Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

पादहीनं सर्वमेतद्युगं त्रेताभिधं प्रभो । पादद्वयं द्वापरे तु सर्वस्यैतस्य वासव

Transliteration

pādahīnaṃ sarvametadyugaṃ tretābhidhaṃ prabho | pādadvayaṃ dvāpare tu sarvasyaitasya vāsava

Translation

يا ربّ، في اليوغا المسمّاة تْرِيتا ينقص كلُّ ذلك قَدَمًا واحدة. وفي دْفاپَرا، يا فاسافا، لا يبقى من تلك الفضائل كلّها إلا قَدَمان.

Word by Word

• पादहीनम्: lacking a quarter (one part deficient)
• पादहीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; 'पादेन हीनम्' (lacking one quarter)

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• युगम्: age, yuga
• युगम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• त्रेताभिधम्: named ‘Tretā’
• त्रेताभिधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of युगम्/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रेता + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; 'त्रेता इति अभिधीयते यत्' (called Tretā)

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• पादद्वयम्: two quarters (two parts)
• पादद्वयम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; 'पादयोः द्वयम्' (two quarters)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (yuga)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तु: but, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• एतस्य: of this
• एतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• वासव: O Vāsava (Indra)
• वासव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Bṛhaspati (addressing Indra/Vāsava; within Prahlāda’s narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra/Vāsava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic dharma bull losing legs across panels: four in Kṛta, three in Tretā, two in Dvāpara; Indra listens as Bṛhaspati points to the diminishing supports; atmosphere turns more austere.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsava (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It explains the quarter-by-quarter decline of dharma and spiritual efficacy as time moves from Tretā to Dvāpara.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse sets doctrinal context for why a Kali-free sacred refuge becomes necessary.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new rite is prescribed; it measures the reduced potency of previously mentioned practices across the yugas.