Skanda Purana — Kashi Khanda, Shloka 89
यथा जडानि बीजानि न फलंति स्वयं तथा । जडानि सर्वकर्माणि न फलंतीश्वरं विना
yathā jaḍāni bījāni na phalaṃti svayaṃ tathā | jaḍāni sarvakarmāṇi na phalaṃtīśvaraṃ vinā
Như hạt giống vô tri không tự mình kết trái, cũng vậy mọi nghiệp vốn vô tri, nếu không có Đấng Chúa Tể (Īśvara) thì không thể trổ quả báo.
Skanda (deduced: Kāśīkhaṇḍa context, typically Skanda to Agastya)
Tirtha: Kāśī
Type: kshetra
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.
FAQs
Effort alone is not ultimate; divine sanction (Īśvara) is what makes karma truly fructify.
Kāśī’s doctrine of Viśveśvara’s supremacy is reinforced; the verse is theological rather than topographical.
A general prescription: perform rites with Īśvara-centered devotion and invocation to ensure fruition.