Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 15

Devanagari script

क्रियते च तदा धर्मो नाकाले मरणं नृणाम् । लांगलेन विना सस्यं भूरिक्षीराश्च धेनवः

Transliteration

kriyate ca tadā dharmo nākāle maraṇaṃ nṛṇām | lāṃgalena vinā sasyaṃ bhūrikṣīrāśca dhenavaḥ

Translation

ସେତେବେଳେ ଧର୍ମ ସଠିକ୍ ଭାବେ ଆଚରିତ ହୁଏ, ମନୁଷ୍ୟଙ୍କର ଅକାଳ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ହୁଏ ନାହିଁ। ହଳ ବିନା ମଧ୍ୟ ଶସ୍ୟ ଜନ୍ମେ, ଏବଂ ଧେନୁମାନେ ପ୍ରଚୁର କ୍ଷୀର ଦିଅନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• क्रियते: is performed/is done
• क्रियते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (Present indicative, 3rd person singular, ātmanepada)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तदा: then/at that time
• तदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• धर्मः: dharma
• धर्मः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• अकाले: at an untimely time
• अकाले: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; ‘अकाले’ = असमये (Masculine, Locative singular; at an improper time)

• मरणम्: death
• मरणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अस्ति-निषेधवाक्ये (Neuter, Nom/Acc singular; in negation of existence)

• नृणाम्: of men/people
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive plural)

• लाङ्गलेन: with a plough
• लाङ्गलेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental singular)

• विना: without
• विना: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: वियोगार्थक-अव्यय/उपपद (indeclinable preposition: without)

• सस्यम्: crop, grain
• सस्यम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative singular)

• भूरिक्षीराः: having abundant milk
• भूरिक्षीराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूरि + क्षीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण (Feminine, Nominative plural; adjective)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धेनवः: cows
• धेनवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धेनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Feminine, Nominative plural)

Speaker

Brahmā

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Kṛta-yuga agrarian paradise: fields ripen without ploughing; cows with overflowing milk; people serene and long-lived; dharma personified as a steady presence over the land.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Kṛta-yuga

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Collective righteousness yields collective well-being—longevity, effortless abundance, and a gentle, harmonious relationship with nature.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No tīrtha is specified; the verse describes the dhārmic ecology of Kṛta-yuga.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No particular ritual; it states that dharma itself is actively practiced and bears visible fruits.