Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 58

Devanagari script

चतुर्लक्षं तु द्वात्रिंशत्सहस्राणि कलिः स्मृतः । चतुर्भिरेतैर्देवानां युगामित्यभिधीयते

Transliteration

caturlakṣaṃ tu dvātriṃśatsahasrāṇi kaliḥ smṛtaḥ | caturbhiretairdevānāṃ yugāmityabhidhīyate

Translation

Das Kali‑yuga wird als vier Lakhs und zweiunddreißigtausend Jahre (nach Menschenjahren) überliefert. Durch diese vier Zeitalter zusammen wird so das ‘Yuga’ der Götter bezeichnet.

Word by Word

• चतुर्लक्षम्: four lakhs
• चतुर्लक्षम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + लक्ष (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संख्या-तत्पुरुष (चत्वारि लक्षाणि) used as numeral amount

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात

• द्वात्रिंशत्सहस्राणि: thirty-two thousand
• द्वात्रिंशत्सहस्राणि: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वात्रिंशत् + सहस्र (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्या-तत्पुरुष (द्वात्रिंशतः सहस्राणि)

• कलिः: Kali [yuga]
• कलिः: Karta/Pradhāna (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (Kali yuga)

• स्मृतः: is stated
• स्मृतः: Predicative
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत्) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicative (is said/known)

• चतुर्भिः: by/with four
• चतुर्भिः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याशब्द-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural (by/with four)

• एतैः: with these
• एतैः: Karaṇa (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; demonstrative pronoun used adjectivally (with these)

• देवानाम्: of the gods
• देवानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural

• युगम्: a yuga
• युगम्: Karmaṇi-bhāva / Predicate
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as predicate-noun (a yuga)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha/Quotation
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• अभिधीयते: is called
• अभिधीयते: Kriyā (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): 'is called/denoted'

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) (deduced from Māheśvara-khaṇḍa narrative convention)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A kāla-cakra (wheel of time) with four spokes labeled Kṛta–Tretā–Dvāpara–Kali; Kali segment darker yet highlighted with a small lamp symbolizing accessible grace; devas above indicating ‘deva-yuga’.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Devas

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even Kali’s turmoil is bounded by divine measure; Dharma remains meaningful within a divinely ordered cycle.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is praised in this verse; it defines yuga measures.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; such yuga teaching often frames why simple practices (nāma-japa, dāna) are emphasized in Kali.