Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 64

Devanagari script

पठत्सु विप्रमुख्येषु नृत्यमानासु रागतः । रंभादिषु पुरन्ध्रीषु देवानां दृङ्मनोहरम्

Transliteration

paṭhatsu vipramukhyeṣu nṛtyamānāsu rāgataḥ | raṃbhādiṣu purandhrīṣu devānāṃ dṛṅmanoharam

Translation

เมื่อพราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐกำลังสวดท่อง และนางอัปสราอย่างรัมภาเป็นต้นร่ายรำด้วยรสแห่งราคะ ภาพนั้นชวนให้ดวงตาและดวงใจของเหล่าเทพยินดีนัก

Word by Word

• पठत्सु: while (they) were reciting
• पठत्सु: अधिकरण (Locative circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सन्दर्भानुसार) — 'while (they) recite'

• विप्रमुख्येषु: among the chief Brahmins
• विप्रमुख्येषु: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्रमुख्य (प्रातिपदिक) = विप्र + मुख्य (समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; 'among the foremost Brahmins'

• नृत्यमानासु: while (they) were dancing
• नृत्यमानासु: अधिकरण (Locative circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present middle participle), सप्तमी विभक्ति, बहुवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग — 'while (they) are dancing'

• रागतः: out of passion/with attachment
• रागतः: हेतु (Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्/तस्-प्रत्ययान्त) — कारण/हेतु-अर्थे 'from/through passion, with attachment'

• रंभादिषु: among Rambhā and the others
• रंभादिषु: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रंभा (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; 'among Rambhā and others (apsarases)'

• पुरन्ध्रीषु: among the women
• पुरन्ध्रीषु: अधिकरण (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरन्ध्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन; 'among the women/ladies'

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन — 'of the gods'

• दृङ्मनोहरम्: delightful to the eyes
• दृङ्मनोहरम्: कर्म/विशेषण (Object/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृक् (प्रातिपदिक) + मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; 'pleasing to the eyes' (object/description)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual purāṇic narrator within Nāgara Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred arena with foremost brāhmaṇas chanting; Rambhā and other apsarases dance in rhythmic passion; devas watch, their faces softened with delight; lamps, garlands, and incense frame the rite.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇas (vipra)
• Rambhā
• devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred recitation and dharmic celebration are portrayed as heavenly acts that please the devas and sanctify the occasion.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse continues the māhātmya of the same kṣetra in Adhyāya 77; the site is implied rather than named in this excerpt.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vedic-style recitation by brāhmaṇas (pāṭha) is depicted as part of the auspicious proceedings.