Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

गीतविद्याप्रभावेन देवर्षिर्नारदो महान् । मान्यो वैष्णवलोके वै श्रीशंभोश्चातिवल्लभः

Transliteration

gītavidyāprabhāvena devarṣirnārado mahān | mānyo vaiṣṇavaloke vai śrīśaṃbhoścātivallabhaḥ

Translation

By the power of the sacred science of song, the great divine sage Nārada is honored in the Vaiṣṇava realm, and he is exceedingly dear to the auspicious Śambhu (Śiva) as well.

Word by Word

• गीतविद्याप्रभावेन: by the power of the musical knowledge
• गीतविद्याप्रभावेन: Karaṇa/Hetu (Instrument/Cause/करण-हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत-विद्या-प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), एकवचन; समास-विग्रहः: गीतविद्यायाः प्रभावेन (by the influence/power of the science of song)

• देवर्षिः: the divine sage
• देवर्षिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवर्षिः इत्यस्य विशेष्य-सम्बन्धः (apposition)

• महान्: great
• महान्: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नारदस्य विशेषणम्

• मान्यः: honourable, revered
• मान्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नारदस्य विशेषणम्

• वैष्णवलोके: in the Vaiṣṇava world
• वैष्णवलोके: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव-लोक (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• श्रीशंभोः: of venerable Śambhu (Śiva)
• श्रीशंभोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-शंभु (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अतिवल्लभः: exceedingly dear
• अतिवल्लभः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-वल्लभ (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नारदस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Skanda (deduced, Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative frame)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Devarṣi Nārada, vīṇā in hand, radiating musical devotion; behind him a paired iconography of Hari and Śambhu indicating equal honor and affection, with Kāśī’s sacred ambience implied by ghāṭs and lamps.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Śambhu (Śiva)
• Vaiṣṇava-loka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred music (gīta-vidyā) elevates devotion and earns honor across sectarian realms, showing Hari-Hara harmony.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader Kāśī Māhātmya context frames the teaching, though this verse itself praises Nārada rather than naming a specific tīrtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse extols the spiritual potency of devotional song.