Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 24

Devanagari script

कृष्णवर्णो भवेद्विष्णुः पापाधिक्यं प्रवर्तते । माया च मत्सरश्चैव कामः क्रोधस्तथा भयम्

Transliteration

kṛṣṇavarṇo bhavedviṣṇuḥ pāpādhikyaṃ pravartate | māyā ca matsaraścaiva kāmaḥ krodhastathā bhayam

Translation

കലിയുഗത്തിൽ വിഷ്ണു കൃഷ്ണവർണ്ണനാകും, പാപാധിക്യം വർദ്ധിക്കും; മായ, മത്‌സരം, കാമം, ക്രോധം, ഭയം എന്നിവയും പ്രബലമാകും।

Word by Word

• कृष्णवर्णः: black-complexioned
• कृष्णवर्णः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• भवेत्: would be / becomes
• भवेत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पापाधिक्यम्: increase of sinfulness
• पापाधिक्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप + आधिक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd: Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन; भाववाचक (abstract)

• प्रवर्तते: proceeds / prevails
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• माया: illusion, deceit
• माया: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• मत्सरः: envy
• मत्सरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• कामः: desire
• कामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्रोधः: anger
• क्रोधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (adverb: 'thus/likewise')

• भयम्: fear
• भयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd: Nominative/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Skanda (deduced; exact speaker not stated in snippet)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Prabhāsa (contextual)

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: An allegorical tableau: a darkened age personified, with shadowy figures labeled māyā, matsara, kāma, krodha, bhaya encircling humans; above, Viṣṇu as dark-hued protector radiating a calming aura.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Kali-yuga
• Māyā
• Matsara
• Kāma
• Krodha
• Bhaya

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Kali-yuga amplifies inner enemies—delusion, envy, desire, anger, fear—so self-mastery and devotion are essential.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific sacred place is named; the verse lists Kali-yuga’s moral conditions.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; it is a diagnostic description of Kali-yuga tendencies.