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Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 17

क्षीयमाणे च सद्धर्मे विधर्मे प्रबले तथा । नष्टधर्मक्रियायोगे वेदवादबहिष्कृते । एकपादे स्थिते धर्मे वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते

kṣīyamāṇe ca saddharme vidharme prabale tathā | naṣṭadharmakriyāyoge vedavādabahiṣkṛte | ekapāde sthite dharme varṇāśramavivarjite

Ketika saddharma kian menyusut dan vidharmā menjadi kuat; ketika laku tertib upacara dharma lenyap dan kewibawaan ajaran Weda disingkirkan; ketika dharma tinggal berdiri pada satu kaki dan masyarakat tercerabut dari tatanan varṇa dan āśrama—maka dunia jatuh ke dalam kemerosotan yang pedih.

kṣīyamāṇewhen (it was) dwindling
kṣīyamāṇe:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Root√kṣi (क्षि) (कृदन्त; शानच्/मान)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/भावे ‘क्षीयमाण’ (being diminished)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्ययम्
sat-dharmein true dharma
sat-dharme:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootsat (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः ‘सन् धर्मः’
vi-dharmein adharma/false practice
vi-dharme:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvi (उपसर्ग) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘विधर्म’ (contrary/false dharma)
prabalewhen (it was) strong
prabale:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootprabala (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘प्रबल’ (strong, dominant)
tathālikewise
tathā:
Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम् (adverb) ‘तथा/एवम्’
naṣṭa-dharma-kriyā-yogewhen the practice/connection of dharma-rites was lost
naṣṭa-dharma-kriyā-yoge:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootnaṣṭa (कृदन्त; √naś नश्, क्त) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + kriyā (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; अर्थः ‘धर्मक्रियायोगे नष्टे’ (when the connection with dharmic rites was lost)
veda-vāda-bahiṣkṛtewhen (people were) excluded from Vedic teaching/discourse
veda-vāda-bahiṣkṛte:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootveda (प्रातिपदिक) + vāda (प्रातिपदिक) + bahiṣkṛta (कृदन्त; bahis-√kṛ कृ, क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः; ‘वेदवादात् बहिष्कृत’ (excluded from Vedic discourse)
eka-pādeon one foot (one quarter)
eka-pāde:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समासः ‘एकः पादः’
sthitewhen (it was) remaining
sthite:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Root√sthā (स्था) (कृदन्त; क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘स्थित’ (standing/remaining)
dharmein dharma
dharme:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootdharma (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्
varṇa-āśrama-vivarjitewhen (society was) devoid of varṇa and āśrama (orders)
varṇa-āśrama-vivarjite:
Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvarṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक) + vivarjita (कृदन्त; vi-√vṛj/√vṛj? ‘to avoid’ in usage; क्त)
Formपुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; द्वन्द्वः (वर्ण+आश्रम) ततः तत्पुरुष-सम्बन्धेन ‘विवर्जित’; ‘वर्णाश्रमयोः विवर्जित’

Narrator (contextual; sages’ deliberation is being described)

Tirtha: Dvārakā (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Scene: Allegory of dharma as a bull with only one leg remaining; broken sacrificial implements; a scroll of Veda pushed aside; society in disarray while a distant temple-lamp still burns.

K
Kali-yuga
D
Dharma
V
Veda
V
Varṇa
Ā
Āśrama

FAQs

It warns that neglect of Vedic wisdom and disciplined dharmic conduct leads to social and spiritual collapse, urging seekers to preserve authentic dharma.

This verse sets the Kali-yuga context; the surrounding Dvārakā-māhātmya frames the remedy through devotion connected with Dvārakā and Viṣṇu.

No specific rite is prescribed here; it describes the loss of dharma-kriyā (proper religious practice) as a symptom of Kali-yuga.