Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 37

Devanagari script

दिव्य दुंदुभिशंखानां घोषैः पुष्पौघवृष्टिभिः । सेवितो भव देव त्वमप्सरोनृत्यगीतिभिः

Transliteration

divya duṃdubhiśaṃkhānāṃ ghoṣaiḥ puṣpaughavṛṣṭibhiḥ | sevito bhava deva tvamapsaronṛtyagītibhiḥ

Translation

Sois servi, ô Dieu, par la résonance des tambours et des conques divines, par des pluies de gerbes de fleurs, et par les danses et les chants des Apsaras.

Word by Word

• दिव्य: divine
• दिव्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम् (neuter, genitive, plural); विशेषणम्—दुन्दुभिशङ्खानाम् प्रति

• दुन्दुभिशङ्खानाम्: of drums and conches
• दुन्दुभिशङ्खानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुन्दुभि + शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी, बहुवचनम् (masculine, genitive, plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः

• घोषैः: with sounds
• घोषैः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम् (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• पुष्पौघवृष्टिभिः: with showers of masses of flowers
• पुष्पौघवृष्टिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + ओघ + वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम् (feminine, instrumental, plural); ‘पुष्पौघस्य वृष्टिः’

• सेवितः: (may you be) served/honoured
• सेवितः: Kriya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेवित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (masculine, nominative, singular); भूतकृदन्तः; विधिलिङ्गार्थे प्रार्थना-प्रयोगः

• भव: be
• भव: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः, एकवचनम् (2nd person singular)

• देव: O god
• देव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन, एकवचनम् (masculine, vocative, singular)

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (nominative, singular)

• अप्सरोनृत्यगीतिभिः: with the dances and songs of apsarases
• अप्सरोनृत्यगीतिभिः: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् + नृत्य + गीत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, तृतीया, बहुवचनम् (neuter, instrumental, plural); ‘अप्सरसां नृत्यगीतयः’ (अप्सरः-सम्बन्धः)

Speaker

Kamalānātha (Brahmā) (deduced from immediate context leading to shloka 41)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Aruṇācala

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial pūjā unfolds before Arunācala: conches and kettle-drums resound; torrents of flowers rain from the sky; apsarases dance in graceful circles while gandharvas sing; Śiva is honored as the presiding Lord of the hill.

Characters & Entities

• Dundubhi
• Śaṅkha
• Apsaras

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The highest worship is wholehearted celebration—sound, flowers, and sacred arts offered to the Divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Aruṇācala, where Śiva is envisioned as being worshipped with celestial honors.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Offerings typical of pūjā are implied: conch/drum sounds, flower offerings, and devotional song and dance.