Skanda Purana — Vishnu Khanda, Shloka 35

Devanagari script

वीणावेणुमृदंगादिशब्दैरुत्कृष्टतां गता । शालैस्तालैर्नालिकेरैः पनसामलकैस्तथा

Transliteration

vīṇāveṇumṛdaṃgādiśabdairutkṛṣṭatāṃ gatā | śālaistālairnālikeraiḥ panasāmalakaistathā

Translation

此地因维那琴、笛、姆里丹伽鼓等诸乐器之妙音而臻于殊胜；又以娑罗树、塔罗树、椰树、菠萝蜜与余甘子（āmalaka）等而增其庄严。

Word by Word

• vīṇā: lute (vīṇā)
• vīṇā: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīṇā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• veṇu: flute
• veṇu: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• mṛdaṅga: drum (mṛdaṅga)
• mṛdaṅga: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛdaṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• ādi: etc.
• ādi: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहारार्थक/आद्यार्थक अव्यय (etc., and the like) — समासाङ्ग

• śabdaiḥ: with sounds
• śabdaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• utkṛṣṭatām: excellence, superiority
• utkṛṣṭatām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utkṛṣṭatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine, accusative, singular)

• gatā: attained
• gatā: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √gam (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active sense: 'gone/attained'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (feminine, nominative, singular)

• śālaiḥ: with śāla trees
• śālaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• tālaiḥ: with palmyra trees
• tālaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• nālikeraiḥ: with coconut trees
• nālikeraiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nālikera (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन (masculine, instrumental, plural)

• panasa: jackfruit (tree)
• panasa: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषणाङ्ग)
• Type: Noun
• Root: panasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक (समासाङ्ग)

• āmalakaiḥ: with āmalaka (emblic myrobalan) trees
• āmalakaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āmalaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (प्रयोगभेद), तृतीया, बहुवचन (instrumental plural)

• tathā: and also
• tathā: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: 'thus/also')

Speaker

Brahmā (deduced for Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa narrative context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Ayodhyā

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Musicians play vīṇā, veṇu, and mṛdaṅga in a temple courtyard; garlanded streets lead to groves of śāla and tāla, with coconut, jackfruit, and āmalaka trees heavy with fruit; devotees move in gentle procession.

Characters & Entities

• Ayodhyā
• vīṇā
• veṇu
• mṛdaṅga
• āmalaka

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma in a sacred city includes both devotion and culture—music and auspicious groves support a refined, sattvic life.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Ayodhyā, portrayed as exalted by sacred music and rich with auspicious trees.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct prescription; the verse implies devotional celebration (kīrtana/vādya) and reverence for sacred flora.