Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 28

Devanagari script

ततः पुण्याहघोषेण गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः । शुक्लमाल्यांबरधरः शुक्लचंदनचर्चितः

Transliteration

tataḥ puṇyāhaghoṣeṇa gītavāditranisvanaiḥ | śuklamālyāṃbaradharaḥ śuklacaṃdanacarcitaḥ

Translation

Dann, inmitten des Ausrufs „puṇyāha“ und des Widerhalls von Gesang und Instrumentenklang, schreitet er — mit weißen Girlanden und weißen Gewändern, mit weißem Sandel eingerieben — (in Reinheit voran).

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Modifier (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अपादानार्थ (then/from there)

• पुण्याहघोषेण: with the auspicious-day proclamation
• पुण्याहघोषेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्याह (प्रातिपदिक) + घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘पुण्याहस्य घोषः’

• गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः: with the sounds of singing and musical instruments
• गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वादित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वः—‘गीतं च वादित्रं च (तयोः) निस्वनाः’ (collective sounds)

• शुक्लमाल्यांबरधरः: wearing white garlands and garments
• शुक्लमाल्यांबरधरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + माल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक) + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘शुक्लं माल्यं च अम्बरं च धरति’ (धारकः)

• शुक्लचंदनचर्चितः: smeared/anointed with white sandal paste
• शुक्लचंदनचर्चितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्दन (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्चित (कृदन्त, √चर्च्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘शुक्लचन्दनेन चर्चितः’; भूतकृदन्त

Speaker

Unspecified (narrative instruction within Tīrthamāhātmya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: ghat

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A festive yet disciplined procession: priests proclaim 'puṇyāha', singers and instrumentalists create a resonant canopy of sound; the pilgrim/patron appears in white garland and garments, body anointed with white sandal paste, moving toward the ritual center with composed reverence.

Characters & Entities

• puṇyāha
• candana (sandal paste)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Outer purity (white dress, sandal paste) and auspicious sound (puṇyāha, music) are portrayed as supporting inner purification during sacred rites.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse belongs to a tīrtha-mahātmya ritual sequence in Nāgarakhaṇḍa; the site is contextual to Adhyāya 201 but not explicitly named in this line.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Announcing puṇyāha, using devotional music/instruments, and adopting white attire/garlands with white sandal anointing.