Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततस्तु द्वापरं नाम तृतीयं युग मुच्यते । द्विपदो धर्मः सञ्जातः पीतवर्णो जनार्द्दनः

Transliteration

tatastu dvāparaṃ nāma tṛtīyaṃ yuga mucyate | dvipado dharmaḥ sañjātaḥ pītavarṇo janārddanaḥ

Translation

Vient ensuite le troisième âge, nommé Dvāpara. Le Dharma ne tient plus que sur deux pieds, et Janārdana (Viṣṇu) apparaît d’une teinte jaune.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (adverb: ‘then/thereafter’)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• द्वापरम्: Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (Dvāpara [age])

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (indeclinable: ‘by name/called’)

• तृतीयम्: third
• तृतीयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular agreeing with युगम् (third)

• युगम्: age
• युगम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (age/epoch)

• मुच्यते: is called
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); Present 3rd sg (is called/is released)

• द्विपदः: two-footed (having two parts)
• द्विपदः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular agreeing with धर्मः; ‘two-footed/two-part’

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

• सञ्जातः: has arisen
• सञ्जातः: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (Subject-linked qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+जन् (धातु) → सञ्जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past participle: ‘arisen/come into being’ (agreeing with धर्मः)

• पीतवर्णः: yellow-colored
• पीतवर्णः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (yellow-colored)

• जनार्द्दनः: Janārdana
• जनार्द्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (epithet of Viṣṇu)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dvāpara-yuga dawn: dharma-bull now with two legs; Janārdana with yellow garments/halo; a subtle sense of loss—ritual still present but less universal; society more complex.

Characters & Entities

• Dvāpara-yuga
• Dharma
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

As time advances, Dharma diminishes; spiritual vigilance becomes more necessary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is directly mentioned; the verse is part of a yuga-teaching within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription here; it identifies the age and Dharma’s reduced strength.