Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 55

Devanagari script

तंत्रीमादाय वाद्यांश्चाऽवादयञ्छंकरोत्सवे । ऋषयः कृत्स्नशश्चैव वेदगीतांस्तपोधनाः

Transliteration

taṃtrīmādāya vādyāṃścā'vādayañchaṃkarotsave | ṛṣayaḥ kṛtsnaśaścaiva vedagītāṃstapodhanāḥ

Translation

تنتری اور دوسرے ساز ہاتھ میں لے کر انہوں نے شنکر کے اُتسو میں نغمہ سرائی کی؛ اور تپسیا کے دھن والے رشیوں نے پورے کے پورے ویدی گیتوں کا پاٹھ کیا۔

Word by Word

• तन्त्रीम्: a lute (tantrī)
• तन्त्रीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तन्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• आदाय: having taken
• आदाय: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + दा (धातु) → आदाय (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having taken)

• वाद्यान्: musical instruments
• वाद्यान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अवादयन्: played (made resound)
• अवादयन्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + वद् (धातु) (वादयति—णिजन्त)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; णिजन्त-प्रयोगः (causative: made sound/played)

• शंकरोत्सवे: at Śaṅkara’s festival
• शंकरोत्सवे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर + उत्सव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—शंकरस्य उत्सवः

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कृत्स्नशः: entirely, in full
• कृत्स्नशः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत्स्नशस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb: wholly, entirely)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण

• वेदगीतान्: Vedic chants (hymns)
• वेदगीतान्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + गीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—वेदेषु गीताः (वेदोक्त-गीताः/मन्त्राः)

• तपोधनाः: ascetics rich in austerity
• तपोधनाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—तपः धनं येषां ते

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta), narrating to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: temple/kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A vibrant festival hall: gandharvas pluck vīṇās and play percussion while rows of austere sages with matted hair chant Vedic hymns in unison; Śiva’s presence is implied as the focal sanctum.

Characters & Entities

• Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• Ṛṣis
• Veda (Vedic hymns)
• Taṃtrī (lute)
• Vādya (instruments)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva-worship harmonizes art and scripture: music (vādyas) and Vedic recitation together become offerings that sanctify the assembly.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No particular tīrtha is specified; the emphasis is on the sanctity of Śaṅkara’s utsava itself.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied devotional practice: offering sacred music and Vedic chanting as part of a Śiva festival (utsava), though no formal vow or donation is stated.