Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 86

Devanagari script

इंद्रचंद्ररविविष्णुप्रमुखाः प्राप्नुयुः कृतम् । तस्मादवश्यं च कृतं भोज्यमेव नरैः सदा

Transliteration

iṃdracaṃdraraviviṣṇupramukhāḥ prāpnuyuḥ kṛtam | tasmādavaśyaṃ ca kṛtaṃ bhojyameva naraiḥ sadā

Translation

Indra, Candra, Ravi (the Sun), Viṣṇu, and other foremost beings all attain the fruits of their deeds. Therefore, what is done must certainly be experienced—always—by human beings.

Word by Word

• इन्द्र-चन्द्र-रवि-विष्णु-प्रमुखाः: those headed by Indra, the Moon, the Sun, and Viṣṇu
• इन्द्र-चन्द्र-रवि-विष्णु-प्रमुखाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + रवि (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः—(इन्द्रादयः) प्रमुखाः (बहुव्रीह्यर्थे न, विशेष्य-प्रधानः)

• प्राप्नुयुः: would obtain
• प्राप्नुयुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कृतम्: (their) deed (karma)
• कृतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्म-शब्दः (one's deed)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययप्रयोगः (ablatival adverb: therefore/from that)

• अवश्यम्: certainly
• अवश्यम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अवश्यम् (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (certainly/necessarily)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• कृतम्: the deed (done)
• कृतम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृस्थाने (that which is done)

• भोज्यम्: must be experienced
• भोज्यम्: Vidhaya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (to be experienced/consumed)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis: indeed/only)

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय (adverb of time: always)

Speaker

Bāla

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic court of karma: Indra, Moon, Sun, and Viṣṇu shown receiving scrolls or fruits symbolizing their deeds, while a human figure watches, learning that no one escapes consequence.

Characters & Entities

• Indra
• Candra
• Ravi (Sūrya)
• Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma is universal and impartial; deeds inevitably mature into experiences, even for the greatest beings.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None; the verse states a general principle of karmic law.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it teaches acceptance and responsibility for one’s actions.