Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 25

Devanagari script

पृच्छामो लोकधातारं स्थितं विष्णुं कलौ युगे । यदि विष्णुः कलौ न स्याद्रुद्रेण ब्रह्मणाऽसह

Transliteration

pṛcchāmo lokadhātāraṃ sthitaṃ viṣṇuṃ kalau yuge | yadi viṣṇuḥ kalau na syādrudreṇa brahmaṇā'saha

Translation

Спросим у Держателя миров о пребывании Вишну в эпоху Кали. Если в Кали Вишну не будет найден — тогда, вместе с Рудрой и Брахмой…

Word by Word

• पृच्छामः: we ask
• पृच्छामः: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्/पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकधातारम्: the sustainer of the world
• लोकधातारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोकधातार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य धाता)

• स्थितम्: standing / abiding
• स्थितम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुम्)

• विष्णुम्: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

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

• युगे: in the age
• युगे: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (Condition/शर्त)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

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

• स्यात्: would be / should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• रुद्रेण: with Rudra / by Rudra
• रुद्रेण: Sahakari/Instrument (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणा: with Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणा: Sahakari/Instrument (Association/सहकारि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (Accompaniment/सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सहार्थक-अव्यय (preposition/adverb: 'together with')

Speaker

Uddālaka

Skanda Dialogue

Listener: assembled sages; intended addressee Brahmā (lokadhātā)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Sages preparing to approach Brahmā; a visionary tableau of Brahmā and Rudra flanking the cosmic principle of Viṣṇu as ‘lokadhātā’; the question hangs in the air like a scroll of light.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Kali-yuga
• Rudra
• Brahmā
• Loka-dhātṛ (Sustainer)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

When spiritual certainty is shaken, Purāṇic dharma recommends inquiry from the highest authority rather than speculation.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No earthly tīrtha is named; the verse is part of Dvārakā-māhātmya’s theological setup concerning Viṣṇu’s accessibility in Kali.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it prescribes seeking instruction (praśna/inquiry) from the cosmic sustainer.