Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्विलुलितप्राये वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते । अविलुप्ते वेदमार्गे क्व विष्णुर्भगवानिति

Transliteration

asminvilulitaprāye varṇāśramavivarjite | avilupte vedamārge kva viṣṇurbhagavāniti

Translation

When this world is almost wholly shattered, when the order of varṇa and āśrama is abandoned, and the Vedic path is obscured—where, then, is Bhagavān Viṣṇu to be found?

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• विलुलितप्राये: in a time mostly in disorder
• विलुलितप्राये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलुलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लुल्/लुठ् ‘to disturb’) + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘mostly/for the most part’ + ‘disordered’); विशेषणम् (qualifying implied युगे/काले)

• वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते: devoid of varna-ashrama order
• वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृज्/वर्ज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समाहार (वर्ण+आश्रम) ततः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्णाश्रमस्य विवर्जितम्) ‘devoid of varṇa and āśrama’; PPP as head

• अविलुप्ते: not destroyed
• अविलुप्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविलुप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; a- + √लुप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-कृदन्त (PPP) with negation; विशेषणम् (qualifying वेदमार्गे)

• वेदमार्गे: in the path of the Veda
• वेदमार्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य मार्गः)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• विष्णुः: Vishnu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषणम्

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

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of brāhmaṇas amid ruins and dim yajña-smoke asks the skyward question; above, a faint conch-and-disc radiance hints at Viṣṇu’s hidden abode.

Characters & Entities

• Varṇāśrama
• Veda-mārga
• Bhagavān Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when social-religious structures collapse, the Lord remains approachable—prompting inquiry into His sacred abode and true means of access.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a lead-in to Dvārakā’s glorification as a place where Viṣṇu is especially accessible.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a theological question about access to Viṣṇu in Kali.