Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

शांतो दांतः सुशीलश्च सत्यधर्मपरायणः । द्वापरांते नृपश्रेष्ठ अनागमे कलौ युगे

Transliteration

śāṃto dāṃtaḥ suśīlaśca satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ | dvāparāṃte nṛpaśreṣṭha anāgame kalau yuge

Translation

ഹേ നൃപശ്രേഷ്ഠാ! ദ്വാപരയുഗാന്തത്തിൽ, കലിയുഗാഗമനത്തിന് മുമ്പെ, അവൻ ശാന്തനും ദാന്തനും സുശീലനും സത്യധർമ്മപരായണനും ആയിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• śāntaḥ: calm
• śāntaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (कृदन्त; √śam उपशमे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = ‘शान्त’

• dāntaḥ: self-controlled
• dāntaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dānta (कृदन्त; √dam उपशमे/नियमे)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) = ‘दमित/संयत’

• suśīlaḥ: of good conduct
• suśīlaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su- (उपसर्ग) + śīla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु + शीलः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ: devoted to truth and righteousness
• satyadharmaparāyaṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + parāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/समासार्थः: ‘सत्यधर्मयोः परायणः’ (devoted to truth and dharma)

• dvāparānte: at the end of Dvāpara (yuga)
• dvāparānte: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvāpara (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘द्वापरस्य अन्ते’

• nṛpaśreṣṭha: O best of kings
• nṛpaśreṣṭha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = ‘नृपाणां श्रेष्ठः’

• anāgame: when there is no (proper) coming/arrival (i.e., in absence of guidance)
• anāgame: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an- (नञ्) + āgama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; नञ्-तत्पुरुषः = ‘आगमस्य अभावे’ (in the absence of coming/arrival)

• kalau: in Kali (yuga)
• kalau: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• yuge: in the age
• yuge: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Vyāsa

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Yudhiṣṭhira (implied addressee: nṛpaśreṣṭha)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A dharmic king at the Dvāpara’s close—serene, restrained—surrounded by symbols of order (dharma-śāstra, yajña implements), with a faint shadow of Kali approaching on the horizon.

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Dvāpara-yuga
• Kali-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Inner discipline—peace, restraint, and truthfulness—forms the foundation of dharmic leadership, especially at times of yuga transition.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No single tīrtha is named; the verse supports the Dharmāraṇya discourse by describing the moral atmosphere around yuga change.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a characterization of virtues rather than a ritual instruction.