Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89

Devanagari script

यथा जडानि बीजानि न फलंति स्वयं तथा । जडानि सर्वकर्माणि न फलंतीश्वरं विना

Transliteration

yathā jaḍāni bījāni na phalaṃti svayaṃ tathā | jaḍāni sarvakarmāṇi na phalaṃtīśvaraṃ vinā

Translation

ดุจเมล็ดอันไร้ชีวิตย่อมไม่ออกผลด้วยตนเอง ฉันใด กรรมทั้งปวงซึ่งไร้สำนึกก็ไม่บังเกิดผลได้หากปราศจากพระผู้เป็นเจ้า (อีศวร) ฉันนั้น

Word by Word

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/उदाहरणार्थक (indeclinable; comparative/illustrative)

• जडानि: inert
• जडानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• बीजानि: seeds
• बीजानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• फलन्ति: bear fruit
• फलन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: phal (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन

• स्वयम्: by themselves
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मार्थक/स्वतन्त्रार्थक (indeclinable; by oneself)

• तथा: so, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तद्वत्/एवम् (indeclinable; likewise/so)

• जडानि: inert
• जडानि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jaḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन

• सर्वकर्माणि: all actions
• सर्वकर्माणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा विभक्ति (1st/Nominative); बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां कर्माणि = all actions)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• फलन्ति: bear fruit
• फलन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: phal (धातु)
• Form: लट् लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); बहुवचन

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

• विना: without
• विना: Apadana (Ablative sense/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vinā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; वियोग/अभावार्थक उपपद (indeclinable preposition; governs द्वितीया/Accusative)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Kāśī

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A teacher in Kāśī instructs pilgrims: inert seeds lie on dry ground; when blessed by rain/sun they sprout—symbolizing karma needing Śiva’s grace. In the background: Gaṅgā ghāṭs and a distant Viśvanātha śikhara.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Śiva (implied as Viśveśvara)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Effort alone is not ultimate; divine sanction (Īśvara) is what makes karma truly fructify.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Kāśī’s doctrine of Viśveśvara’s supremacy is reinforced; the verse is theological rather than topographical.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A general prescription: perform rites with Īśvara-centered devotion and invocation to ensure fruition.