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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 9

केनापि दैवयोगेन पुरुषार्थो न सिध्यति । तथापि यत्नः कर्तव्यः पुरुषार्थे विपश्चिता । दैवं पुरुषकारेण विनापि फलति क्वचित्

kenāpi daivayogena puruṣārtho na sidhyati | tathāpi yatnaḥ kartavyaḥ puruṣārthe vipaścitā | daivaṃ puruṣakāreṇa vināpi phalati kvacit

«Par le seul jeu du destin, les buts humains ne s’accomplissent pas. Pourtant, le sage doit s’appliquer au puruṣārtha, l’effort juste de l’homme. Car le sort, même sans labeur personnel, ne porte fruit qu’à l’occasion.»

केनby what/through which
केन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootकिम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
अपिeven/also
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/सम्भावनार्थक-अव्यय (also/even)
दैवयोगेनby the conjunction of fate
दैवयोगेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootदैव (प्रातिपदिक) + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दैवस्य योगः)
पुरुषार्थःhuman effort
पुरुषार्थः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषस्य अर्थः = मानुषप्रयत्नः)
not
:
Negation (निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-पद (negation particle)
सिध्यतिsucceeds/is accomplished
सिध्यति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√सिध् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
तथाthus
तथा:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formप्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in that way)
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (even/also)
यत्नःeffort
यत्नः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
कर्तव्यःmust be done
कर्तव्यः:
Kriya (Predicate adjective/विधेय)
TypeAdjective
Root√कृ (धातु) → कर्तव्य (कृदन्त)
Formतव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (obligatory/gerundive), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (यत्नः)
पुरुषार्थेin matters of human effort
पुरुषार्थे:
Adhikarana (Domain/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः
विपश्चिताby a wise person
विपश्चिता:
Karana/Agent-association (By the wise/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootविपश्चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; ‘विपश्चित्’ (wise person)
दैवम्fate/divine dispensation
दैवम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदैव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
पुरुषकारेणby human exertion
पुरुषकारेण:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषस्य कारः = मानुषप्रयत्नः)
विनाwithout
विना:
Apadana (Separation/अपादान)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना (अव्यय)
Formअपादानार्थक-अव्यय (without)
अपिeven
अपि:
Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (even)
फलतिbears fruit/succeeds
फलति:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√फल् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
क्वचित्sometimes
क्वचित्:
Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootक्वचित् (अव्यय)
Formदेश/कालवाचक-अव्यय (sometimes/somewhere)

Nārada (contextual inference within the narrative)

Tirtha: Vastrāpatha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Scene: A didactic tableau: Nārada (or a sage-figure) instructs with raised hand in teaching gesture, while warriors and courtiers listen, symbolizing the tension between destiny and effort.

D
Daiva (Fate)
P
Puruṣārtha (Human effort)

FAQs

One should not rely solely on fate; dharmic effort is required, while accepting that destiny may sometimes ripen independently.

The verse occurs within the Vastrāpatha-kṣetra-māhātmya of Prabhāsa Khaṇḍa, framing ethical teaching within the sacred landscape of Vastrāpatha.

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it gives a dharma-teaching about right effort (yatna) and acceptance of fate (daiva).