), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘to be given/should be given’

• savatsā: with a calf
• savatsā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa+vatsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘वत्सेन सह’ (with calf)

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

• svalaṃkṛtā: well-adorned
• svalaṃkṛtā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su+alaṃkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past participle from alaṃ+kṛ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘well-adorned’

• śayyā: a bed
• śayyā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• sopaskarām: with furnishings/accessories
• sopaskarām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa+upaskara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘उपस्करैः सह’ (with accessories)

• dadyāt: should give
• dadyāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; ‘of me/my’

• prīyatām: may be pleased
• prīyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: prī (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्; ‘let (him) be pleased’

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (इति-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-सूचक)

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative voice within Dvārakā Māhātmya; likely a Purāṇic narrator addressing pilgrims/Brāhmaṇas)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Dvārakā kṣetra (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pilgrim-householder audience within Dvārakāmāhātmya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A richly adorned cow with her calf is led forward for donation; nearby, attendants present a furnished bed with linens and pillow; the donor prays inwardly to Viṣṇu for acceptance.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Charity dedicated to Viṣṇu—especially go-dāna—purifies intention and turns giving into devotion (bhakti) within sacred geography.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Dvārakā and its surrounding sacred realm as praised in the Dvārakā Māhātmya of the Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Donate an adorned cow with calf and also give a furnished bed, offering it with the resolve: “May Viṣṇu be pleased.”