Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

प्रणवं पुरतः कृत्वा षड्जादिस्वरभेदतः । गीतं विधाय सानंदं सनृत्यं हस्तकान्वितम्

Transliteration

praṇavaṃ purataḥ kṛtvā ṣaḍjādisvarabhedataḥ | gītaṃ vidhāya sānaṃdaṃ sanṛtyaṃ hastakānvitam

Translation

Dengan Praṇava “Oṃ” didahulukan, serta memvariasikan nada bermula dari Ṣaḍja, beliau menyanyikan lagu dengan penuh sukacita—sambil menari juga, disertai mudrā tangan yang bererti.

Word by Word

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-अर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण/उपपद (in front)

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive)

• षड्जादि: (of) ṣaḍja etc.
• षड्जादि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्ज-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; षड्ज + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘षड्जः आदिः यस्य’)—‘beginning with ṣaḍja’ (as a class)

• स्वर: musical note
• स्वर: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• भेदतः: according to the distinctions
• भेदतः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/हेतु-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘भेदतः’ = ‘भेदेन/भेदात्’ (by/according to distinctions)

• गीतम्: song, singing
• गीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक; √गै (धातु) से क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used as noun)

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), धातु: वि+धा (‘having performed/arranged’)

• सानन्दम्: joyful, with delight
• सानन्दम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक; स + आनन्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आनन्दयुक्तम्’

• सनृत्यम्: with dancing
• सनृत्यम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; स + नृत्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘नृत्ययुक्तम्’

• हस्तकान्वितम्: accompanied by hand-gestures
• हस्तकान्वितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्तक-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; हस्तक + अन्वित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (‘हस्तकैः अन्वितम्’ = accompanied by hand-gestures)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic-devotee sings with Oṃ as the opening, modulating through the scale from ṣaḍja onward, dancing with expressive hand gestures—joyful yet ritually focused in Kāśī’s sacred ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Ṣaḍja (musical note)
• Śiva (implied as object of worship)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Art offered as worship—music and dance grounded in Oṃ—becomes a direct expression of devotion and spiritual joy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The devotional performance occurs within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa setting near a liṅga; this verse highlights worship style rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Singing with Praṇava (Oṃ) as the lead, using musical note variations, accompanied by devotional dance and hand-gestures.