Gandarvas was translate from Sanskrit which mean the skandas of fragrance, the smell of fragrance, the fragrance of food or the seeking of fragrance. The do not partake of wine and meat but live only on fragrance and produce fragrance from their bodies.  So they are known as the spirits who seek fragrance.
     Gandarvas work for the Heavenly King Sakra and are in charge of the performance of wonderful music for the king.  When the Heavenly King Sakra wishes to listen to music, he would light the incense and the Gandarvas would come when they smell the fragrance. They play music for the Heavenly King so they are known as the Celestial Beings of Music.
     There are also stories on how the Gandarvas used music to praise the Buddha.  According to the "Shastra of The Perfection of Great Wisdom" a Gandarva King had once gone to play music of praise before the Buddha.  His music was so touching that even the Three Thousand Great Thousand World Systems were shaken and the Great Arahat Mahakasyapa was unable to sit still in this seat as he was fond of music too."
In the Thirty-three Heavens of Trayastrimsa Heaven, there are a great number of Gandarvas.  In different places, different Gandarva Kings take care of their retinue. According to the legend, their bodies resemble the Great Bull King and they possess awesome strength. Most of the male gandarvas would marry another type of musical celestial beings who are known as the 'kinnaras'.