Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कलौ युगे विशेषेण पुराणश्रवणादृते । नास्ति धर्मः परः पुंसां नास्ति मुक्तिपथः परः

Transliteration

kalau yuge viśeṣeṇa purāṇaśravaṇādṛte | nāsti dharmaḥ paraḥ puṃsāṃ nāsti muktipathaḥ paraḥ

Translation

Especially in the age of Kali, apart from hearing the Purāṇa there is no higher dharma for people, and no higher path leading to liberation.

Word by Word

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युगे: in the age
• युगे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे

• पुराण-श्रवणात्: from hearing the Purāṇa
• पुराण-श्रवणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ऋते: without
• ऋते: Sambandha (Exclusion/वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: वर्जनार्थक-अव्यय; ‘without/except’ (पञ्चमी-सहचर)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात; negation

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd singular

• धर्मः: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परः: higher/supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण (धर्मः)

• पुंसाम्: of men/people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd singular

• मुक्ति-पथः: path to liberation
• मुक्ति-पथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परः: higher/supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मुक्तिपथः)

Speaker

Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsa) / Purāṇic narrator voice (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A darkened Kali-yuga landscape with weary people; a luminous circle forms around a Purāṇa recitation, creating a clear ‘path’ upward labeled mokṣa-mārga.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali Yuga, attentive listening to Purāṇic teaching is elevated as the foremost dharma and a direct support for liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified; the focus is on a universally available practice suitable for Kali Yuga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular Purāṇa-śravaṇa (hearing sacred Purāṇic discourse) is prescribed as the primary dharma.