Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 60

Devanagari script

ततोऽवाद्यंत तान्येव घनानि सुषिराणि च । कलगानपराः सर्वे सर्वे मृदंगवादिनः

Transliteration

tato'vādyaṃta tānyeva ghanāni suṣirāṇi ca | kalagānaparāḥ sarve sarve mṛdaṃgavādinaḥ

Translation

ثم عُزِفَتْ تلك الآلاتُ نفسها—ما كان منها صلبَ الرنين (إيقاعًا) وما كان أجوفَ النفخ (هوائيًّا). وكان الجميعُ مُنْهَمِكِينَ في الغناء الموزون؛ والجميعُ ضاربو طبلِ المِرْدَنْغا (mṛdaṅga).

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriya-visheshana (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; तदनन्तरम् (then)

• अवाद्यन्त: they sounded/played
• अवाद्यन्त: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वाद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; धातु: वाद् (to sound/play)

• तानि: those
• तानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; अत्र कर्म/उद्देश्य (those instruments)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय

• घनानि: solid (percussion) instruments
• घनानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; वाद्यविशेष (solid/percussion instruments)

• सुषिराणि: hollow (wind) instruments
• सुषिराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुषिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; वाद्यविशेष (hollow/wind instruments)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• कलगानपराः: intent on melodious singing
• कलगानपराः: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलगान (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (कलगाने पराः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (सर्वे)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वे (all)

• सर्वे: all (indeed)
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; पुनरुक्ति (emphatic repetition)

• मृदंगवादिनः: players of mṛdaṅga drums
• मृदंगवादिनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदंग (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (मृदंगं वादयन्ति इति); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A coordinated orchestra of gaṇas: percussion and wind instruments played together; singers keep measured melody while mṛdaṅga players drive the rhythm.

Characters & Entities

• Ghana vādya (percussion)
• Suṣira vādya (wind instruments)
• Mṛdaṅga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sound and rhythm become vehicles of sacred power—here, music functions as an omen and amplifier of divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedārakhaṇḍa provides the sacred setting; this verse does not name a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it notes collective performance of instruments and song.