Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

अनादिसिद्धः संसारः कर्तृकर्मविवर्जितः । स्वयं प्रादुर्भवेदेष स्वयमेव विलीयते

Transliteration

anādisiddhaḥ saṃsāraḥ kartṛkarmavivarjitaḥ | svayaṃ prādurbhavedeṣa svayameva vilīyate

Translation

Le saṃsāra est établi sans commencement, dépourvu de véritable agent et d’acte ; de lui-même il surgit, et de lui-même il se résorbe.

Word by Word

• अनादिसिद्धः: beginningless and established
• अनादिसिद्धः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्ध (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अनादेः सिद्धः = beginningless-established)

• संसारः: the cycle of worldly existence
• संसारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्तृकर्मविवर्जितः: devoid of doer and deed
• कर्तृकर्मविवर्जितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; वि+वृज्/वर्ज्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—द्वन्द्वपूर्वक-तत्पुरुषः (कर्तृकर्मयोः विवर्जितः = devoid of agent and action/object)

• स्वयम्: by itself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/रीति-अव्यय (adverb: ‘by itself’)

• प्रादुर्भवेत्: manifests/comes forth
• प्रादुर्भवेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आदुः + भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/विधिलिङ्-सदृश आदेशार्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एषः: this (one/it)
• एषः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्वयम्: by itself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार-अव्यय

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• विलीयते: dissolves/merges away
• विलीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ली (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Puṇyakīrti (deduced continuation of speech)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Śaunaka and ṛṣis (frame) / pilgrims-seekers (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A serene teaching scene in Kāśī: a realized sage expounds non-doership as the Gaṅgā flows; behind, Viśvanātha’s spire and cremation-ghāṭ imagery hint at dissolution.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The verse points to a contemplative view: the cycle of bondage is not upheld by a permanent doer, and insight loosens attachment to agency.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching occurs within the Kāśīkhaṇḍa setting; Kāśī is traditionally linked with liberation-oriented instruction.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a doctrinal statement aimed at philosophical reflection (vicāra).