Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

आश्विने शुक्लपक्षे च गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः । महोत्सवं तथा चित्रैर्हास्यलास्यैः पृथग्विधैः

Transliteration

āśvine śuklapakṣe ca gītavāditranisvanaiḥ | mahotsavaṃ tathā citrairhāsyalāsyaiḥ pṛthagvidhaiḥ

Translation

ആശ്വിന മാസത്തിലെ ശുക്ലപക്ഷത്തിൽ ഗാനങ്ങളുടെയും വാദ്യങ്ങളുടെയും മുഴക്കത്തോടെ മഹോത്സവം നടത്തപ്പെടണം; നാനാവിധ വിനോദങ്ങൾ, ഹാസ്യം, വ്യത്യസ്ത നൃത്തങ്ങൾ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് അത് അലങ്കരിക്കപ്പെടണം।

Word by Word

• आश्विने: in (the month of) Āśvina
• आश्विने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आश्विन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; 'in (the month) Āśvina'

• शुक्लपक्षे: in the bright fortnight
• शुक्लपक्षे: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्लपक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन — locative singular; समास: शुक्लः पक्षः (bright fortnight)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः: with the sounds of songs and musical instruments
• गीतवादित्रनिस्वनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत + वादित्र + निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural; समास: गीत-वादित्रयोः निस्वनाः (sounds of songs and instruments)

• महोत्सवम्: a great festival
• महोत्सवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महोत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन — accusative singular; समास: महान् उत्सवः (great festival)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha/Modifier (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/also')

• चित्रैः: with pictures/variegated displays
• चित्रैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural

• हास्यलास्यैः: with laughter and dance
• हास्यलास्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हास्य + लास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural; समास: हास्यं च लास्यं च (laughter and dance)

• पृथग्विधैः: of various kinds
• पृथग्विधैः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथग्विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन — instrumental plural; विशेषण (qualifying the preceding instruments/means): 'of various kinds'

Speaker

Brāhmaṇas (continuing reply)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bright-fortnight Āśvina festival at a tīrtha: decorated pavilion, lamps and banners, devotees singing with vīṇā/mṛdaṅga/śaṅkha, dancers performing lāsya, crowds laughing joyfully in a sacred, orderly celebration.

Characters & Entities

• Āśvina (Śukla Pakṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Bhakti is expressed not only through austerity but also through communal sacred celebration—music, arts, and festival worship offered to the divine.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

A tīrtha/temple setting in Nāgara Khaṇḍa’s Tīrthamāhātmya where an Āśvina bright-fortnight festival is celebrated.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Hold a mahotsava in Āśvina śukla pakṣa with devotional music (gīta), instruments (vāditra), and culturally sanctioned performances as offerings.