Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 99

Devanagari script

ययातिरुवाच । यैः कृतं पुण्यं तेषां विघ्नः प्रजायते । अल्पकत्वेन देवर्षे विद्धि सर्वं परं मम

Transliteration

yayātiruvāca | yaiḥ kṛtaṃ puṇyaṃ teṣāṃ vighnaḥ prajāyate | alpakatvena devarṣe viddhi sarvaṃ paraṃ mama

Translation

Yayāti sprach: Für jene, die verdienstvolle Taten vollbracht haben, entstehen Hindernisse. O göttlicher Seher, wisse dies als mein letztes Wort: All dies rührt von der Geringheit und Begrenztheit der eigenen Anstrengung her.

Word by Word

• ययातिः: Yayāti
• ययातिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ययाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• यैः: by whom/with which
• यैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कृतम्: done, performed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; ‘पुण्यम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• पुण्यम्: merit, pious act
• पुण्यम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विघ्नः: obstacle
• विघ्नः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• प्रजायते: arises, is produced
• प्रजायते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• अल्पकत्वेन: due to smallness/insufficiency
• अल्पकत्वेन: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अल्पकत्व (प्रातिपदिक; अल्पक + त्व)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; हेतौ/प्रकारे (as cause/manner)

• देवर्षे: O divine sage
• देवर्षे: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• विद्धि: know (you)
• विद्धि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme, highest
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन; ‘सर्वम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Yayāti

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra (Kedārakṣetra)

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: a devarṣi (divine seer)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: King Yayāti speaks to a divine seer in a Himalayan hermitage setting, reflecting on why obstacles arise even for the meritorious; the mood is contemplative, with austere landscape and quiet fire-altar nearby.

Characters & Entities

• Yayāti

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even good deeds face hindrances; one should increase steadiness and sincerity rather than become discouraged.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra-kṣetra (Kedarnath) is the Adhyāya’s sacred setting, framing Yayāti’s testimony about dharma and merit.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No single rite is prescribed; the verse gives a principle about perseverance in puṇya amid vighnas.