Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 8

Devanagari script

अतः पूजा जपो होमस्तत्कथास्तद्गुणस्तवः । कर्त्तव्यो नियतं मर्त्यैश्चतुर्वर्गफला र्थिभिः

Transliteration

ataḥ pūjā japo homastatkathāstadguṇastavaḥ | karttavyo niyataṃ martyaiścaturvargaphalā rthibhiḥ

Translation

لذلك ينبغي للبشر الذين يبتغون ثمار المقاصد الأربعة للحياة—الدارما، والأرثا، والكاما، والموكشا—أن يداوموا على العبادة، والجَپا (الترديد)، والهوما (قربان النار)، وسرد أخباره، وإنشاد مديح صفاته.

Word by Word

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Sambandha (Logical connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, हेत्वर्थक (therefore/from this)

• पूजा: worship
• पूजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जपः: recitation
• जपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• होमः: fire-offering
• होमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: होम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्-कथाः: his stories
• तत्-कथाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कथा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य कथाः)

• तत्-गुण-स्तवः: praise of his qualities
• तत्-गुण-स्तवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक) + स्तव (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तस्य गुणानां स्तवः)

• कर्तव्यः: to be done / should be performed
• कर्तव्यः: Kriya (Obligation/विधि)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/obligatory), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (कर्तव्यः = should be done)

• नियमम्: regularly / with rule
• नियमम्: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (accusative of manner)

• मर्त्यैः: by mortals
• मर्त्यैः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• चतुर्वर्ग-फल-अर्थिभिः: by those desiring the fruits of the four aims of life
• चतुर्वर्ग-फल-अर्थिभिः: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्-वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक; समास) + फल (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थिन् (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चतुर्वर्गस्य फलम् अर्थयन्ति ये तैः)

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic voice; not explicit in the snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A human devotee at twilight performing a complete pradoṣa sādhana sequence: offering lamp and bilva leaves, counting japa beads, a small homa fire, and a reciter reading Śiva-kathā; the four puruṣārthas symbolically present as emblems (dharma-śāstra, prosperity, family joy, and a lotus of liberation).

Characters & Entities

• Śiva (implied by 'tat')
• Caturvarga (dharma-artha-kāma-mokṣa)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

A complete devotional life—ritual, mantra, offering, and sacred narration—leads to fulfillment of the four aims, culminating in liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single site is named; the emphasis is on pradoṣa-centered Śaiva practice applicable broadly.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Perform pūjā, japa, homa, listen/recite divine kathā, and sing guṇa-stava—regularly, with the goal of caturvarga.