Skanda Purana — Brahma Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

कलौ युगे विशेषेण पुराणश्रवणादृते । नास्ति धर्मः परः पुंसां नास्ति मुक्तिपथः परः

Transliteration

kalau yuge viśeṣeṇa purāṇaśravaṇādṛte | nāsti dharmaḥ paraḥ puṃsāṃ nāsti muktipathaḥ paraḥ

Translation

କଳିଯୁଗରେ ବିଶେଷକରି ପୁରାଣ-ଶ୍ରବଣ ବ୍ୟତୀତ ମନୁଷ୍ୟଙ୍କ ପାଇଁ ଉଚ୍ଚତମ ଧର୍ମ ନାହିଁ, ମୋକ୍ଷପଥରେ ଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ ମାର୍ଗ ମଧ୍ୟ ନାହିଁ।

Word by Word

• कलौ: in Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युगे: in the age
• युगे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Locative, Singular

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: Karana (Instrument/Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Instrumental, Singular; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे

• पुराण-श्रवणात्: from hearing the Purāṇa
• पुराण-श्रवणात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक) + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter, Ablative, Singular

• ऋते: without
• ऋते: Sambandha (Exclusion/वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: वर्जनार्थक-अव्यय; ‘without/except’ (पञ्चमी-सहचर)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात; negation

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd singular

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

• परः: higher/supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; विशेषण (धर्मः)

• पुंसाम्: of men/people
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• अस्ति: is/exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present Indicative, 3rd singular

• मुक्ति-पथः: path to liberation
• मुक्ति-पथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + पथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• परः: higher/supreme
• परः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (मुक्तिपथः)

Speaker

Bādarāyaṇa (Vyāsa) / Purāṇic narrator voice (contextual)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A darkened Kali-yuga landscape with weary people; a luminous circle forms around a Purāṇa recitation, creating a clear ‘path’ upward labeled mokṣa-mārga.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

In Kali Yuga, attentive listening to Purāṇic teaching is elevated as the foremost dharma and a direct support for liberation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tirtha is specified; the focus is on a universally available practice suitable for Kali Yuga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

Regular Purāṇa-śravaṇa (hearing sacred Purāṇic discourse) is prescribed as the primary dharma.