Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

अन्यथा हि कृते ह्यर्थे अन्यथात्वं भविष्यति । कार्यसिद्धिर्भवेद्येन भवद्भिर्विस्मृतं च तत्

Transliteration

anyathā hi kṛte hyarthe anyathātvaṃ bhaviṣyati | kāryasiddhirbhavedyena bhavadbhirvismṛtaṃ ca tat

Translation

Wird ein Vorhaben auf falsche Weise ausgeführt, so wird sein Ergebnis gewiss anders ausfallen. Und das Prinzip, durch das die Vollendung des Werkes erlangt wird—gerade dieses habt ihr vergessen.

Word by Word

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: 'otherwise')

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• कृते: when done / in the done (state)
• कृते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे सम्भव; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; 'कृते' = 'when done/being done' (locative absolute sense)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• अर्थे: in the matter/purpose
• अर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अन्यथात्वम्: alteration/being otherwise
• अन्यथात्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यथा + त्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भाववाचक संज्ञा (state of being otherwise)

• भविष्यति: will happen/become
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कार्यसिद्धिः: accomplishment of the task
• कार्यसिद्धिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य सिद्धिः)

• भवेत्: may be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• येन: by which/whereby
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun: 'by which/whereby')

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karta (Agent of 'forgotten')
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनाम (honorific 'you')

• विस्मृतम्: forgotten
• विस्मृतम्: Karma (Object/that which is forgotten)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'forgotten'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object; apposition to 'vismṛtam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unknown (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice; didactic admonition in Kedāra context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment in a Himalayan sacred assembly: a divine speaker warns that incorrect procedure reverses outcomes; attendants listen with concern, ritual implements nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ends depend on means; forgetting dharmic method leads to failure or distorted outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the textual setting; the verse itself is a general teaching on proper conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it implies adherence to correct dharmic procedure.