Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 59

Devanagari script

वीणावेणुमृदंगानि तस्य चाग्रे गतानि च । जगुर्गंधर्वपतयो ननृतुश्चाप्सरोगणाः

Transliteration

vīṇāveṇumṛdaṃgāni tasya cāgre gatāni ca | jagurgaṃdharvapatayo nanṛtuścāpsarogaṇāḥ

Translation

Vīṇās, Flöten und mṛdaṅgas zogen vor ihm her; die Anführer der Gandharvas sangen, und Scharen von Apsaras tanzten.

Word by Word

• वीणा: lute
• वीणा: Sambandha (Member of list/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; समास/द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद (in compound)

• वेणु: flute
• वेणु: Sambandha (Member of list/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेणु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समास/द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद (in compound)

• मृदंगानि: mṛdaṅga drums (and other instruments)
• मृदंगानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (lutes, flutes, and mṛdaṅgas)

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular (of him)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अग्रे: in front
• अग्रे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular (in front)

• गतानि: having gone/proceeded
• गतानि: Karta (Predicate adjective of instruments/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Past participle ‘gone/proceeded’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• जगुः: sang
• जगुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Perfect ‘sang’

• गंधर्वपतयः: the Gandharva chiefs
• गंधर्वपतयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (lords of Gandharvas)

• ननृतुः: danced
• ननृतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/परफेक्ट), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Perfect ‘danced’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अप्सरोगणाः: the groups of Apsarases
• अप्सरोगणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural (groups of Apsarases)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedāranātha)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: In front of the ascending devotee, vīṇā, flute, and mṛdaṅga lead; Gandharva chiefs sing while Apsaras hosts dance—an ornate celestial procession.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharvas
• Apsarases

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic storytelling depicts spiritual success as recognized by higher realms, symbolized through celestial music and dance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra, as the locus of the Śivarātri merit being celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it is a narrative description of the फल (reward) and auspicious accompaniment.