Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 96

Devanagari script

तानि सिद्ध्यंति नियतं यथार्थकरणादिह । अयथार्थविधानेन सिद्ध्येत्कर्मापि नेशितुः

Transliteration

tāni siddhyaṃti niyataṃ yathārthakaraṇādiha | ayathārthavidhānena siddhyetkarmāpi neśituḥ

Translation

“Here, those rites certainly succeed when performed in the proper manner. But by an improper procedure, even an act would not attain fulfillment—especially without the Lord who directs.”

Word by Word

• तानि: those (acts)
• तानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘कर्माणि’ इत्यर्थे

• सिद्ध्यन्ति: are accomplished, succeed
• सिद्ध्यन्ति: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद

• नियमम्: certainly, surely
• नियमम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नियत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverbial accusative: certainly)

• यथार्थ-करणात्: from correct performance
• यथार्थ-करणात्: Apādāna (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + करण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषार्थः: ‘यथार्थं करणम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (देशवाचक/adverb: here)

• अयथार्थ-विधानेन: by incorrect procedure
• अयथार्थ-विधानेन: Karaṇa (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ- (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + यथा (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + विधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नञ्-तत्पुरुष: ‘अयथार्थं विधानम्’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• सिद्ध्येत्: would succeed
• सिद्ध्येत्: Kriyā (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सिध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• कर्म: an act, a rite
• कर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सम्भावना/समुच्चय: even/also)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निषेध/negation)

• ईशितुः: of the Lord, of the ruler
• ईशितुः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Dakṣa (probable continuation of his argument in-context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī (contextual frame)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic tableau: the yajña-vedi is perfectly arranged, yet a subtle absence is shown—Śiva’s presence not invoked; the speaker gestures toward the ritual order, while a faint divine silhouette suggests the ‘Lord who directs’.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (implied)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right method matters, yet ultimate fruition is not merely mechanical; divine governance (Īśvara) frames karmic success.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None explicitly; the teaching aligns with Kāśī’s Purāṇic emphasis on Śiva as the inner Lord behind all rites.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Correct performance (yathārtha-vidhi) is stressed; no named vrata/dāna/snana is specified.