Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 43
त्वं वेत्सि शंकरेणैतत्कर्मजालं न विंदितम् । त्रैलोक्येऽपि मयाऽप्यस्ति गूढं तत्स्यात्कथं विधे । यत्किञ्चित्त्रिषु लोकेषु जंगमं स्थावरं तथा । तस्याहं मध्यगो मूढ तैलं यद्वत्तिलांतगम्
tvaṃ vetsi śaṃkareṇaitatkarmajālaṃ na viṃditam | trailokye'pi mayā'pyasti gūḍhaṃ tatsyātkathaṃ vidhe | yatkiñcittriṣu lokeṣu jaṃgamaṃ sthāvaraṃ tathā | tasyāhaṃ madhyago mūḍha tailaṃ yadvattilāṃtagam
「汝はこれを知ると思うが、シャンカラ（Śaṅkara）でさえこの業（カルマ）の網を究めてはいない。三界のうちにも、我にもなお秘されるものがある—それゆえ、いかでか我が万事を知り得よう、ああヴィダートリ（Vidhātṛ）よ。三界にある動くものも動かぬものも、そのただ中に我は在る。胡麻の粒に油が隠れるがごとく、迷える者よ。」
Brahmā (addressing Śiva; self-referential cosmological speech within the episode)
Type: kshetra
Scene: A contemplative tableau: Śiva speaking to Brahmā (Vidhātṛ), with the universe symbolically shown—moving beings, trees, mountains—while a sesame seed motif illustrates hidden oil, signifying immanence.
FAQs
Karma is subtle and difficult to fully comprehend; the divine presence pervades beings invisibly, like oil within sesame.
The verse is part of the origin-story sequence in Nāgarakhaṇḍa that leads to the sanctification and fame of Rudraśiraḥ tīrtha.
No explicit ritual is prescribed; the verse is doctrinal, explaining the subtlety of karma and immanence.