नूनं सत्ययुगे राजन् ब्राह्मणा वेदपारगाः । पराशक्त्यर्चनरता देवीदर्शनलालसाः
Indeed, O king, in the Satya Yuga, Brāhmaṇas were accomplished in the Vedas, devoted to worshipping the supreme power, and eager for the vision of the Goddess.
गायत्रीप्रणवासक्ता गायत्रीध्यानकारिणः । गायत्रीजपसंसक्ता मायाबीजैकजापिनः
Absorbed in the Gāyatrī and Praṇava, practicing meditation on Gāyatrī, devoted to reciting Gāyatrī, and chanting only the seed-mantra of Māyā.
ग्रामे ग्रामे पराम्बायाः प्रासादकरणोत्सुकाः । स्वकर्मनिरताः सर्वे सत्यशौचदयान्विताः
In every village, they were eager to build temples for the supreme Mother, all engaged in their own duties, endowed with truth, purity, and compassion.
त्रय्युक्तकर्मनिरतास्तत्त्वज्ञानविशारदाः । अभवन्क्षत्रियास्तत्र प्रजाभरणतत्पराः
There, Kṣatriyas were devoted to actions prescribed by the three Vedas, skilled in true knowledge, and intent on protecting their subjects.
वैश्यास्तु कृषिवाणिज्यगोसेवानिरतास्तथा । शूद्राः सेवापरास्तत्र पुण्ये सत्ययुगे नृप
The Vaiśyas were engaged in agriculture, trade, and tending cattle; the Śūdras were devoted to service, all in that virtuous Satya Yuga, O king.
पराम्बापूजनासक्ताः सर्वे वर्णाः परे युगे । तथा त्रेतायुगे किञ्चिन्न्यूना धर्मस्य संस्थितिः
All castes in that age were devoted to worship of the supreme Mother; but in the Tretā Yuga, the establishment of dharma became somewhat diminished.
द्वापरे च विशेषेण न्यूना सत्ययुगस्थितिः । पूर्वं ये राक्षसा राजन् ते कलौ ब्राह्मणाः स्मृताः
And in the Dvāpara Yuga, the state of Satya Yuga was especially reduced; those who were Rākṣasas before, O king, are considered Brāhmaṇas in Kali Yuga.
पाखण्डनिरताः प्रायो भवन्ति जनवञ्चकाः । असत्यवादिनः सर्वे वेदधर्मविवर्जिताः
Most become devoted to hypocrisy, deceiving people, all speaking untruth, devoid of Vedic dharma.
दाम्भिका लोकचतुरा मानिनो वेदवर्जिताः । शूद्रसेवापराः केचिन्नानाधर्मप्रवर्तकाः
Pretentious, clever in worldly ways, proud, without the Vedas; some devoted to serving Śūdras, and promoters of various unrighteous acts.
वेदनिन्दाकराः क्रूरा धर्मभ्रष्टातिवादुकाः । यथा यथा कलिर्वृद्धिं याति राजंस्तथा तथा
Cruel, revilers of the Vedas, fallen from dharma, speaking excessively; as Kali increases, O king, so too—
धर्मस्य सत्यमूलस्य क्षयः सर्वात्मना भवेत् । तथैव क्षत्रिया वैश्याः शूद्राश्च धर्मवर्जिताः
The destruction of dharma, which is rooted in truth, occurs entirely; likewise, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras become devoid of dharma.
असत्यवादिनः पापास्तथा वर्णेतराः कलौ । शूद्रधर्मरता विप्राः प्रतिग्रहपरायणाः
In Kali Yuga, they speak untruth, are sinful, and of mixed castes; Brāhmaṇas delight in the dharma of Śūdras and are intent on accepting gifts.
भविष्यन्ति कलौ राजन् युगे वृद्धिं गताः किल । कामचाराः स्त्रियः कामलोभमोहसमन्विताः
In Kali Yuga, when it increases, O king, women will act as they please, filled with desire, greed, and delusion.
पापा मिथ्याभिवादिन्यः सदा क्लेशरता नृप । स्वभर्तृवञ्जका नित्यं धर्मभाषणपण्डिताः
Sinful, speaking falsehood, always delighting in quarrels, O king; ever deceiving their husbands, yet skilled in discoursing on dharma.
भवन्त्येवंविधा नार्यः पापिष्ठाश्च कलौ युगे । आहारशुद्ध्या नृपते चित्तशुद्धिस्तु जायते
Such women, most sinful, will arise in the Kali age; O King, by purity of food, purity of mind is attained.
