Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 6

Devanagari script

अशक्तः कश्चिदुत्स्रष्टुं प्रायो विषयवासनाम् । अतः कर्ममयी पूजा कामधेनुः शरीरिणाम्

Transliteration

aśaktaḥ kaścidutsraṣṭuṃ prāyo viṣayavāsanām | ataḥ karmamayī pūjā kāmadhenuḥ śarīriṇām

Translation

Die meisten vermögen die verborgenen Begierden nach Sinnesobjekten kaum aufzugeben; darum ist die handlungsgebundene Verehrung (Karma-Pūjā) wie Kāmadhenu, die wunscherfüllende Kuh, für die verkörperten Wesen.

Word by Word

• अशक्तः: incapable
• अशक्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (Masculine, Nominative singular; adjective)

• कश्चित्: someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम (Masculine, Nominative singular; indefinite pronoun)

• उत्स्रष्टुम्: to abandon/let go
• उत्स्रष्टुम्: Kriya-artha (क्रियार्थ/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-√सृज् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त, अव्यय-रूप (Infinitive in -tum); क्रियार्थक (purpose)

• प्रायः: generally, for the most part
• प्रायः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रायः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb)

• विषयवासनाम्: desire/latent tendency for sense-objects
• विषयवासनाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय-वासना (प्रातिपदिक; विषय + वासना)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; कर्म (Feminine, Accusative singular; object)

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक-निपात (indeclinable; causal particle 'therefore')

• कर्ममयी: consisting of (ritual) action
• कर्ममयी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कर्म-मयी (प्रातिपदिक; कर्मन् + मय)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (Feminine, Nominative singular; adjective)

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

• कामधेनुः: wish-fulfilling cow
• कामधेनुः: Pradhana (प्रधान/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कामधेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपमा/रूपक-प्रयोग (Feminine, Nominative singular; metaphorical predicate)

• शरीरिणाम्: of embodied beings
• शरीरिणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive plural)

Speaker

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa/Sūta)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A householder devotee, still surrounded by sensory temptations, offers flowers, water, and lamp to a Śiva-liṅga; the offerings transform into a radiant wish-fulfilling cow symbolizing karma-mayi pūjā.

Characters & Entities

• Kāmadhenu (metaphor)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Since many cannot instantly renounce desires, structured ritual worship becomes a powerful, accessible aid for spiritual progress.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is mentioned; the verse explains the practical value of ritual worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Karmamayī pūjā—worship performed through prescribed actions and rites—is recommended for embodied practitioners.