Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 76

Devanagari script

शंखाश्च पटहाश्चैव मृदंगानकगोमुखाः । भेर्यश्च झर्झरीणां च स शब्दस्तुमुलोऽभवत्

Transliteration

śaṃkhāśca paṭahāścaiva mṛdaṃgānakagomukhāḥ | bheryaśca jharjharīṇāṃ ca sa śabdastumulo'bhavat

Translation

شَنگھ اور پٹہ، مِردنگ، آنک اور گومکھ؛ نیز بھیریاں اور جھرجھریاں—یوں آوازوں کا ایک گرجتا ہوا، ہیبت ناک ہنگامہ اٹھ کھڑا ہوا۔

Word by Word

• śaṃkhāḥ: conches
• śaṃkhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• paṭahāḥ: kettledrums
• paṭahāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paṭaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• mṛdaṅga-ānaka-gomukhāḥ: mṛdaṅgas, ānakas, and gomukhas (drums/horns)
• mṛdaṅga-ānaka-gomukhāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛdaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + ānaka (प्रातिपदिक) + gomukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• bheryaḥ: kettle-drums (bherīs)
• bheryaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bherī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• jharjharīṇām: of jharjharīs (a kind of instrument)
• jharjharīṇām: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jharjharī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• saḥ: that
• saḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• śabdaḥ: sound
• śabdaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tumulaḥ: tumultuous, loud
• tumulaḥ: Karta (Predicate adjective/कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tumula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with śabdaḥ)

• abhavat: arose, became
• abhavat: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) to the sages (deduced)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedārakhaṇḍa sacred region

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A celestial assembly resounds: conches, kettle-drums, mṛdaṅgas, ānakas, gomukha-horns, bherīs and jingling jharjharīs create a thunderous, layered soundscape around the deity.

Characters & Entities

• Conch (Śaṅkha)
• Paṭaha
• Mṛdaṅga
• Ānaka
• Gomukha
• Bherī
• Jharjharī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Sacred celebration is a form of devotion—auspicious sound (maṅgala-nāda) honors divine presence.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Within Kedārakhaṇḍa’s Kedāra setting, the verse evokes a pilgrimage-like festive atmosphere.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Implied maṅgala-vādya (auspicious instrumental music) as part of celebratory worship, though not framed as a command.