Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 87

Devanagari script

ईश्वर उवाच । तपः परं कृतयुगे त्रेतायां ज्ञानमिष्यते । द्वापरे यजनं धन्यं दानमेकं कलौ युगे

Transliteration

īśvara uvāca | tapaḥ paraṃ kṛtayuge tretāyāṃ jñānamiṣyate | dvāpare yajanaṃ dhanyaṃ dānamekaṃ kalau yuge

Translation

Īśvara said: “In the Kṛta Age, austerity (tapas) is supreme; in the Tretā, knowledge (jñāna) is enjoined; in the Dvāpara, sacrifice (yajña) is blessed; but in the Kali Age, charity (dāna) alone is the single foremost path.”

Word by Word

• ईश्वरः: Īśvara (the Lord)
• ईश्वरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तपः इति विशेषण

• कृतयुगे: in the Kṛta age
• कृतयुगे: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृतयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (कृतं युगम्)

• त्रेतायाम्: in Tretā (age)
• त्रेतायाम्: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• इष्यते: is considered/desired (as best)
• इष्यते: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• द्वापरे: in Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन (युगे इति अध्याहृतम्)

• यजनम्: sacrifice, worship (yajña)
• यजनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• धन्यम्: blessed, auspicious
• धन्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; यजनम् इति विशेषण

• दानम्: charity, giving
• दानम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• एकम्: alone, the sole (means)
• एकम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; दानम् इति विशेषण

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• युगे: in the age
• युगे: Adhikarana (Time/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Īśvara (Śiva)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Īśvara, as a serene teacher, proclaims the fourfold yuga-dharma sequence; behind him, symbolic vignettes: ascetics in tapas, sages in jñāna discourse, priests at yajña, and householders offering dāna at a tīrtha.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Kṛta-yuga
• Tretā-yuga
• Dvāpara-yuga
• Kali-yuga
• Prabhāsa-kṣetra

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic path adapts to the age: in Kali-yuga, compassionate giving (dāna) is taught as the most accessible and effective dharma.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The teaching is situated in Prabhāsa-kṣetra’s māhātmya, framing Prabhāsa as a place where yuga-dharma is explained and practiced.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A yuga-based prescription: prioritize dāna in Kali-yuga (while recognizing tapas, jñāna, and yajña as chief in earlier yugas).