शुद्धे चित्ते प्रकाशः स्याद्धर्मस्य नृपसत्तम । वृत्तसङ्करदोषेण जायते धर्मसङ्करः
When the mind is pure, O best of kings, the light of righteousness appears; through the fault of mixed conduct, there arises confusion in righteousness.
धर्मस्य सङ्करे जाते नूनं स्याद्वर्णसङ्करः । एवं कलियुगे भूप सर्वधर्मविवर्जिते
When confusion in righteousness arises, surely there is confusion of castes; thus, O King, in the Kali age, all righteousness is abandoned.
स्ववर्णधर्मवार्तैषा न कुत्राप्युपलभ्यते । महान्तोऽपि च धर्मज्ञा अधर्मं कुर्वते नृप
The practice of one's own caste-duties is nowhere to be found; even great and learned men, O King, act unrighteously.
कलिस्वभाव एवैष परिहार्यो न केनचित् । तस्मादत्र मनुष्याणां स्वभावात्पापकारिणाम्
Such is the very nature of Kali; it cannot be avoided by anyone. Therefore, among people here, due to their own sinful nature—
निष्कृतिर्न हि राजेन्द्र सामान्योपायतो भवेत् । जनमेजय उवाच भगवन्सर्वधर्मज्ञ सर्वशास्त्रविशारद
There is truly no expiation, O King of kings, by ordinary means.
कलावधर्मबहुले नराणां का गतिर्भवेत् । यद्यस्ति तदुपायश्चेद्दयया तं वदस्व मे
Janamejaya said: O Lord, knower of all dharma, expert in all scriptures, in this Kali age, full of unrighteousness, what is the fate of men? If there is any means, please tell me out of compassion.
व्यास उवाच एक एव महाराज तत्रोपायोऽस्ति नापरः । सर्वदोषनिरासार्थं ध्यायेद्देवीपदाम्बुजम्
Vyāsa said: O great king, there is only one means here, no other; for the removal of all faults, one should meditate on the lotus feet of the Goddess.
न सन्त्यघानि तावन्ति यावती शक्तिरस्ति हि । नास्ति देव्याः पापदाहे तस्माद्भीतिः कुतो नृप
There are not as many sins as there is power in Her; there is no burning of sin for those devoted to the Goddess, so why fear, O King?
अवशेनापि यन्नाम लीलयोच्चारितं यदि । किं किं ददाति तज्ज्ञातुं समर्था न हरादयः
Even if, without intention, Her name is playfully uttered, who can truly know what She grants? Not even Hara and the others are able.
प्रायश्चित्तं तु पापानां श्रीदेवीनामसंस्मृतिः । तस्मात्कलिभयाद्राजन् पुण्यक्षेत्रे वसेन्नरः
The remembrance of the names of the Goddess is the atonement for sins; therefore, O King, out of fear of Kali, a man should dwell in a holy place.
निरन्तरं पराम्बाया नामसंस्मरणं चरेत् । छित्त्वा भित्त्वा च भूतानि हत्वा सर्वमिदं जगत्
He should constantly remember the names of the Supreme Mother; even if he destroys, breaks, or kills all beings in the world—
देवीं नमति भक्त्या यो न स पापैर्विलिप्यते । रहस्यं सर्वशास्त्राणां मया राजन्नुदीरितम्
He who bows to the Goddess with devotion is not stained by sins; O King, I have spoken the secret of all the scriptures.
विमृश्यैतदशेषेण भज देवीपदाम्बुजम् । अजपां नाम गायत्रीं जपन्ति निखिला जनाः
Reflect thoroughly on this, and worship the lotus feet of the Goddess; all people recite the unuttered Gāyatrī by name.
महिमानं न जानन्ति मायाया वैभवं महत् । गायत्रीं ब्राह्मणाः सर्वे जपन्ति हृदयान्तरे
They do not know the greatness, the vast power of Māyā; all Brāhmaṇas recite the Gāyatrī within their hearts.
महिमानं न जानन्ति मायाया वैभवं महत् । एतत्सर्वं समाख्यातं यत्पृष्टं तत्त्वया नृप । युगधर्मव्यवस्थायां किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि
They do not know the greatness, the vast power of Māyā; all this has been explained, O King, as you asked. In the arrangement of the dharma of the ages, what more do you wish to hear?