Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

कृतपूजोप्सरोभिश्च नृत्यहस्तकपल्लवैः । वियत्यनाहतैर्वाद्यैः समंतादनुमोदितः

Transliteration

kṛtapūjopsarobhiśca nṛtyahastakapallavaiḥ | viyatyanāhatairvādyaiḥ samaṃtādanumoditaḥ

Translation

He was honored on all sides by apsarases who had performed worship, their dance-hands blossoming in graceful gestures; and by unstruck, heavenly instruments resounding in the sky, giving assent and celebration everywhere.

Word by Word

• कृतपूजा: having performed worship
• कृतपूजा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-पूजा (प्रातिपदिक; कृत + पूजा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; 'कृता पूजा यस्य/या' इत्यर्थे विशेषणभावः (उप्सरः-विशेषणम्)

• अप्सरोभिः: by/with the Apsarases
• अप्सरोभिः: Sahakaraka (Accompaniment/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Coordination/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नृत्यहस्तकपल्लवैः: with dancing hand-gestures
• नृत्यहस्तकपल्लवैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृत्य-हस्त-कपल्लव (प्रातिपदिक; नृत्य + हस्त + कपल्लव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; 'नृत्ये हस्तकपल्लवाः' (dance-hand-gestures)

• वियति: in the sky
• वियति: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वियत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अनाहतैः: unstruck (self-sounding)
• अनाहतैः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाहत (प्रातिपदिक; न + आहत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• वाद्यैः: with musical instruments
• वाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• समन्तात्: from all sides
• समन्तात्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समन्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: 'from all sides/entirely')

• अनुमोदितः: applauded/approved
• अनुमोदितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुद् (धातु) + अनु + णिच् + क्त → अनुमोदित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (festivalized kṣetra ambience)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: munisattama

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Apsarases, having completed pūjā, dance with blossoming hand-gestures (kapallava-hasta); above, invisible ‘unstruck’ instruments resound across the sky, surrounding the Lord with celebration.

Characters & Entities

• Apsarases
• Divine instruments (anāhata vādyas)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

True celebration in a holy place is rooted in pūjā (worship) and maṅgala (auspiciousness), not mere spectacle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is implied as the holy setting where celestial worship and music naturally arise.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Pūjā (worship) is referenced as performed by the apsarases, though no step-by-step rite is detailed.