Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

मातरो मंगलान्यस्य जगुः स्कन्दस्य नंदिताः । इंद्राद्या ननृतुस्तत्र स्वयं विष्णुश्च वादकः

Transliteration

mātaro maṃgalānyasya jaguḥ skandasya naṃditāḥ | iṃdrādyā nanṛtustatra svayaṃ viṣṇuśca vādakaḥ

Translation

The Mothers, gladdened for Skanda’s sake, sang auspicious songs. Indra and the others danced there, and Viṣṇu himself served as the musician.

Word by Word

• मातरः: mothers (divine mothers)
• मातरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• मंगलानि: auspicious songs/benedictions
• मंगलानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), बहुवचन (Plural), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• अस्य: of him (of this one)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम्/अयम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• जगुः: sang
• जगुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु; √गै ‘to sing’)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• स्कन्दस्य: of Skanda
• स्कन्दस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्कन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• नंदिताः: rejoiced/pleased
• नंदिताः: Karta-vishesana (Subject-qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नन्द् (धातु) → नन्दित (कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/PPP)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine) (agreeing with मातरः)

• इन्द्राद्याः: (the gods) beginning with Indra
• इन्द्राद्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); ‘इन्द्रः आदिः येषाम्’

• ननृतुः: danced
• ननृतुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देश-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Karta-vishesana (Emphasis on subject/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: स्वतन्त्रता/निजत्व-अव्यय (emphatic: oneself)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

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

• वादकः: musician/player
• वादकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वादक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); कर्तृपद (agent noun)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Skanda-utsava at Jaya-stambha (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The Mātṛkās sing auspicious hymns for Skanda; Indra and the gods dance, while Viṣṇu himself plays the instruments, creating a grand divine festival.

Characters & Entities

• Skanda
• Mātṛkās (Mothers)
• Indra
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Divine harmony supports dharma: even great deities participate joyfully when sacred space is established for the world’s good.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The consecration venue around Skanda’s victory monument and upcoming Stambheśvara worship is celebrated as a divine festival-ground.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Singing maṅgala (auspicious songs) as part of the installation celebration.