Shloka 23
Lord Śiva Instructs the Pracetās (Śiva-stuti and the Path of Bhakti)
तत्र गान्धर्वमाकर्ण्य दिव्यमार्गमनोहरम् । विसिस्म्यू राजपुत्रास्ते मृदङ्गपणवाद्यनु ॥ २३ ॥
tatra gāndharvam ākarṇya divya-mārga-manoharam visismyū rāja-putrās te mṛdaṅga-paṇavādy anu
There they heard celestial Gandharva music, enchanting to the ear; and as the orderly, sweet sounds of mṛdaṅgas, paṇavas, and other drums resounded, the king’s sons were struck with great wonder.
In addition to the various flowers and living entities about the lake, there were also many musical vibrations. The void of the impersonalists, which has no variegatedness, is not at all pleasing compared with such a scene. Actually one has to attain the perfection of sac-cid-ānanda — eternity, bliss and knowledge. Because the impersonalists deny these varieties of creation, they cannot actually enjoy transcendental bliss. The place where the Pracetās arrived was the abode of Lord Śiva. Impersonalists are generally worshipers of Lord Śiva, but Lord Śiva is never without variety in his abode. Thus wherever one goes, whether to the planet of Lord Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu or Lord Brahmā, there is variety to be enjoyed by persons full in knowledge and bliss.
FAQs
This verse describes Gandharva music as divinely captivating, accompanied by drums, and powerful enough to astonish the hearers—highlighting the uplifting, otherworldly quality of transcendental sound.
Because the sound was ‘divya-mārga-manohara’—a celestial, exquisitely enchanting musical mode—unlike ordinary human music, and it signaled a sacred, extraordinary atmosphere in their narrative.
Seek spiritually elevating sound—such as nāma-saṅkīrtana and devotional music—because refined, sacred sound can quickly shift the mind from ordinary fascination to reverence and inner wonder.