Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 48

Devanagari script

देवत्वे मानवत्वे च दानभोगादिकाः क्रियाः । दृश्यन्ते या महाराज तत्सर्वं कर्मजं फलम्

Transliteration

devatve mānavatve ca dānabhogādikāḥ kriyāḥ | dṛśyante yā mahārāja tatsarvaṃ karmajaṃ phalam

Translation

ദേവത്വത്തിലായാലും മാനവത്വത്തിലായാലും—ദാനം, ഭോഗം മുതലായ ക്രിയകൾ കാണപ്പെടുന്നു; ഹേ മഹാരാജാ, അതെല്ലാം കർമജന്യ ഫലമാണ്।

Word by Word

• देवत्वे: in godhood/divine state
• देवत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• मानवत्वे: in human state
• मानवत्वे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानवत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन (Locative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानभोगादिकाः: such as giving, enjoyment, etc.
• दानभोगादिकाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + क (प्रत्यय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘क्रियाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; समाहार/तत्पुरुषार्थ (दान-भोग-आदि-प्रकाराः)

• क्रियाः: actions
• क्रियाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन (Nominative plural)

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen/appear
• दृश्यन्ते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद (passive sense: ‘are seen’)

• याः: which
• याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा बहुवचन; ‘क्रियाः’ इत्यस्य अन्वयः

• महाराज: O great king
• महाराज: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् राजा)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘सर्वम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कर्मजम्: born of karma
• कर्मजम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘फलम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्; तत्पुरुष (कर्मणः जातम्)

• फलम्: result
• फलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nominative/Accusative singular)

Speaker

Unspecified (teacher voice addressing 'mahā-rāja')

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: A king (mahārāja)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A king witnesses two scenes: celestial beings enjoying refined pleasures and humans performing charity; a sage points to an invisible ledger of karma connecting both.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

All stations of life and experiences are karmically conditioned, so one should cultivate dharma and meritorious deeds.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The chapter later highlights Narakeśvara Mahātīrtha on the Narmadā as a supreme aid for beings bound by karma.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Charity (dāna) is referenced as a notable dharmic act, though no specific procedure is detailed here.