Skanda Purana — Prabhasa Khanda, Shloka 52

Devanagari script

अस्मिन्विलुलितप्राये वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते । अविलुप्ते वेदमार्गे क्व विष्णुर्भगवानिति

Transliteration

asminvilulitaprāye varṇāśramavivarjite | avilupte vedamārge kva viṣṇurbhagavāniti

Translation

เมื่อโลกนี้แทบแตกสลาย เมื่อระเบียบวรรณะและอาศรมถูกละทิ้ง และหนทางแห่งพระเวทถูกปกคลุม—แล้วพระภควานวิษณุจะพบได้ที่ไหนเล่า?

Word by Word

• अस्मिन्: in this
• अस्मिन्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• विलुलितप्राये: in a time mostly in disorder
• विलुलितप्राये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विलुलित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √लुल्/लुठ् ‘to disturb’) + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (‘mostly/for the most part’ + ‘disordered’); विशेषणम् (qualifying implied युगे/काले)

• वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते: devoid of varna-ashrama order
• वर्णाश्रमविवर्जिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √वृज्/वर्ज्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समाहार (वर्ण+आश्रम) ततः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्णाश्रमस्य विवर्जितम्) ‘devoid of varṇa and āśrama’; PPP as head

• अविलुप्ते: not destroyed
• अविलुप्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अविलुप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; a- + √लुप्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि-कृदन्त (PPP) with negation; विशेषणम् (qualifying वेदमार्गे)

• वेदमार्गे: in the path of the Veda
• वेदमार्गे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वेदस्य मार्गः)

• क्व: where?
• क्व: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्व (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

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

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विष्णोः विशेषणम्

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotation/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति सूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

Speaker

Ṛṣis (Sages)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A council of brāhmaṇas amid ruins and dim yajña-smoke asks the skyward question; above, a faint conch-and-disc radiance hints at Viṣṇu’s hidden abode.

Characters & Entities

• Varṇāśrama
• Veda-mārga
• Bhagavān Viṣṇu

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even when social-religious structures collapse, the Lord remains approachable—prompting inquiry into His sacred abode and true means of access.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

The verse is a lead-in to Dvārakā’s glorification as a place where Viṣṇu is especially accessible.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None; it is a theological question about access to Viṣṇu in Kali.