Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 51

Devanagari script

भविष्यति तथा कालो रौद्रः कलिसमुद्भवः । तत्र क्षेत्राणि तीर्थानि नाशं यास्यंति भूतले

Transliteration

bhaviṣyati tathā kālo raudraḥ kalisamudbhavaḥ | tatra kṣetrāṇi tīrthāni nāśaṃ yāsyaṃti bhūtale

Translation

Eine grimmige Zeit wird aufkommen, aus dem Kali-Zeitalter geboren; dann werden auf Erden die heiligen Kṣetra und die Tīrtha, die heiligen Furten, verfallen und zugrunde gehen.

Word by Word

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Prakara (Manner/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/so)

• कालः: time/period
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• रौद्रः: terrible/fierce
• रौद्रः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (कालः इति)

• कलिसमुद्भवः: arising from the Kali age
• कलिसमुद्भवः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + समुद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कलितः समुद्भवः = arising from Kali)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (there)

• क्षेत्राणि: sacred fields/places
• क्षेत्राणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• तीर्थानि: pilgrimage places
• तीर्थानि: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समनाधिकरण (क्षेत्राणि इति सह)

• नाशम्: destruction
• नाशम्: Gati-karma (Goal/Object of motion/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यास्यन्ति: will go/meet (with)
• यास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• भूतले: on the earth's surface
• भूतले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

Speaker

Maheśvara (Śiva)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A prophetic scene: darkening sky over neglected ghāṭas and broken shrines; Śiva’s warning overlays the landscape, contrasting a fading tīrtha with a distant protected sanctuary of light.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Kṣetra
• Tīrtha
• Bhūtala (earth)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali-yuga, dharma weakens and even holy institutions can deteriorate—hence the need for renewed devotion and safeguarding of sacred spaces.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

This verse is general, describing the fate of tīrthas and kṣetras in Kali-yuga rather than naming one site.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it provides the theological backdrop for later protective measures and pilgrimage emphasis.