Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 83

Devanagari script

अन्यथा हि कृते ह्यर्थे अन्यथात्वं भविष्यति । कार्यसिद्धिर्भवेद्येन भवद्भिर्विस्मृतं च तत्

Transliteration

anyathā hi kṛte hyarthe anyathātvaṃ bhaviṣyati | kāryasiddhirbhavedyena bhavadbhirvismṛtaṃ ca tat

Translation

കാര്യത്തെ തെറ്റായ രീതിയിൽ ചെയ്താൽ ഫലം തീർച്ചയായും മറ്റെങ്ങനെ ആയിത്തീരും. പ്രവർത്തിസിദ്ധി ലഭ്യമാക്കുന്ന ആ തത്ത്വം തന്നെയാണ് നിങ്ങൾ മറന്നത്.

Word by Word

• अन्यथा: otherwise
• अन्यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner: 'otherwise')

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle; emphasis/indeed)

• कृते: when done / in the done (state)
• कृते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative circumstance)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे सम्भव; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; 'कृते' = 'when done/being done' (locative absolute sense)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle)

• अर्थे: in the matter/purpose
• अर्थे: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अन्यथात्वम्: alteration/being otherwise
• अन्यथात्वम्: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्यथा + त्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; भाववाचक संज्ञा (state of being otherwise)

• भविष्यति: will happen/become
• भविष्यति: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कार्यसिद्धिः: accomplishment of the task
• कार्यसिद्धिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य + सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कार्यस्य सिद्धिः)

• भवेत्: may be/should occur
• भवेत्: Kriyā (Predicate verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• येन: by which/whereby
• येन: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; सम्बन्धवाचक (relative pronoun: 'by which/whereby')

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karta (Agent of 'forgotten')
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; आदरार्थक द्वितीयपुरुष-सर्वनाम (honorific 'you')

• विस्मृतम्: forgotten
• विस्मृतम्: Karma (Object/that which is forgotten)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'forgotten'

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object; apposition to 'vismṛtam')
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Unknown (Māheśvarakhaṇḍa narrative voice; didactic admonition in Kedāra context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kedāra/Kedāranātha-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic moment in a Himalayan sacred assembly: a divine speaker warns that incorrect procedure reverses outcomes; attendants listen with concern, ritual implements nearby.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Ends depend on means; forgetting dharmic method leads to failure or distorted outcomes.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kedāra is the textual setting; the verse itself is a general teaching on proper conduct.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; it implies adherence to correct dharmic procedure.