Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

अवश्यं स्वयमश्नाति कृतं कर्म शुभाशुभम् । तस्मान्नरेण कर्तव्यं शुभं कर्म विपश्चिता

Transliteration

avaśyaṃ svayamaśnāti kṛtaṃ karma śubhāśubham | tasmānnareṇa kartavyaṃ śubhaṃ karma vipaścitā

Translation

മനുഷ്യൻ ചെയ്ത ശുഭാശുഭ കർമ്മഫലം അവശ്യം താനേ അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു. അതിനാൽ വിവേകിയനായ പുരുഷൻ ശുഭകർമ്മം മാത്രമേ ചെയ്യേണ്ടത്।

Word by Word

• avaśyam: certainly, inevitably
• avaśyam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: avaśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• svayam: oneself
• svayam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्वार्थे/independent adverb)

• aśnāti: eats/experiences (the fruit)
• aśnāti: Kriyā (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aś (अश् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• kṛtam: done, performed
• kṛtam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + ta (क्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त/past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• karma: deed, action
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (case 1/2), एकवचन

• śubha-aśubham: good and bad
• śubha-aśubham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक) + aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (इतरेतर), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (Reason/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (हेतौ/therefore; ablatival adverbial use)

• nareṇa: by a man; by a person
• nareṇa: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• kartavyam: to be done, should be done
• kartavyam: Vidhi (Obligation/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति पदस्य विशेषणम् (कर्तव्यं कर्म)

• śubham: good
• śubham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• karma: deed, action
• karma: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• vipaścitā: by the wise (person)
• vipaścitā: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipaścit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; नरेण इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Parents (mātā-pitarau)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Putra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A stark moral maxim delivered like a sutra: the inevitability of karmic ‘eating’ is contrasted with the calm resolve of the wise choosing auspicious action.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Since karmic results are unavoidable, wisdom lies in choosing śubha karma—actions aligned with dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The instruction is delivered within the Prabhāsakṣetra-māhātmya framework, linking ethical living with sacred geography indirectly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No specific ritual; the prescription is general: cultivate śubha karma (righteous conduct).