Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 20

Devanagari script

ततस्तु द्वापरं नाम तृतीयं युग मुच्यते । द्विपदो धर्मः सञ्जातः पीतवर्णो जनार्द्दनः

Transliteration

tatastu dvāparaṃ nāma tṛtīyaṃ yuga mucyate | dvipado dharmaḥ sañjātaḥ pītavarṇo janārddanaḥ

Translation

പിന്നീട് മൂന്നാമത്തെ യുഗം ‘ദ്വാപരം’ എന്നു വിളിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. അതിൽ ധർമ്മം ദ്വിപാദമായി (രണ്ടു പാദങ്ങളിൽ) നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; ജനാർദ്ദനൻ (വിഷ്ണു) പീതവർണ്ണനായി ഇരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (adverb: ‘then/thereafter’)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपात (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• द्वापरम्: Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (Dvāpara [age])

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (Naming/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक-निपात (indeclinable: ‘by name/called’)

• तृतीयम्: third
• तृतीयम्: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular agreeing with युगम् (third)

• युगम्: age
• युगम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (age/epoch)

• मुच्यते: is called
• मुच्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive); Present 3rd sg (is called/is released)

• द्विपदः: two-footed (having two parts)
• द्विपदः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular agreeing with धर्मः; ‘two-footed/two-part’

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• सञ्जातः: has arisen
• सञ्जातः: Karta-anvayi Visheshana (Subject-linked qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+जन् (धातु) → सञ्जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Past participle: ‘arisen/come into being’ (agreeing with धर्मः)

• पीतवर्णः: yellow-colored
• पीतवर्णः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (yellow-colored)

• जनार्द्दनः: Janārdana
• जनार्द्दनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular (epithet of Viṣṇu)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Dvāpara-yuga dawn: dharma-bull now with two legs; Janārdana with yellow garments/halo; a subtle sense of loss—ritual still present but less universal; society more complex.

Characters & Entities

• Dvāpara-yuga
• Dharma
• Janārdana (Viṣṇu)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

As time advances, Dharma diminishes; spiritual vigilance becomes more necessary.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is directly mentioned; the verse is part of a yuga-teaching within the Arbuda-khaṇḍa.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No explicit prescription here; it identifies the age and Dharma’s reduced strength.