Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

वीणामृदंगाब्जभेरी मरु डिंडिमझर्झरैः । आनकैः कांस्यतालाद्यै र्वाद्यैर्ललितगायनैः

Transliteration

vīṇāmṛdaṃgābjabherī maru ḍiṃḍimajharjharaiḥ | ānakaiḥ kāṃsyatālādyai rvādyairlalitagāyanaiḥ

Translation

ด้วยวีณา มฤทังคะ กลองดุจดอกบัว ภีรี มรุ ฑิณฑิม และฌรฌระ อีกทั้งอานก ฉิ่งฉาบสำริดและเครื่องดนตรีอื่น ๆ พร้อมบทขับร้องอันอ่อนช้อยไพเราะ

Word by Word

• वीणामृदङ्गाब्जभेरी: (with) vīṇā, mṛdaṅga, and abja-bherī
• वीणामृदङ्गाब्जभेरी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीणा (प्रातिपदिक) + मृदङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अब्जभेरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा (समाहार-निर्देशः), एकवचनम्; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः—वीणा च मृदङ्गः च अब्जभेरी च (musical instruments as a set)

• मरु: maru (a drum)
• मरु: Sambandha (List item)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम्; वाद्यविशेषः (a kind of drum)

• डिण्डिमझर्झरैः: with ḍiṇḍima and jharjhara drums
• डिण्डिमझर्झरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: डिण्डिम (प्रातिपदिक) + झर्झर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः—डिण्डिमैः च झर्झरैः च

• आनकैः: with kettle-drums (ānaka)
• आनकैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• कांस्यतालाद्यैः: with bronze cymbals and the like
• कांस्यतालाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कांस्य (प्रातिपदिक) + ताल (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—कांस्यतालादि = कांस्यताला आदयः (bronze cymbals etc.)

• वाद्यैः: with musical instruments
• वाद्यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• ललितगायनैः: with graceful singing
• ललितगायनैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ललित (प्रातिपदिक) + गायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; समासः—ललितगायन = ललितं गायनं येषां/यत्र (with graceful singing)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa commonly Skanda → Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (festival precincts/ghāṭa-temple corridors)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Ṛṣi-assembly (frame assumed)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A jubilant sacred concert in a temple courtyard: vīṇā players seated, mṛdaṅga and bherī drummers standing, ḍiṇḍima and jharjhara players in rows, bronze tāla cymbals flashing; singers in graceful posture.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Devotional celebration includes sacred sound—music and song become offerings that elevate mind and atmosphere toward auspiciousness.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī is the implied sacred locale where divine ceremonies are celebrated with music as part of its māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

It describes the use of instruments and singing as ceremonial accompaniments (maṅgala-vādya) during auspicious rites.