Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

वेणुवादनतत्त्वज्ञः स्वयं श्रुतिधरोभवत् । नृत्यं परिसमाप्येत्थं व्यासः सत्यवतीसुतः

Transliteration

veṇuvādanatattvajñaḥ svayaṃ śrutidharobhavat | nṛtyaṃ parisamāpyetthaṃ vyāsaḥ satyavatīsutaḥ

Translation

Như vậy, Vyāsa—con của Satyavatī, bậc thấu triệt yếu chỉ nội tại của tiếng sáo và tự thân là người gìn giữ chân chính của Veda—đã kết thúc điệu vũ của mình.

Word by Word

• veṇuvādana-tattva-jñaḥ: knower of the principle of flute-playing
• veṇuvādana-tattva-jñaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + vādana (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक) + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (veṇuvādanasya tattvaṃ jānāti इति)

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक/स्वयम्-प्रयोग (reflexive adverb)

• śrutidharaḥ: a bearer/retainer of the Veda (one who has memorized śruti)
• śrutidharaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (śrutiṃ dharati इति)

• abhavat: became
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• nṛtyam: the dance
• nṛtyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛtya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• parisamāpya: having completely concluded
• parisamāpya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + sam + ā + √āp/āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); अव्ययभावः; ‘having completely finished’

• ittham: thus
• ittham: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ittham (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

• vyāsaḥ: Vyāsa
• vyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• satyavatī-sutaḥ: son of Satyavatī
• satyavatī-sutaḥ: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satyavatī (प्रातिपदिक) + suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (satyavatyāḥ sutaḥ)

Speaker

Narrator (Kāśīkhaṇḍa narrative voice; traditionally Skanda addressing Agastya in Kāśī Khaṇḍa)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (typical frame; not explicit here)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Vyāsa, serene yet radiant, concludes a devotional dance; his posture shows mastery of rhythm and inner meaning, with disciples and sacred ambience of Kāśī around him.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Satyavatī

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even extraordinary learning and artistry are ultimately framed within dharma; sacred narrative prepares the listener for the higher teaching on whom to worship.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The broader setting is Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) in the Kāśī Khaṇḍa, where right devotion and the supremacy of Śiva are repeatedly established.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit ritual (snāna, dāna, japa) is prescribed in this verse; it is narrative description.