Linga Purana

प्रवृत्तचक्रो बलवान् म्लेच्छानामन्तकृत्स तु अधृष्यः सर्वभूतानां चचाराथ वसुंधराम्

With the wheel of action set in motion, powerful, he brings an end to the mlecchas; invincible among all beings, he then roams the earth.

मानवस्य तु सो ऽंशेन देवस्येह विजज्ञिवान् पूर्वजन्मनि विष्णोस्तु प्रमितिर्नाम वीर्यवान्

By a portion, he is born as a man here, but in a previous birth, Pramiti, powerful, was known as a deity, as Vishnu.

गोत्रतो वै चन्द्रमसः पूर्णे कलियुगे प्रभुः द्वात्रिंशे ऽभ्युदिते वर्षे प्रक्रान्तो विंशतिः समाः

From the lunar lineage, when the Kali age is complete, the lord, in the thirty-second year, begins his twenty-year journey.

विनिघ्नन्सर्वभूतानि शतशो ऽथ सहस्रशः कृत्वा बीजावशेषां तु पृथिवीं क्रूरकर्मणः

Destroying all beings by the hundreds and thousands, he left only seeds remaining on the earth through his cruel deeds.

परस्परनिमित्तेन कोपेनाकस्मिकेन तु स साधयित्वा वृषलान् प्रायशस् तान् अधार्मिकान्

Driven by mutual causes and sudden anger, he subdued and destroyed almost all the unrighteous outcastes.

गङ्गायमुनयोर्मध्ये स्थितिं प्राप्तः सहानुगः ततो व्यतीते काले तु सामात्यः सहसैनिकः

With his followers, he took up residence between the Ganga and Yamuna; then, after some time had passed, he remained there with his ministers and army.

उत्साद्य पार्थिवान् सर्वान् म्लेच्छांश्चैव सहस्रशः तत्र संध्यांशके काले सम्प्राप्ते तु युगान्तिके

Having overthrown all the kings and thousands of foreigners, at the twilight of the age, when the end of the yuga approached—

स्थितास्वल्पावशिष्टासु प्रजास्विह क्वचित्क्वचित् अप्रग्रहास्ततस्ता वै लोभाविष्टास्तु कृत्स्नशः

When only a few people remained here and there, those who were left, seized by greed, became unrestrained in every way.

उपहिंसन्ति चान्योन्यं प्रणिपत्य परस्परम् अराजके युगवशात् संशये समुपस्थिते

They began to harm one another, even after bowing to each other; in the absence of a king, as the age dictated, uncertainty prevailed.

प्रजास्ता वै ततः सर्वाः परस्परभयार्दिताः व्याकुलाश् च परिभ्रान्तास् त्यक्त्वा दारान् गृहाणि च

Then all the people, tormented by mutual fear, became distressed and wandered about, abandoning their families and homes.

स्वान्प्राणान् अनपेक्षन्तो निष्कारुण्याः सुदुःखिताः नष्टे श्रौते स्मार्तधर्मे परस्परहतास्तदा

Indifferent to their own lives, utterly without compassion and deeply miserable, with Vedic and customary law destroyed, they began to kill each other.

निर्मर्यादा निराक्रान्ता निःस्नेहा निरपत्रपाः नष्टे धर्मे प्रतिहताः ह्रस्वकाः पञ्चविंशकाः

Devoid of boundaries, expelled, without affection or shame, with righteousness lost and their strength broken, they became dwarfed and reduced to just twenty-five.

हित्वा पुत्रांश् च दारांश् च विवादव्याकुलेन्द्रियाः अनावृष्टिहताश्चैव वार्तामुत्सृज्य दूरतः

Abandoning sons and wives, their senses disturbed by disputes, struck by drought, they gave up their livelihoods and wandered far away.

प्रत्यन्तानुपसेवन्ते हित्वा जनपदान् स्वकान् सरित्सागरकूपांस्ते सेवन्ते पर्वतांस् तथा

They dwelled in borderlands, leaving their own countries, and sought out rivers, seas, wells, and also mountains.

