Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 10

Devanagari script

प्रणवं पुरतः कृत्वा षड्जादिस्वरभेदतः । गीतं विधाय सानंदं सनृत्यं हस्तकान्वितम्

Transliteration

praṇavaṃ purataḥ kṛtvā ṣaḍjādisvarabhedataḥ | gītaṃ vidhāya sānaṃdaṃ sanṛtyaṃ hastakānvitam

Translation

他以圣音 Praṇava（唵，Oṃ）为先，依从以 Ṣaḍja 起首的音阶变化，欢喜歌唱；并且起舞，手作种种表意的手印。

Word by Word

• प्रणवम्: the praṇava (Oṃ)
• प्रणवम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रणव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पुरतः: in front
• पुरतः: Adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण-अर्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण/उपपद (in front)

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive)

• षड्जादि: (of) ṣaḍja etc.
• षड्जादि: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्ज-आदि (प्रातिपदिक; षड्ज + आदि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (‘षड्जः आदिः यस्य’)—‘beginning with ṣaḍja’ (as a class)

• स्वर: musical note
• स्वर: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• भेदतः: according to the distinctions
• भेदतः: Hetu/Prakara (Manner/हेतु-प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘भेदतः’ = ‘भेदेन/भेदात्’ (by/according to distinctions)

• गीतम्: song, singing
• गीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गीत (प्रातिपदिक; √गै (धातु) से क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle used as noun)

• विधाय: having performed
• विधाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (absolutive), धातु: वि+धा (‘having performed/arranged’)

• सानन्दम्: joyful, with delight
• सानन्दम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक; स + आनन्द)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘आनन्दयुक्तम्’

• सनृत्यम्: with dancing
• सनृत्यम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-नृत्य (प्रातिपदिक; स + नृत्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘नृत्ययुक्तम्’

• हस्तकान्वितम्: accompanied by hand-gestures
• हस्तकान्वितम्: Karma (Object-qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हस्तक-अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; हस्तक + अन्वित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (‘हस्तकैः अन्वितम्’ = accompanied by hand-gestures)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Kāśīkhaṇḍa context: Skanda speaking to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (Avimukta)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An ascetic-devotee sings with Oṃ as the opening, modulating through the scale from ṣaḍja onward, dancing with expressive hand gestures—joyful yet ritually focused in Kāśī’s sacred ambience.

Characters & Entities

• Praṇava (Oṃ)
• Ṣaḍja (musical note)
• Śiva (implied as object of worship)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Art offered as worship—music and dance grounded in Oṃ—becomes a direct expression of devotion and spiritual joy.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The devotional performance occurs within the Kāśī-khaṇḍa setting near a liṅga; this verse highlights worship style rather than a named site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Singing with Praṇava (Oṃ) as the lead, using musical note variations, accompanied by devotional dance and hand-gestures.