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

وہ موسیقی کے ماہر ہیں؛ نہایت نفیس گائیکی سے بادشاہوں کو خوش کرتے ہیں، اور دولت کی لالچ میں مبتلا ہو کر مالداروں کی بھی تعریف و ثنا کرتے ہیں۔

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.