Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

गीतवाद्यरता नित्या मत्ताः किलकिलापराः । कूटवेषक्रियाचाराः कूटसंव्यवहारिणः

Transliteration

gītavādyaratā nityā mattāḥ kilakilāparāḥ | kūṭaveṣakriyācārāḥ kūṭasaṃvyavahāriṇaḥ

Translation

എപ്പോഴും ഗീത-വാദ്യങ്ങളിൽ ആസക്തരായി, നിത്യം മദോന്മത്തരായി അർത്ഥശൂന്യമായ കിളകിളാ-കോളാഹലത്തിൽ മഗ്നരായി; കൂറ്റവേഷം ധരിച്ചു വഞ്ചനാപരമായ ആചാരം നടത്തി, കപടവ്യാപാരത്തിൽ ഏർപ്പെടുന്നവർ—ധർമ്മഭ്രഷ്ടരായി നിന്ദിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു।

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.