Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 95

Devanagari script

वीणावेणुमृदंगांश्च लयतालविचक्षणाः । वादयंति मुदा युक्तास्तिस्रोपीश्वरसन्निधौ

Transliteration

vīṇāveṇumṛdaṃgāṃśca layatālavicakṣaṇāḥ | vādayaṃti mudā yuktāstisropīśvarasannidhau

Translation

ലയതാളങ്ങളിൽ നിപുണരായ ആ മൂവരും ആനന്ദത്തോടെ, ഈശ്വരസന്നിധിയിൽ വീണ, വേണു, മൃദംഗം എന്നിവ വായിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• वीणा-वेणु-मृदङ्गान्: vīṇās, flutes, and mṛdaṅgas
• वीणा-वेणु-मृदङ्गान्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक) + वेणु (प्रातिपदिक) + मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (vīṇā, flute, and mṛdaṅga)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction: and)

• लय-ताल-विचक्षणाः: skilled in tempo and rhythm
• लय-ताल-विचक्षणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लय (प्रातिपदिक) + ताल (प्रातिपदिक) + विचक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (लये ताले च विचक्षणाः = skilled in rhythm and beat)

• वादयन्ति: play (instruments)
• वादयन्ति: Kriyā (Predicate action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वादय् (णिजन्त; वद्/वाद् धातु causative)
• Form: लट् (Present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative: make sound/play)

• मुदा: with joy
• मुदा: Karaṇa (Instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद् (प्रातिपदिक: मुदा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); एकवचन; भाववाचक (with joy)

• युक्ताः: engaged/intent
• युक्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; विशेषण (connected/engaged)

• तिस्रः: the three (women)
• तिस्रः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also)

• ईश्वर-सन्निधौ: in the presence of the Lord
• ईश्वर-सन्निधौ: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/Locative); एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ईश्वरस्य सन्निधिः)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Trilocana (Kāśī)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Three joyful devotees, expert in rhythm and tempo, play vīṇā, flute, and mṛdaṅga before the Lord in the shrine.

Characters & Entities

• Ratnāvalī
• Prabhāvatī
• Kalāvatī
• Īśvara (Śiva)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Joyful excellence in one’s skills, when performed before God, becomes a form of bhakti rather than mere entertainment.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s sacred ambience is implied, where the Lord’s presence sanctifies devotional music.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Instrumental music (vādyasevā) offered in the Lord’s presence, emphasizing laya and tāla mastery as part of worship.