यः स देवो मया दृष्टः पुरा पद्मायतेक्षणः। स एष पुरुषव्याघ्र संबन्धी ते जनार्दनः
That very god whom I saw before, with lotus-like eyes, is this Janardana, O tiger among men, your kinsman.
अस्यैव वरदानाद्धि स्मृतिर्न प्रजहाति माम्। दीर्गमायुश्च कौन्तेय स्वच्छन्दमरणं मम
By his granting of boons, memory never leaves me; and, O son of Kunti, I have long life and the freedom to die at will.
स एष कृष्णो वार्ष्णेय पुराणपुरुषो विभुः। आस्ते हरिरचिन्त्यात्मा क्रीडन्निव महाभुजः
This Krishna, descendant of Vrishni, ancient and mighty, abides as Hari, whose nature is unfathomable, sporting as if in play, with great arms.
एष धाता विधाता च संहर्ता चैव शाश्वतः। श्रीवत्सवक्षा गोविन्दः प्रजापतिपतिः प्रभुः
He is the creator, the ordainer, and the eternal destroyer; Govinda, with the mark of Srivatsa on his chest, lord of creatures, master.
दृष्ट्वेमं वृष्णिप्रवरं स्मृतिर्मामियमागता। आदिदेवमयं जिष्णुं पुरुषं पीतवाससम्
Upon seeing this foremost of the Vrishnis, memory has returned to me—this victorious primordial god, clad in yellow garments.
सर्वेषामेव भूतानां पिता माता च माधवः। गच्छध्वमेनं शरणं शरण्यं कौरवर्षभाः
Madhava is the father and mother of all beings; go to him for refuge, O bulls among the Kauravas, to the one who grants shelter.
एवमुक्तास्च ते पार्ता यमौ च पुरुषर्षभौ। द्रौपद्या सहिताः सर्वे नमश्चक्रुर्जनार्दनम्
Thus addressed, the sons of Pritha and the two sons of Yama, all together with Draupadi, bowed to Janardana.
स चैतान्पुरुषव्याघ्र साम्ना परमवल्गुना। सान्त्वयामास मानार्हो मन्यमानो यथाविधि
And that tiger among men, with utmost gentleness, comforted them, worthy of honor, considering them according to proper conduct.
युधिष्ठिरस्तु कौन्तेयो मार्कण्डेयं महामुनिम्। पुन- पप्रच्छ सामात्यो भविष्यां जगतो गतिम्
Yudhishthira, son of Kunti, again questioned the great sage Markandeya, together with his ministers, about the future course of the world.
आश्चर्यभूतं भवतः श्रुतं नो वदतांवर। मुने भार्गव यद्वृत्तं युगादौ प्रभवाप्ययौ
We have heard wondrous things from you, O best among speakers; O sage of the Bhargava line, tell us what happened at the beginning and end of the age.
अस्मिन्कलियुगे त्वस्ति पुनः कौतूहलं मम। समाकुलेषु धर्मेषु किंनु शेषं भविष्यति
In this Kali age, I have further curiosity: when dharma is confused, what will remain?
किंवीर्या मानवास्तत्रकिमाहारविहारिणः। किमायुषः किंवसना भविष्यन्ति युगक्षये
What strength will men have there, what will they eat and enjoy, what will their lifespan and clothing be at the end of the age?
कां च काष्ठां समासाद्य पुनः संपत्स्यते कृतम्। विस्तरेण मुने ब्रूहि विचित्राणीह भाषसे
Upon reaching which period will the Krita age return? Tell me in detail, O sage, for you speak of wondrous things here.
इत्युक्तः स मुनिश्रेष्ठः पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत। रमयन्वृष्णिशार्दूलं पाण्डवांस्च महानृषिः
Thus addressed, the foremost sage again spoke, delighting the tiger among the Vrishnis and the Pandavas, that great rishi.
शृणु राजन्मया दृष्टं यत्पुरा श्रुतमेव च। अनुभूतं च राजेनद्रदेवदेवप्रसादजम्
Hear, O King, what I have seen, what I have heard in the past, and what I have experienced, all arising from the favor of the gods and the king of gods.
