Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 16

Devanagari script

प्रारब्धेषु च कार्येषु धर्मजेषु विशेषतः । तानि विघ्नानि जायन्ते यैस्तत्कार्यं न सिध्यति

Transliteration

prārabdheṣu ca kāryeṣu dharmajeṣu viśeṣataḥ | tāni vighnāni jāyante yaistatkāryaṃ na sidhyati

Translation

ولا سيّما في الأعمال المنبثقة من الدارما؛ فإذا شُرِع في العمل قامت تلك العوائق نفسها، وبسببها لا يتمّ المقصود ولا يكتمل الإنجاز.

Word by Word

• prārabdheṣu: in (already) begun
• prārabdheṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prārabdha (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; प्र-√rabh (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (Locative/7th), बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम्—‘कार्येषु’ इत्यस्य

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• kāryeṣu: in tasks/undertakings
• kāryeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (Locative/7th), बहुवचनम्

• dharmajeṣu: in dharma-born (religious)
• dharmajeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma-ja (प्रातिपदिक; धर्म + ज)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमीविभक्तिः (Locative/7th), बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (धर्मात् जातः); विशेषणम्—‘कार्येषु’

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣataḥ (अव्यय; viśeṣa-तस्)
• Form: अव्ययम्; प्रकारवाचक-क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb of emphasis)

• tāni: those
• tāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), बहुवचनम्; ‘विघ्नानि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• vighnāni: obstacles
• vighnāni: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vighna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्

• jāyante: arise
• jāyante: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• yaiḥ: by which (obstacles)
• yaiḥ: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धः—‘विघ्नैः’ इत्यर्थे

• tatkāryam: that task
• tatkāryam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tat-kārya (प्रातिपदिक; तत् + कार्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (तस्य कार्यम्)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्ययम् (negation particle)

• sidhyati: is accomplished/succeeds
• sidhyati: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sidh (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd), एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Rohitāśva (continuing)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Mārkaṇḍeya

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic tableau: a yajña-vedi half-prepared, offerings ready, yet winds scatter leaves; workers pause. The sage points to the idea that obstacles arise after commencement, urging a remedial vow.

Characters & Entities

• Rohitāśva

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma-work can attract tests; success requires not only starting well but sustaining right practice and protective observances.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it remains within the broader tīrtha-māhātmya narrative frame.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the verse motivates seeking a vrata/niyama to prevent failure of dharmic actions.