Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 14

Devanagari script

नारद उवाच । मर्त्यलोके कलिर्जातः सांप्रतं सुरसत्तम

Transliteration

nārada uvāca | martyaloke kalirjātaḥ sāṃprataṃ surasattama

Translation

नारद म्हणाले—हे सुरश्रेष्ठ, सध्या मर्त्यलोकी कलियुगाचा उदय झाला आहे।

Word by Word

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मर्त्यलोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्यलोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्यलोक (प्रातिपदिक: मर्त्य + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• कलिः: Kali (the age/evil)
• कलिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जातः: has arisen
• जातः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रियापद-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘उत्पन्नः’

• सांप्रतम्: now
• सांप्रतम्: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सांप्रतम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (कालवाचक)

• सुर-सत्तम: O best of gods
• सुर-सत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन; ‘श्रेष्ठः सुरः’

Speaker

Nārada

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Nārada delivers a grave proclamation; the celestial light subtly dims, and the assembly’s faces show concern as the word ‘Kali’ lands.

Characters & Entities

• Nārada
• Kali
• Martyaloka
• Brahmā

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Recognizing the onset of Kali is a call to strengthen dharma through devotion, restraint, and tīrtha-oriented piety.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse; it introduces the Kali-yuga setting within Tīrthamāhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None explicitly; the statement sets the stage for dharmic remedies often taught in tīrtha-māhātmya contexts.