भविष्यं सर्वलोकस्य वृत्तान्तं भरतर्षभ। कलुषं कालमासाद्य कथ्यमानं निबोध मे
O foremost of the Bharatas, listen to me as I speak of the future events of the entire world, which, upon the arrival of a corrupt age, will be narrated.
कृते चतुष्पात्सकलो निर्व्याजोप्राधिवर्जितः। वृषः प्रतिष्ठितो धर्मो मनुष्ये भरतर्षभ
In the Krita age, O best of Bharatas, Dharma stood firmly on all four legs, free from deceit and wrongdoing, established among men.
अधर्मपादविद्धस्तु त्रिभिरंशैः प्रतिष्ठितः। त्रेतायां द्वापरेऽर्धेन व्यामिश्रो धर्म उच्यते
But in the Treta age, Dharma was struck by the foot of Adharma and stood on three parts; in Dvapara, on two, mixed with unrighteousness, so it is said.
त्रिभिरंशैरधर्मस्तु लोकानाक्रम्य तिष्ठति। तामसं युगमासाद्य तदा भरतसत्तम
With three parts, unrighteousness prevails, occupying the worlds, when the Tamasic age arrives, O best of Bharatas.
चतुर्थांशेन धर्मस्तु मनुष्यानुपतिष्ठति। आयुर्वीर्यं मनो बुद्धिर्बलं तेजश्च पाण्डव
In the fourth part, Dharma remains among men; their lifespan, strength, mind, intellect, power, and brilliance, O Pandava.
मनुष्याणआमनुयुगं ह्रप्तन्तीति निबोध मे। ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैव युधिष्ठिर
Understand from me how, as the age passes among men, Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, O Yudhishthira, decline.
व्याजैर्धर्मं चरिष्यन्ति धर्मवैतंसिका नराः। सत्यं संक्षेप्स्यते लोके नरैः पण्डितमानिभिः
Men who are mere pretenders of Dharma will practice it with deceit; in the world, truth will be diminished by those who claim wisdom.
सत्यहान्या ततस्तेषामायुरल्पं भविष्यति। आयुषः प्रक्षयाद्विद्यां न शक्ष्यन्त्युपशिक्षितुम्
With the loss of truth, their lifespan will become short; due to the decline of life, they will not be able to properly learn knowledge.
विद्याहीनानविज्ञानाल्लोभोप्यभिभविष्यति। लोभमोहपरा मूढाः कामासक्ताश् मानवाः
Lacking knowledge and understanding, greed will overpower them; deluded and attached to desire, men will be devoted to greed and confusion.
वैरबद्धा भविष्यन्ति परस्परवधैषिणः। ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रिया वैश्याः संकीर्यन्ते परस्परम्
Bound by enmity, they will wish to kill one another; Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas will intermingle among themselves.
शूद्रतुल्या भविष्यन्ति तपःसत्यविवर्जिताः। अन्त्या मध्या भविष्यन्ति मध्याश्चान्त्या न संशयः
Devoid of austerity and truth, they will become like Shudras; the lowest will become the middle, and the middle will become the lowest, without doubt.
ईदृशो भविता लोको युगान्ते पर्युपस्थिते। वस्त्राणां प्रवरा शाणी धान्यानां कोरदूपकः
Such will the world become when the end of the age arrives; the best of garments will be made of hemp, and the best of grains will be barley.
भार्यामित्राश्च पुरुषा भविष्यन्ति युगक्षये। मत्स्यामिषेण जीवन्तो दुहन्तश्चाप्यजैडकम्
At the end of the age, men will regard their wives as enemies; living on fish and meat, they will milk goats and sheep.
गोषु नष्टासु पुरुषा येऽपि नित्यं धृतव्रताः। तेऽपिलोभसमायुक्ता भविष्यन्ति युगक्षये
When cows are lost, even those who always observe vows will, at the end of the age, become possessed by greed.
अन्योन्यं परिमुष्णन्तो हिंसयन्तश्च मानवाः। अजपा नास्तिकाः स्तेना भविष्यन्ति युगक्षये
At the end of the age, men will rob and harm one another; they will be atheists, thieves, and goat-herders.