Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 39

Devanagari script

करतालैश्च गीतैश्च सदा नर्तयति स्वयम् । पुनश्च विहसंत्युच्चैः सखीभिः परिवारिता

Transliteration

karatālaiśca gītaiśca sadā nartayati svayam | punaśca vihasaṃtyuccaiḥ sakhībhiḥ parivāritā

Translation

Với tiếng vỗ tay và lời ca, chính nàng luôn khiến chúng nhảy múa; rồi được các bạn gái vây quanh, nàng lại cười vang hết lần này đến lần khác.

Word by Word

• karatālaiḥ: with hand-claps / cymbals
• karatālaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karatāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• gītaiḥ: with songs
• gītaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gīta (प्रातिपदिक; √gai (गै) क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle used as noun)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• sadā: always
• sadā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always)

• nartayati: makes (them) dance / causes to dance
• nartayati: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √nṛt (नृत्, धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; causative sense ‘makes dance/causes to dance’

• svayam: herself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक (reflexive adverb: oneself)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरावृत्तिवाचक (adverb: again)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• vihasanti: they laugh
• vihasanti: Kriyā (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √has (हस्, धातु) with vi-
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• uccaiḥ: loudly
• uccaiḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uccaiḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: loudly)

• sakhībhiḥ: by/with (her) female friends
• sakhībhiḥ: Sahakāraka (Association/companionship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakhī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन

• parivāritā: surrounded
• parivāritā: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier of veśyā understood)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-√vṛ (वृ, धातु) / √vṛt (वृत्) + क्त (past passive participle)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP)

Speaker

Narrator (context not explicit in snippet; likely a Purāṇic narrator within Brahmottarakhaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: mandapa

Visual Art Cues

Scene: The courtesan claps rhythmically while singing; the monkey and rooster dance adorned with rudrākṣa; companions encircle her laughing; musicians keep time; the hall is festive and kinetic.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It depicts the ordinary rhythms of entertainment and companionship, setting narrative contrast for how devotion and dharma can persist amid worldly life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No holy site is mentioned in this verse.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse describes performance (song, rhythm, dance) and social mirth.