Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

ततस्त्रेतायुगं भावि द्वितीयं मुनिसत्तमाः । पादेनैकेन पापं तु रौद्रं धर्मे तदाविशत्

Transliteration

tatastretāyugaṃ bhāvi dvitīyaṃ munisattamāḥ | pādenaikena pāpaṃ tu raudraṃ dharme tadāviśat

Translation

അതിനുശേഷം, ഹേ മുനിശ്രേഷ്ഠന്മാരേ, രണ്ടാം യുഗമായ ത്രേതായുഗം വന്നു; അപ്പോൾ ധർമ്മത്തിൽ ഒരു പാദം (ചതുർത്ഥാംശം) അളവിൽ ക്രൂര പാപം പ്രവേശിച്ചു।

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तदस्)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/अनन्तरार्थक (then/thereafter)

• त्रेतायुगम्: the Tretā age
• त्रेतायुगम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रेतायाः युगम्)

• भावि: to be/coming
• भावि: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भू (धातु) → भाविन्/भावि (कृदन्त)
• Form: भविष्यदर्थक कृदन्त (भाविन्-प्रायः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘त्रेतायुगम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• द्वितीयम्: second
• द्वितीयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘त्रेतायुगम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• मुनिसत्तमाः: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तमाः: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे प्रयोगः (हे मुनिसत्तमाः)

• पादेन: by a quarter/part
• पादेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• एकेन: by one
• एकेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘पादेन’ इति विशेषणम्

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle); विशेषार्थक

• रौद्रम्: fierce/terrible
• रौद्रम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पापम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• धर्मे: in dharma/righteousness
• धर्मे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

• आविशत्: entered/pervaded
• आविशत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विश् (धातु) उपसर्गः आ-
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: muni-sattamāḥ

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Transition tableau: dharma personified as a bull losing one leg; a faint red/rajas hue enters the world; sages look concerned, beginning structured rites to uphold order.

Characters & Entities

• Tretā Yuga
• Dharma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

As the ages progress, dharma diminishes; vigilance and conscious practice become increasingly necessary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not specified in this verse; it provides the yuga-transition backdrop within the Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None directly; it signals the need for stronger dharmic supports as decline begins.