Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अल्पक्षीरास्तथा गावः सत्यहीना द्विजातयः । तत्र मायाविनो लोका जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यपरायणाः

Transliteration

alpakṣīrāstathā gāvaḥ satyahīnā dvijātayaḥ | tatra māyāvino lokā jaihvyaupasthyaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Die Kühe geben wenig Milch, und die Dvija (die „Zweimalgeborenen“) sind der Wahrheit beraubt. Dort werden die Menschen trügerisch, hingegeben den Begierden der Zunge und sinnlicher Ausschweifung.

Word by Word

• अल्पक्षीराः: having little milk
• अल्पक्षीराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सत्यहीनाः: devoid of truth
• सत्यहीनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• द्विजातयः: the twice-born (people)
• द्विजातयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘द्विजाति’ = twice-born (ब्राह्मणादि)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• मायाविनः: deceitful, illusory-minded
• मायाविनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मायाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• लोकाः: people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यपरायणाः: devoted to tongue and sex (sensuality)
• जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जैह्व्य + औपस्थ्य + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘परायण’ = devoted to; जैह्व्य (जिह्वा-सम्बन्धि: taste/food) + औपस्थ्य (उपस्थ-सम्बन्धि: sexual)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bleak Kali-yuga tableau: thin cows with scant milk; brahmins with downcast faces and broken yajñopavīta; townsfolk whispering deceitfully, surrounded by food and sensual temptations.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Gāvaḥ (cows)
• Dvijāti (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kali-yuga is marked by loss of truth and mastery over senses; dharma is protected by satya and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is named; the verse lists Kali-yuga indicators within the Purāṇic teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse implicitly urges satya (truthfulness) and indriya-nigraha (sense-control).