Skanda Purana — Avanti Khanda, Shloka 4

Devanagari script

पुनः पार्थ कलौ प्राप्ते तौ देवौ बलकेशवौ । वसुदेवकुले जातौ दुष्करं कर्म चक्रतुः

Transliteration

punaḥ pārtha kalau prāpte tau devau balakeśavau | vasudevakule jātau duṣkaraṃ karma cakratuḥ

Translation

Wahai Pārtha, tatkala Zaman Kali tiba, dua Yang Ilahi itu menjelma sebagai Bala dan Keśava; lahir dalam keturunan Vasudeva, mereka menyempurnakan amal-perbuatan yang amat sukar dilakukan.

Word by Word

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (क्रियाविशेषण/adverb)

• पार्थ: O Pārtha (Arjuna)
• पार्थ: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• प्राप्ते: having come/arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikaraṇa (Locative qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; 'कलौ' इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन

• देवौ: the two gods
• देवौ: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; 'तौ' इति सर्वनामस्य अपपद-विशेषणम्

• बलकेशवौ: Bala and Keśava (Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa)
• बलकेशवौ: Karta (Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + केशव (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; 'तौ देवौ' इत्यस्य विशेषण/अपपदम्

• वसुदेवकुले: in the family of Vasudeva
• वसुदेवकुले: Adhikaraṇa (Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसुदेव + कुल (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वसुदेवस्य कुलम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• जातौ: born
• जातौ: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) → जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), द्विवचन; 'तौ' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• दुष्करम्: difficult
• दुष्करम्: Karma (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; 'कर्म' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कर्म: deed, act
• कर्म: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन

• चक्रतुः: they did/performed
• चक्रतुः: Kriyā (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परस्मैपद, परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Speaker

Mārkaṇḍeya

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: Pārtha (Arjuna)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A cosmic yuga-turning tableau: Viṣṇu’s radiance descending into the Yādava/Vasudeva lineage; Bala and Keśava as twin divine presences, with symbols of plough (hala) and conch/discus.

Characters & Entities

• Pārtha (Arjuna)
• Balarāma
• Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)
• Vasudeva
• Kali Yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

The Purāṇic vision links ages through recurring divine embodiments, showing dharma’s protection across yugas.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The context continues the praise of the same tīrtha (Yojaneśvara) as a locus connected to multiple yuga-events and divine manifestations.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No direct ritual is prescribed here; the verse provides yuga-linked identification and the religious significance of divine lineage.