Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

तेन पुण्येन गांधर्वो लोकस्त्वेषां विशिष्यते । ब्राह्मणास्तोषिता यद्वै गीतविद्यार्जितैर्धनैः

Transliteration

tena puṇyena gāṃdharvo lokastveṣāṃ viśiṣyate | brāhmaṇāstoṣitā yadvai gītavidyārjitairdhanaiḥ

Translation

Durch dieses Verdienst wird ihre Gandharva-Welt besonders erhaben; denn wahrlich haben sie die Brāhmaṇas mit Reichtum erfreut, der durch die heilige Kunst des Gesangs erworben wurde.

Word by Word

• tena: by that
• tena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• puṇyena: by merit
• puṇyena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• gāndharvaḥ: Gāndharva
• gāndharvaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gāndharva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• lokaḥ: world/realm
• lokaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• eṣām: of these/of them
• eṣām: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/सर्वलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• viśiṣyate: is distinguished/excels
• viśiṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śiṣ (धातु) with prefix vi
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्तरि = becomes distinguished/excels

• brāhmaṇāḥ: Brahmins
• brāhmaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• toṣitāḥ: pleased/satisfied
• toṣitāḥ: Kriya (Predicate complement/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tuṣ (धातु) → toṣita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (satisfied/pleased)

• yat: since/because
• yat: Sambandha (Clause linker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोग (relative particle), कारणार्थे/यतः (since/because)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• gītavidyārjitaiḥ: by wealth earned through musical knowledge
• gītavidyārjitaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gīta (प्रातिपदिक) + vidyā (प्रातिपदिक) + arjita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: gītavidyayā arjitaiḥ (earned by the art/knowledge of song); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• dhanaiḥ: with riches/wealth
• dhanaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing explanation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified in excerpt

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A radiant Gandharva-loka vista: elevated mansions and gardens; Gandharvas appear more resplendent, signifying 'viśiṣyate' (distinction), while brāhmaṇas below are shown being honored with gifts earned by song.

Characters & Entities

• GandharvaLoka
• Brāhmaṇa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wealth earned through one’s skill becomes spiritually fruitful when used to please and support brāhmaṇas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse emphasizes Gandharva-loka as a fruit of merit; it does not name a Kāśī tirtha directly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Dāna to brāhmaṇas using wealth earned through gīta-vidyā (one’s profession/skill) is implied as the meritorious act.