Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 7

Devanagari script

सेवंतामत्र देवेशं नृत्यवादित्रगीतिभिः । गणाश्च मानुषा भूत्वा सेवंतां त्वामहर्निशम्

Transliteration

sevaṃtāmatra deveśaṃ nṛtyavāditragītibhiḥ | gaṇāśca mānuṣā bhūtvā sevaṃtāṃ tvāmaharniśam

Translation

„Mögen sie hier dem Herrn der Götter mit Tanz, Instrumentenspiel und Gesang dienen. Und mögen auch Deine Gaṇas, in menschlicher Gestalt, Dir bei Tag und Nacht dienen.“

Word by Word

• सेवन्ताम्: let them serve
• सेवन्ताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; देवानाम् ईशः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; कर्म (object)

• नृत्य: with dance
• नृत्य: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनार्थे समाहार/साधन-भावेन समासाङ्ग; (समासे पूर्वपद)

• वादित्र: with instruments
• वादित्र: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनार्थे समाहार/साधन-भावेन (समासे पूर्वपद)

• गीतिभिः: with songs
• गीतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; करण

• गणाः: the attendants (gaṇas)
• गणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• मानुषाः: as humans / human (ones)
• मानुषाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; (विशेष्य-भावे)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया—‘भवित्वा’

• सेवन्ताम्: let them serve
• सेवन्ताम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √सेव् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अहर्निशम्: day and night
• अहर्निशम्: Kala-adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अहर्-निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्ययवत् प्रयोगः; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

Speaker

Gaurī (Pārvatī)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aruṇācala

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A festive temple courtyard at Arunācala: dancers in rhythmic poses, musicians with drums, cymbals, and lutes; Śiva’s gaṇas subtly present—some in human guise—serving with lamps and fans, creating an unbroken circle of worship.

Characters & Entities

• Deveśa (Śiva)
• Gaṇas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotion sanctifies the arts—dance, music, and song become direct service to Śiva, sustaining sacred presence continuously.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Arunachala is implied as the ‘here’ where Śiva is served through continuous celebration and worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Sevā through nṛtya (dance), gīta (song), and vāditra (instruments) is encouraged as devotional worship.