Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 182

Devanagari script

षड्जमध्यमगांधारग्रामत्रयविशारदाः । मूर्छनाभिश्च तानैश्च सुप्रयोगैः सुखप्रदम्

Transliteration

ṣaḍjamadhyamagāṃdhāragrāmatrayaviśāradāḥ | mūrchanābhiśca tānaiśca suprayogaiḥ sukhapradam

Translation

അവർ ഷഡ്ജ, മധ്യമ, ഗാന്ധാര എന്ന മൂന്ന് ഗ്രാമങ്ങളിൽ വിശാരദർ; മൂർച്ചനകൾ, താനങ്ങൾ, ഉത്തമപ്രയോഗങ്ങൾ എന്നിവകൊണ്ട് ഹൃദയത്തിന് സുഖം നൽകുന്ന ഗാനം ആലപിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• षड्जमध्यमगान्धारग्रामत्रयविशारदाः: expert in the three grāmas—ṣaḍja, madhyama, gāndhāra
• षड्जमध्यमगान्धारग्रामत्रयविशारदाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड्ज + मध्यम + गान्धार + ग्राम + त्रय + विशारद (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (षड्जादिषु ग्रामत्रये विशारदाः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मूर्छनाभिः: with mūrchanās (melodic progressions)
• मूर्छनाभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्छना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• तानैः: with tones/notes
• तानैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• सुप्रयोगैः: with excellent applications/performances
• सुप्रयोगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + प्रयोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (सु-प्रयोगाः = उत्तमप्रयोगाः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सुखप्रदम्: pleasant/giving joy
• सुखप्रदम्: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुख + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सुखं प्रददाति इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कर्मपदं, पूर्वोक्तं गीतम्/गानम् प्रति)

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva) (continuing narration)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial ensemble demonstrates mastery of the three grāmas; musical notes are visualized as flowing ribbons around them, forming a mandala that pleases the heart and rises toward Ravi’s radiance.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Śiva)
• Gandharvas
• Ravi (Sūrya)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred sound and disciplined artistry are shown as offerings—music becomes a vehicle of devotion and auspicious joy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, within whose māhātmya this celestial musical worship is described.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual rule; the verse emphasizes devotional gāna (singing) executed with purity and skill.