Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 30

Devanagari script

यस्मिन्कर्मण्यंतरात्मा क्रियमाणे प्रसीदति । तदेव कर्म कर्तव्यं विपरीतं न च क्वचित्

Transliteration

yasminkarmaṇyaṃtarātmā kriyamāṇe prasīdati | tadeva karma kartavyaṃ viparītaṃ na ca kvacit

Translation

A ação cuja execução faz o íntimo serenarse—somente essa deve ser realizada; e nunca, em tempo algum, o seu oposto.

Word by Word

• यस्मिन्: in which
• यस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कर्मणि: in an action
• कर्मणि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अन्तरात्मा: the inner self
• अन्तरात्मा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तर् (अव्यय/उपसर्ग-प्राय) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: अन्तरः आत्मा (inner self)

• क्रियमाणे: while (it is) being done
• क्रियमाणे: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्यय (present passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (being done)

• प्रसीदति: is pleased
• प्रसीदति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+√सद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphasis)

• कर्म: action
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• कर्तव्यम्: to be done
• कर्तव्यम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate of ‘karma’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्तव्य (प्रातिपदिक; √कृ धातु से ‘-तव्य’ प्रत्यय, gerundive)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; कृदन्त: तव्यत् (ought to be done)

• विपरीतम्: the opposite (action)
• विपरीतम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्वचित्: ever, at any time
• क्वचित्: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक अव्यय (indefinite adverb: ‘ever/anywhere’)

Speaker

Skanda

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A seeker seated at dawn on a Kāśī ghat, eyes half-closed, weighing two paths shown as faint visions: one dark and turbulent, one luminous and calm. The luminous path aligns with inner serenity; the Ganga reflects the sunrise.

Characters & Entities

• Antarātmā (inner self)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma can be discerned by inner clarity: actions that harmonize the conscience are to be chosen over those that disturb it.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a general ethical maxim within the Kāśī Khaṇḍa narrative setting, not a direct tīrtha-stuti.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No external ritual is mentioned; it prescribes an inner criterion for action—follow what brings antarātmā-prasāda (inner peace).