Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 26

Devanagari script

अल्पक्षीरास्तथा गावः सत्यहीना द्विजातयः । तत्र मायाविनो लोका जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यपरायणाः

Transliteration

alpakṣīrāstathā gāvaḥ satyahīnā dvijātayaḥ | tatra māyāvino lokā jaihvyaupasthyaparāyaṇāḥ

Translation

Les vaches donnent peu de lait, et les dvija (les « deux-fois-nés ») sont privés de vérité. Là, les hommes deviennent trompeurs, voués aux désirs de la langue et aux plaisirs des sens.

Word by Word

• अल्पक्षीराः: having little milk
• अल्पक्षीराः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb)

• गावः: cows
• गावः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सत्यहीनाः: devoid of truth
• सत्यहीनाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• द्विजातयः: the twice-born (people)
• द्विजातयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + जाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘द्विजाति’ = twice-born (ब्राह्मणादि)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• मायाविनः: deceitful, illusory-minded
• मायाविनः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मायाविन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• लोकाः: people
• लोकाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यपरायणाः: devoted to tongue and sex (sensuality)
• जैह्व्यौपस्थ्यपरायणाः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जैह्व्य + औपस्थ्य + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण; ‘परायण’ = devoted to; जैह्व्य (जिह्वा-सम्बन्धि: taste/food) + औपस्थ्य (उपस्थ-सम्बन्धि: sexual)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A bleak Kali-yuga tableau: thin cows with scant milk; brahmins with downcast faces and broken yajñopavīta; townsfolk whispering deceitfully, surrounded by food and sensual temptations.

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Gāvaḥ (cows)
• Dvijāti (twice-born)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kali-yuga is marked by loss of truth and mastery over senses; dharma is protected by satya and restraint.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific holy site is named; the verse lists Kali-yuga indicators within the Purāṇic teaching.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct rite is prescribed; the verse implicitly urges satya (truthfulness) and indriya-nigraha (sense-control).