Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 43

Devanagari script

पादहीनं सर्वमेतद्युगं त्रेताभिधं प्रभो । पादद्वयं द्वापरे तु सर्वस्यैतस्य वासव

Transliteration

pādahīnaṃ sarvametadyugaṃ tretābhidhaṃ prabho | pādadvayaṃ dvāpare tu sarvasyaitasya vāsava

Translation

ഹേ പ്രഭോ! ത്രേതാ എന്ന യുഗത്തിൽ ഇവയൊക്കെയും ഒരു പാദം കുറയുന്നു. ഹേ വാസവാ! ദ്വാപരയുഗത്തിൽ ഇവയുടെ രണ്ടുപാദങ്ങൾ മാത്രമേ ശേഷിക്കൂ।

Word by Word

• पादहीनम्: lacking a quarter (one part deficient)
• पादहीनम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद + हीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; 'पादेन हीनम्' (lacking one quarter)

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• युगम्: age, yuga
• युगम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• त्रेताभिधम्: named ‘Tretā’
• त्रेताभिधम्: Visheshana (Qualifier of युगम्/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रेता + अभिध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; 'त्रेता इति अभिधीयते यत्' (called Tretā)

• प्रभो: O lord
• प्रभो: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• पादद्वयम्: two quarters (two parts)
• पादद्वयम्: Karta (Predicate nominal/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; 'पादयोः द्वयम्' (two quarters)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (yuga)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Location/Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• तु: but, however
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेष-अव्यय (particle: contrast/emphasis)

• सर्वस्य: of all
• सर्वस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• एतस्य: of this
• एतस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• वासव: O Vāsava (Indra)
• वासव: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

Speaker

Bṛhaspati (addressing Indra/Vāsava; within Prahlāda’s narration)

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Indra/Vāsava

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A symbolic dharma bull losing legs across panels: four in Kṛta, three in Tretā, two in Dvāpara; Indra listens as Bṛhaspati points to the diminishing supports; atmosphere turns more austere.

Characters & Entities

• Vāsava (Indra)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

It explains the quarter-by-quarter decline of dharma and spiritual efficacy as time moves from Tretā to Dvāpara.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No specific site is named; the verse sets doctrinal context for why a Kali-free sacred refuge becomes necessary.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No new rite is prescribed; it measures the reduced potency of previously mentioned practices across the yugas.