Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 190

Devanagari script

अनाहता महादेवि नेदिरे घननिस्वनाः । गायद्भिश्चैव गंधर्वैर्नृत्यद्भिश्चाप्सरोगणैः

Transliteration

anāhatā mahādevi nedire ghananisvanāḥ | gāyadbhiścaiva gaṃdharvairnṛtyadbhiścāpsarogaṇaiḥ

Translation

โอ้มหาเทวี! เสียงกังวานอัน “อนาหตะ” ที่เกิดขึ้นเองและทุ้มลึกก็ดังก้อง; เหล่าคันธรรพะขับร้อง และหมู่อัปสราก็ร่ายรำ

Word by Word

• अनाहताः: unstruck (self-resounding)
• अनाहताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनाहत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; विशेषणं ‘घननिस्वनाः’ प्रति

• महादेवि: O Mahādevī
• महादेवि: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• नेदिरे: they resounded
• नेदिरे: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• घन-निस्वनाः: deep sounds
• घन-निस्वनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + निस्वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘घनः निस्वनः’ = deep sound)

• गायद्भिः: by (those) singing
• गायद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गै (धातु) → गायत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘singing’

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (indeed)

• गन्धर्वैः: by Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• नृत्यद्भिः: by (those) dancing
• नृत्यद्भिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृत् (धातु) → नृत्यत् (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ) ‘dancing’

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

• अप्सरः-गणैः: by groups of apsarases
• अप्सरः-गणैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘अप्सरसां गणैः’)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) narrating to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Deep, self-arising reverberations fill the air; Gandharvas sing in mid-sky while Apsaras troupes dance in coordinated circles; the narration addresses Mahādevī, suggesting the Goddess as witness or invoked presence over the scene.

Characters & Entities

• Mahādevī
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In a supremely sacred place, devotion manifests as harmony—song, dance, and auspicious sound become offerings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Prabhāsa-kṣetra, presented as a locus where celestial beings gather to honor the sacred event.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific vow is prescribed; the verse highlights stuti and celebratory upacāra—praise through music and dance.