Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

भेरीध्वनिं तथा साध्या वाद्यान्यन्ये सुरोत्तमाः । झर्झरीगोमुखादीनि साध्याश्चक्रुर्महोत्सवे

Transliteration

bherīdhvaniṃ tathā sādhyā vādyānyanye surottamāḥ | jharjharīgomukhādīni sādhyāścakrurmahotsave

Translation

En ce grand festival, les Sādhyas firent retentir le battement des tambours bherī ; et d’autres êtres célestes éminents jouèrent divers instruments—tels la jharjharī et la gomukha—emplissant la fête de sons propices.

Word by Word

• भेरीध्वनिम्: sound of the kettle-drum
• भेरीध्वनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भेरी + ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: भेर्याः ध्वनिः

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Connector/Adverb (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• साध्याः: the Sādhyas (a class of gods)
• साध्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वाद्यानि: musical instruments
• वाद्यानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• अन्ये: other
• अन्ये: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सुरोत्तमाः: best of the gods
• सुरोत्तमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सुराणाम् उत्तमाः

• झर्झरीगोमुखादीनि: jharjharī, gomukha, and other (instruments)
• झर्झरीगोमुखादीनि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: झर्झरी + गोमुख + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (collective): झर्झरी च गोमुखं च आदीनि च

• साध्याः: the Sādhyas
• साध्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• चक्रुः: did / performed
• चक्रुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• महोत्सवे: in the great festival
• महोत्सवे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महान् उत्सवः

Speaker

Narrator (contextual; Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A grand festival courtyard: Sādhyas beating bherīs (kettle-drums) while other devas play jharjharī and gomukha; banners, incense haze, rhythmic movement, and concentric circles of performers around a central sanctified space.

Characters & Entities

• Sādhyas
• Surottamas (celestials)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred places and rites are celebrated not only by humans but also by celestial beings, showing that devotional festivity is itself a form of worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse sits within the Nāgara-khaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya flow; the snippet emphasizes the tīrtha-festival atmosphere rather than naming the site in this line alone.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription (snāna/dāna/japa) is stated here; the focus is on auspicious musical offerings during a mahotsava.