Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

अन्यदेहकृतं कर्म न कश्चित्पुरुषो भुवि । बलेन प्रज्ञया वापि समर्थः कर्तुमन्यथा

Transliteration

anyadehakṛtaṃ karma na kaścitpuruṣo bhuvi | balena prajñayā vāpi samarthaḥ kartumanyathā

Translation

Auf Erden vermag niemand, weder durch Kraft noch durch Klugheit, das in einem anderen Körper (einer anderen Verkörperung) vollbrachte Karma so zu verändern, dass es anders werde.

Word by Word

• अन्यदेहकृतम्: done by another (in another body)
• अन्यदेहकृतम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya + deha + √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया; एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: अन्यस्य देहस्य कृतम् = done by another body/person)

• कर्म: karma, deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/topic/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• कश्चित्: anyone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ka (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; अनिश्चितार्थक (indefinite: 'anyone')

• पुरुषः: person
• पुरुषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; कश्चित् इत्यस्य विशेष्य

• भुवि: on earth
• भुवि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• बलेन: by strength
• बलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• प्रज्ञया: by intelligence
• प्रज्ञया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Disjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (indeclinable; 'or')

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-भाव (indeclinable; 'even/also')

• समर्थः: capable
• समर्थः: Karta (Predicate nominative/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: samartha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (able)

• कर्तुम्: to do
• कर्तुम्: Prayojana (Purpose/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); कर्तुम् = 'to do/make'

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (indeclinable; 'otherwise/differently')

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A strong warrior and a clever scholar both stand before an unseen ‘ledger’ of karma; their tools (weapon, manuscript) cannot erase it; a tīrtha shrine in background suggests the proper refuge.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Past karmas from other embodiments are not overturned by mere power or cleverness; one must meet them through dharma and right action.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named in this line; it provides general karmic philosophy within a tīrtha-centered chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it emphasizes limits of human agency regarding karmic inheritance.