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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 31

ब्राह्मणं तु कृतं प्रोक्तं त्रेता तु क्षत्रियं स्मृतम् । वैश्यं द्वापरमित्याहुः शूद्रं कलियुगं स्मृतम्

brāhmaṇaṃ tu kṛtaṃ proktaṃ tretā tu kṣatriyaṃ smṛtam | vaiśyaṃ dvāparamityāhuḥ śūdraṃ kaliyugaṃ smṛtam

On proclame que le Kṛta-yuga est de nature « brahmanique » ; le Tretā est mémorisé comme « kṣatriya » ; le Dvāpara est dit « vaiśya » ; et le Kali-yuga est rappelé comme « śūdra », au sens de la tendance dominante propre à chaque âge.

brāhmaṇam(is) Brāhmaṇa
brāhmaṇam:
Vidhyartha-Predicate (विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootbrāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; यहाँ विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative)
tuindeed/but
tu:
Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (particle: ‘but/indeed’)
kṛtamKṛta (age)
kṛtam:
Adhikarana/Topic (विषय)
TypeNoun
Rootkṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; युगनाम (Kṛta-yuga)
proktamis said/declared
proktam:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु) + pra + kta (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘उक्तम्’ (passive predicate)
tretāTretā (age)
tretā:
Adhikarana/Topic (विषय)
TypeNoun
Roottretā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; युगनाम
tuindeed/but
tu:
Sambandha/Discourse (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय
kṣatriyam(is) Kṣatriya
kṣatriyam:
Vidhyartha-Predicate (विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootkṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम
smṛtamis considered/remembered
smṛtam:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√smṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘स्मृतम्’ (is remembered/considered)
vaiśyam(is) Vaiśya
vaiśyam:
Vidhyartha-Predicate (विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootvaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम
dvāparamDvāpara (age)
dvāparam:
Adhikarana/Topic (विषय)
TypeNoun
Rootdvāpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; युगनाम
itithus
iti:
Quotation-marker (उद्धरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; इति-समाप्ति/उद्धरणचिह्न
āhuḥthey say
āhuḥ:
Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√ah (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
śūdram(is) Śūdra
śūdram:
Vidhyartha-Predicate (विधेय)
TypeNoun
Rootśūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम
kali-yugamKali age
kali-yugam:
Adhikarana/Topic (विषय)
TypeNoun
Rootkali (प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कलेः युगम्)
smṛtamis considered/remembered
smṛtam:
Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√smṛ (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Sūta (Lomaharṣaṇa) (deduced)

Tirtha: Prabhāsa-kṣetra (contextual refuge in Kali)

Type: kshetra

Scene: A four-panel allegory of yugas: Kṛta with serene sages and Vedic study; Tretā with royal sacrifice and archers; Dvāpara with trade, agriculture, and temple ritual; Kali with crowded towns, diminished āśrama signs, yet a bright thread of simple devotion leading to a tīrtha shrine.

K
Kṛta-yuga
T
Tretā-yuga
D
Dvāpara-yuga
K
Kali-yuga

FAQs

Each yuga has a prevailing ethical-spiritual tendency; Kali is marked by diminished refinement and discipline compared to earlier ages.

Indirectly, the Prabhāsa Kṣetra discourse frames dharma and ritual practice in the present age, supporting the need for proper tīrtha-based observance.

No direct ritual act is prescribed; it provides a doctrinal framework about yuga-character affecting dharma.