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

Besonders bei Vorhaben, die aus dem Dharma hervorgehen: Ist das Werk erst begonnen, entstehen eben jene Hindernisse, durch die das beabsichtigte Tun nicht zur Vollendung gelangt.

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.