Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 15

Bali Liberated, Prahlāda Blessed, and Vāmana Accepted as Universal Protector

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक्र उवाच कुतस्तत्कर्मवैषम्यं यस्य कर्मेश्वरो भवान् । यज्ञेशो यज्ञपुरुष: सर्वभावेन पूजित: ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śukra uvāca kutas tat-karma-vaiṣamyaṁ yasya karmeśvaro bhavān yajñeśo yajña-puruṣaḥ sarva-bhāvena pūjitaḥ

Translation

Śukrācārya berkata: Wahai Tuhanku, dalam segala yajña Engkaulah Penguasa perbuatan, Yajñeśa dan Yajña-puruṣa yang disembah dengan segenap bhāva. Jika seseorang telah memuaskan-Mu sepenuhnya, bagaimana mungkin ada kecacatan atau ketidakseimbangan dalam yajñanya?

Synonyms

• श्री-शुक्रः: Śrī Śukra
• श्री-शुक्रः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री-शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (श्रीमान् शुक्रः)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• कुतः: whence/why
• कुतः: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतस् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रश्नार्थक-निपात/क्रियाविशेषण (interrogative adverb)

• तत्-कर्म-वैषम्यम्: that inequality in action/result
• तत्-कर्म-वैषम्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + कर्मन् + वैषम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (तत् कर्मणः वैषम्यम्)

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (relative pronoun)

• कर्म-ईश्वरः: the lord of karma
• कर्म-ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कर्मणाम् ईश्वरः)

• भवान्: you (honored one)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific ‘you’)

• यज्ञ-ईशः: lord of sacrifice
• यज्ञ-ईशः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यज्ञानाम् ईशः)

• यज्ञ-पुरुषः: the sacrificial Person
• यज्ञ-पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यज्ञस्य पुरुषः)

• सर्व-भावेन: with all devotion/with one’s whole being
• सर्व-भावेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सर्वः भावः यस्य/सर्वभावः)

• पूजितः: worshipped
• पूजितः: Karta (कर्ता/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (one who is worshipped)

Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) the Lord says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: the Lord, the supreme proprietor, is the actual person to be satisfied by the performance of yajñas. The Viṣṇu Purāṇa (3.8.9) says:

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Yajñeśa (Lord of sacrifice)
• Yajña-puruṣa (the Supreme Person as sacrifice)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about inequality in karma (karma-vaiṣamya)?

This verse says that for the Supreme Lord—who controls karma itself—there can be no question of unequal karmic results; He is above and beyond the workings of karma.

Why is the Lord called Yajñeśa and Yajña-puruṣa in the Bhagavatam?

Because He is both the Lord who accepts sacrifice (Yajñeśa) and the very essence and personhood behind sacrifice (Yajña-puruṣa); all yajña ultimately aims at pleasing Him.

How can I apply the teaching of this shloka in modern life?

See outcomes without cynicism or blame, and focus on wholehearted worship and duty—offering your work as yajña—remembering that the Supreme governs results beyond human calculation.