Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

गीतज्ञा अतिगीतेन तोषयंति नराधिपान् । स्तुवंति च धनाढ्यांश्च धनलोभेन मोहिता

Transliteration

gītajñā atigītena toṣayaṃti narādhipān | stuvaṃti ca dhanāḍhyāṃśca dhanalobhena mohitā

Translation

ते गीतविद्येत निपुण आहेत; अतिगानाने राजांना संतुष्ट करतात. आणि धनलोभाने मोहित होऊन धनाढ्यांचीही स्तुती करतात.

Word by Word

• gītajñāḥ: knowers of music/song
• gītajñāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); उपपद/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gītasya jñāḥ = knowers of song)

• atigītena: by excessive singing
• atigītena: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + gīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभाव (ati-gītam = excessive singing)

• toṣayanti: they please/satisfy
• toṣayanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tuṣ (धातु) [णिच् causative: toṣay-]
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• narādhipān: kings/rulers
• narādhipān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (narāṇām adhipāḥ = kings)

• stuvanti: they praise
• stuvanti: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

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

• dhanāḍhyān: the wealthy (men)
• dhanāḍhyān: Karman (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष (dhane āḍhyāḥ = wealthy in riches)

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

• dhanalobhena: by/through greed for wealth
• dhanalobhena: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhana (प्रातिपदिक) + lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (dhanasya lobhaḥ = greed for wealth)

• mohitāḥ: deluded/infatuated
• mohitāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muh (धातु) → mohita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Gaṇas (continuing explanation)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Unspecified in excerpt

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Gandharvas perform in two settings: a radiant deva-sabhā and a human royal court; in the latter, coins and gifts pass hands, hinting at greed’s pull.

Characters & Entities

• Gandharva
• Narādhipa

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Art and praise can become tainted when motivated by greed; intention (bhāva) matters in dharmic life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No; this is a character-description within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it offers ethical observation about motivation behind stuti and performance.