Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

केन सिध्येत च फलं कर्मणास्त्रिविधा त्मनः । एतच्चान्यच्च तत्सर्वं कृपया वद सूतज

Transliteration

kena sidhyeta ca phalaṃ karmaṇāstrividhā tmanaḥ | etaccānyacca tatsarvaṃ kṛpayā vada sūtaja

Translation

Par quel moyen le fruit s’accomplit-il par l’action, lorsque le soi demeure en son mode triple ? Ceci, et tout le reste encore, dis-le-nous avec compassion, ô fils de Sūta.

Word by Word

• केन: by what?
• केन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन — Interrogative pronoun, Instrumental, Singular

• सिध्येत: would be accomplished
• सिध्येत: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sidh (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (सम्भावना/आज्ञा), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद — Optative, 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः — Conjunction ‘and’

• फलम्: result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन — Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• कर्मणा: by action
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन — Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• त्रिविधात्: from the threefold (type)
• त्रिविधात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन — Ablative, Singular; समासः (द्विगु) ‘त्रयः विधाः यस्य’/‘त्रिविध’ = threefold

• आत्मनः: of the self
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन — Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Demonstrative pronoun, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः — Conjunction

• अन्यत्: other (thing)
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः — Conjunction

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Demonstrative pronoun, Accusative, Singular

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन — Neuter, Accusative, Singular; विशेषणम् (तत्)

• कृपया: with compassion
• कृपया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛpā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन — Feminine, Instrumental, Singular (भावे: ‘out of compassion’)

• वद: tell/speak
• वद: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद — Imperative, 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• सूतज: O son of Sūta
• सूतज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8), एकवचन — Masculine, Vocative, Singular; समासः (तत्पुरुष) ‘सूतस्य जातः’

Speaker

Sages of Naimiṣāraṇya (questioning Sūta)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages request a systematic explanation of how actions bear fruit under the three guṇas; a symbolic tri-color motif (white/red/black) or three strands appears near a manuscript.

Characters & Entities

• karma
• phala
• trividha (threefold)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Right understanding of karma and its fruition is essential; Purāṇic teaching integrates outer action with inner discipline.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None yet; the verse continues the inquiry that will culminate in the praise of Rāmasetu/Rāmeśvara.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific rite is stated; the focus is on principles behind karmic success and spiritual attainment.