Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 22

Devanagari script

किं करोति नरः प्राज्ञः प्रेर्यमाणः स्वकर्मभिः । प्रागेव हि मनुष्याणां बुद्धिः कर्मानुसारिणी

Transliteration

kiṃ karoti naraḥ prājñaḥ preryamāṇaḥ svakarmabhiḥ | prāgeva hi manuṣyāṇāṃ buddhiḥ karmānusāriṇī

Translation

たとえ賢者であっても、自らの業に駆り立てられるとき、何ができようか。まことに人の心と思慮は、業の流れに従うのである。

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• करोति: does
• करोति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्राज्ञः: wise
• प्राज्ञः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरस्य)

• प्रेर्यमाणः: being impelled
• प्रेर्यमाणः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रेरय् (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: कृदन्त (शानच्/मान-प्रत्यय, present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (नरस्य)

• स्वकर्मभिः: by his own actions (karmas)
• स्वकर्मभिः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; समासः—स्वस्य कर्माणि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्राक्: previously, beforehand
• प्राक्: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्राक् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle)

• हि: for, indeed
• हि: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; reason/emphasis)

• मनुष्याणाम्: of humans
• मनुष्याणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• बुद्धिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्मानुसारिणी: following (in accordance with) karma
• कर्मानुसारिणी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्मन् + अनुसारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मानुसारिणी (तत्पुरुष); विशेषणम् (बुद्धेः)

Speaker

Dīrghatapā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Revā (Narmadā)

Type: river

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Citrasena

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A contemplative sage speaks with measured gravity, indicating the unseen force of past deeds; the listener appears chastened, the river flowing steadily as a metaphor for karma’s current.

Characters & Entities

• Karma
• Buddhi (intellect)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Karma powerfully conditions human thought and action; recognizing this fosters humility, patience, and a return to dharmic conduct rather than vengeance.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific tīrtha is praised in this verse; it is a universal karmic teaching within the Revā Khaṇḍa narrative.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; the verse is doctrinal, explaining karmic causality.