Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

गीतवाद्यरता नित्या मत्ताः किलकिलापराः । कूटवेषक्रियाचाराः कूटसंव्यवहारिणः

Transliteration

gītavādyaratā nityā mattāḥ kilakilāparāḥ | kūṭaveṣakriyācārāḥ kūṭasaṃvyavahāriṇaḥ

Translation

Those who are ever addicted to songs and instruments, perpetually intoxicated and given to loud, senseless revelry—who adopt counterfeit disguises and deceptive modes of conduct, and who transact their dealings through fraud—are condemned as corrupters of dharma.

Word by Word

• गीत: song
• गीत: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• वाद्य: musical instruments
• वाद्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• रताः: devoted/attached
• रताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘गीतवाद्यरता’ इत्यत्र रताः = आसक्ताः

• नित्याः: always; constant
• नित्याः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (रताः/मत्ताः)

• मत्ताः: intoxicated
• मत्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (जनाः)

• किलकिला: loud laughter/clamor
• किलकिला: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किलकिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/अव्ययवत्-शब्दः, समासपूर्वपद-रूप; ‘किलकिला’ = कोलाहल/हास्यध्वनि

• पराः: given over to
• पराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘किलकिलापराः’ = तदासक्ताः

• कूट: false; deceitful
• कूट: Qualifier (समास-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप; ‘कूट’ = मिथ्या/छल

• वेष: disguise
• वेष: Qualifier (समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• क्रिया: acts
• क्रिया: Qualifier (समास-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• आचाराः: conduct/practices
• आचाराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आचार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुपद-समासान्त-शब्दः

• कूट: false
• कूट: Qualifier (समास-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद-रूप

• संव्यवहारिणः: dealers in fraudulent transactions
• संव्यवहारिणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संव्यवहारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कूटसंव्यवहारिणः’ = मिथ्याव्यवहार-कर्तारः

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A street near a temple: revelers with instruments and drink create chaos; alongside, a calm pilgrim and a priest represent restraint; a fraudster in disguise cheats a buyer, contrasted with honest merchants.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is undermined by intoxication, performative revelry, false appearances, and fraudulent dealings; integrity and self-restraint are praised implicitly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is mentioned in this verse; it functions as a general dharmic censure within the Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa context.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa, vrata) is prescribed here; the focus is ethical conduct.