Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 57

Devanagari script

ब्राह्मणादिषु वर्णेषु नष्टेषु समनन्तरम् । यज्ञाद्यभावात्सहसा देवता व्यसनं ययुः

Transliteration

brāhmaṇādiṣu varṇeṣu naṣṭeṣu samanantaram | yajñādyabhāvātsahasā devatā vyasanaṃ yayuḥ

Translation

Lorsque les varṇa, à commencer par les brāhmaṇa, furent anéantis, aussitôt—les yajña et les rites connexes ayant cessé—les dieux tombèrent soudain dans la détresse.

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणादिषु: among the Brahmins and others
• ब्राह्मणादिषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव-प्राय/तत्पुरुष (ब्राह्मण-आदि-समूह)

• वर्णेषु: in the castes/classes
• वर्णेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• नष्टेषु: when (they were) destroyed
• नष्टेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative qualifier/अधिकरण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले कृदन्त (क्त; past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वर्णेषु)

• समनन्तरम्: immediately thereafter
• समनन्तरम्: Kriya-viseshana (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: समनन्तर (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-नपुंसक)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक; adverb of time)

• यज्ञाद्यभावात्: from the absence of sacrifices etc.
• यज्ञाद्यभावात्: Hetu/Apadana (Cause/Ablative/हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक) + अभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यज्ञ-आदि-नाम् अभावः)

• सहसा: suddenly
• सहसा: Kriya-viseshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सहसा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• देवताः: the deities
• देवताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• व्यसनम्: calamity/distress
• व्यसनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ययुः: went/entered (into)
• ययुः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद; Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A desolate sacrificial ground: extinguished fires, broken altars, absent priests; devas above appear weakened or sorrowful as smoke no longer rises from yajñas.

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇas
• Varṇas
• Devatās
• Yajña

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Purāṇic dharma teaches reciprocity: when righteous society and yajña decline, cosmic balance and divine support also weaken.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site; the verse explains the broader dharmic-cosmic stakes behind later tīrtha narratives.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Yajña (and related rites) are implied as essential supports of cosmic order, though no specific procedure is detailed.