Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

आरार्तिकं ततः कृत्वा नृत्यं कुर्याद्यथेच्छया । अष्टांगं प्रणिपत्यैवं गीतवाद्यादिकं ततः

Transliteration

ārārtikaṃ tataḥ kṛtvā nṛtyaṃ kuryādyathecchayā | aṣṭāṃgaṃ praṇipatyaivaṃ gītavādyādikaṃ tataḥ

Translation

Then, having performed the ārārtika, one may dance as one wishes. Thus, having prostrated with the eight limbs, one should thereafter engage in singing, instrumental music, and the like in the Lord’s honor.

Word by Word

• ārārtikam: ārati-ritual (waving of lights)
• ārārtikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārārtika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) — 'thereafter/then'

• kṛtvā: having done
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया — 'having done'

• nṛtyam: dance
• nṛtyam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kuryāt: should do/should perform
• kuryāt: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• yathā-icchayā: according to one’s wish
• yathā-icchayā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + icchā (इच्छा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; समस्तपदम् अव्ययवत् — 'as one wishes'

• aṣṭāṅgam: eight-limbed (prostration)
• aṣṭāṅgam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (अङ्ग प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• praṇipatya: having bowed/prostrated
• praṇipatya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Gerundial modifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-ṇi-pat (प्रणिपत् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) — 'having prostrated'

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण — 'thus/in this manner'

• gītavādyādikam: singing, instrumental music, etc.
• gītavādyādikam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (गीत) + vādya (वाद्य) + ādika (आदिक) (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण — 'thereafter'

Speaker

Sūta (deduced from section context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Somnātha at Prabhāsa

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A blazing ārati lamp circles before the Somnātha liṅga; devotees raise hands in reverence; some dance in measured steps; musicians play mṛdaṅga and cymbals; a devotee performs āṣṭāṅga-praṇāma on the stone floor as the sanctum glows with firelight.

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti includes both reverent surrender (prostration) and joyful expression (song, music, dance) offered to the deity.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsakṣetra, portrayed as a sacred space for both ritual correctness and ecstatic devotion.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform ārati, do aṣṭāṅga praṇāma, and then offer devotional music/singing/dance.