Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 78

Devanagari script

एवं वाद्यप्रभेदैश्च विष्णुं सर्वात्मना हरिम् । अतोषयन्सुगीतज्ञा गंधर्वाप्सरसां गणाः

Transliteration

evaṃ vādyaprabhedaiśca viṣṇuṃ sarvātmanā harim | atoṣayansugītajñā gaṃdharvāpsarasāṃ gaṇāḥ

Translation

So erfreuten mit vielerlei Arten von Instrumenten die Scharen der Gandharvas und Apsaras, kundig im vortrefflichen Gesang, Viṣṇu, Hari, von ganzem Herzen.

Word by Word

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of manner)

• vādya-prabhedaiḥ: by varieties of musical instruments
• vādya-prabhedaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vādya (प्रातिपदिक) + prabheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (vādya-prabheda = ‘varieties of instruments’); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• sarvātmanā: with their whole being
• sarvātmanā: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययवत् (adverbial: ‘with whole self’)

• harim: Hari
• harim: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; viṣṇum इत्यस्य विशेषण/पर्याय

• atoṣayan: they pleased, satisfied
• atoṣayan: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; रूपम्: atoṣayan

• sugīta-jñāḥ: skilled in fine singing
• sugīta-jñāḥ: Karta (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su-gīta (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सुगीतस्य ज्ञाः = ‘knowers of good song’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (gaṇāḥ)

• gaṃdharva-apsarasām: of Gandharvas and Apsarases
• gaṃdharva-apsarasām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṃdharva (प्रातिपदिक) + apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (गंधर्वाश्च अप्सरसश्च); षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• gaṇāḥ: groups, hosts
• gaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakhaṇḍa sacred region

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gandharvas and Apsarases, expertly singing and playing, direct their performance toward Viṣṇu/Hari, whose calm presence radiates acceptance and delight.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Hari
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Wholehearted devotion expressed through sacred music pleases the Lord; bhakti can be offered through the arts.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The Kedāra sacred narrative setting is maintained; the verse highlights devotional celebration rather than naming a particular tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied devotional praise (stuti/gāna) as an offering; no formal vrata or dāna is specified.