Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 80

Devanagari script

अपि यद्वैश्वदेवीयं कर्म किंचिद्द्विजन्मनाम् । वसोर्द्धाराविहीनं च निष्फलं संभविष्यति

Transliteration

api yadvaiśvadevīyaṃ karma kiṃciddvijanmanām | vasorddhārāvihīnaṃ ca niṣphalaṃ saṃbhaviṣyati

Translation

Kahit alinmang ritong Vaiśvadeva na isinasagawa ng mga dvija (dalawang-ulit na isinilang), kung walang Vasordhārā, ay magiging walang bunga.

Word by Word

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: None (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-भाव (even/also)

• यत्: whatever
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक

• वैश्वदेवीयम्: pertaining to the Vaiśvadeva rite
• वैश्वदेवीयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैश्वदेवीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्म)

• कर्म: rite/action
• कर्म: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्ता (of ‘संभविष्यति’)

• किंचित्: any/some
• किंचित्: Visheshana (Indefinite qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंचित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अनिश्चितपरिमाण

• द्विजन्मनाम्: of the twice-born (Brahmins etc.)
• द्विजन्मनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध; समासः—द्वि + जन्मन् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष; ‘two-born’)

• वसोः: of Vasu
• वसोः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध

• धारा-विहीनम्: devoid of the (continuous) stream (offering)
• धारा-विहीनम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धारा + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्म); समासः—धारा + विहीन (तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: None (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• निष्फलम्: fruitless
• निष्फलम्: Visheshana (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कर्म)

• संभविष्यति: will become/turn out
• संभविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Brahmā

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A didactic scene: a dvija prepares a vaiśvadeva offering; an elder priest points to the missing vasordhārā setup, indicating the rite’s fruitlessness without the continuous dhārā; the mood is cautionary.

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Dvija
• Vaiśvadeva rite
• Vasordhārā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Dharma is not merely intention; prescribed completeness in worship matters, and core offerings are treated as essential for fruit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The injunction is framed for rites performed in the chapter’s sacred locale; the verse itself does not name the tirtha.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Vaiśvadeva and related dvija rites should not be performed without vasordhārā; otherwise they are declared niṣphala (ineffective).