Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

महेशहृदयाज्जाता गंधर्वा विश्वगायकाः । ते मूर्त्ता देवदेवस्य सुरंगालयसंयुताः

Transliteration

maheśahṛdayājjātā gaṃdharvā viśvagāyakāḥ | te mūrttā devadevasya suraṃgālayasaṃyutāḥ

Translation

Aus dem Herzen Maheshas wurden die Gandharvas geboren, die Sänger der ganzen Welt—verkörperte Gefolgsleute des Gottes der Götter, begabt mit himmlischen Hallen und strahlendem Glanz.

Word by Word

• महेशहृदयात्: from Mahesha’s heart
• महेशहृदयात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक) + हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (महेशस्य हृदयम्)

• जाताः: born, arisen
• जाताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘उत्पन्नाः’

• गन्धर्वाः: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन

• विश्वगायकाः: world-singers, universal singers
• विश्वगायकाः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘विश्वे गायकाः’ (singers of the world)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• मूर्त्ताः: embodied, having form
• मूर्त्ताः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘मूर्तिमन्तः/देहवन्तः’

• देवदेवस्य: of the God of gods
• देवदेवस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘देवानां देवः’

• सुरङ्गालयसंयुताः: endowed with charming abodes (lit. connected with delightful dwellings)
• सुरङ्गालयसंयुताः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक) + संयुत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सुरङ्गायाः आलयेन/आलयैः संयुताः)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the Ṛṣis (deduced; speaker not explicit in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: From Śiva’s heart-lotus radiance emerge Gandharvas—resplendent, embodied, holding vīṇā and flute—standing before celestial halls (surāṅga-ālaya) that shimmer like crystal palaces.

Characters & Entities

• Maheśa (Śiva)
• Gandharvas
• Devadeva (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional music and sacred artistry are presented as emanations of Śiva’s own heart, making praise and song integral to tīrtha-dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse contributes to the Nāgara Khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya setting (Adhyāya 254); the precise tīrtha name is not contained in this shloka.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual instruction appears; the focus is on divine manifestation and celebratory atmosphere.