मधुमांसैर्मूलफलैर् वर्तयन्ति सुदुःखिताः चीरपत्राजिनधरा निष्क्रिया निष्परिग्रहाः

Suffering greatly, they survived on honey, meat, roots, and fruits, wearing bark, leaves, or animal skins, with no rituals and no possessions.

वर्णाश्रमपरिभ्रष्टाः संकटं घोरमास्थिताः एवं कष्टमनुप्राप्ता अल्पशेषाः प्रजास्तदा

Having fallen away from caste and stage of life, they entered terrible hardship; thus, at that time, only a few people remained, enduring great suffering.

जराव्याधिक्षुधाविष्टा दुःखान्निर्वेदमानसाः विचारणा तु निर्वेदात् साम्यावस्था विचारणा

Afflicted by old age, disease, and hunger, their minds overwhelmed by sorrow and despair, from that despair arose reflection, and from reflection, a state of equality.

साम्यावस्थात्मको बोधः संबोधाद्धर्मशीलता अरूपशमयुक्तास्तु कलिशिष्टा हि वै स्वयम्

Awareness characterized by equality arises; from awakening comes righteousness and virtue, and those left at the end of Kali, though without form or restraint, possess this themselves.

अहोरात्रात्तदा तासां युगं तु परिवर्तते चित्तसंमोहनं कृत्वा तासां वै सुप्तमत्तवत्

Then, for them, the age turns over in a single day and night, their minds bewildered as if in sleep or intoxication.

भाविनो ऽर्थस्य च बलात् ततः कृतमवर्तत प्रवृत्ते तु ततस्तस्मिन् पुनः कृतयुगे तु वै

By the force of what is destined to come, the cycle of the Krita age returns; when that begins, once again the Krita Yuga arises.

उत्पन्नाः कलिशिष्टास्तु प्रजाः कार्तयुगास्तदा तिष्ठन्ति चेह ये सिद्धा अदृष्टा विचरन्ति च

Those people who survive Kali are then born in the Krita Yuga; and those perfected beings who remain here move about unseen.

सप्त सप्तर्षिभिश्चैव तत्र ते तु व्यवस्थिताः ब्रह्मक्षत्रविशः शूद्रा बीजार्थं ये स्मृता इह

There, seven groups along with the seven sages are established: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras, who are remembered here for the purpose of seed (procreation).

कलिजैः सह ते सर्वे निर्विशेषास्तदाभवन् तेषां सप्तर्षयो धर्मं कथयन्तीतरे ऽपि च

Together with those born in Kali, all became undifferentiated at that time; among them, the seven sages expound dharma, and others do so as well.

वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतं श्रौतं स्मार्तं द्विधा तु यम् ततस्तेषु क्रियावत्सु वर्धन्ते वै प्रजाः कृते

The practices associated with varna and ashrama, both Vedic and traditional, are twofold; when these rites are performed among them, the people flourish in the Krita age.

श्रौतस्मार्तकृतानां च धर्मे सप्तर्षिदर्शिते केचिद्धर्मव्यवस्थार्थं तिष्ठन्तीह युगक्षये

Of the dharmas performed according to Vedic and traditional rites, as shown by the seven sages, some remain here at the end of the age for the sake of establishing dharma.

मन्वन्तराधिकारेषु तिष्ठन्ति मुनयस्तु वै यथा दावप्रदग्धेषु तृणेष्विह ततः क्षितौ

The sages remain during the periods of the Manus, just as grass persists on earth after being scorched by fire.

वनानां प्रथमं वृष्ट्या तेषां मूलेषु संभवः तथा कार्तयुगानां तु कलिजेष्विह संभवः

As the first rain brings forth new growth at the roots of forests, so too is the origin of Krita ages among those of Kali here.

एवं युगाद्युगस्येह संतानं तु परस्परम् वर्तते ह व्यवच्छेदाद् यावन्मन्वन्तरक्षयः

Thus, the succession of ages proceeds, each following the other, continuing until the end of a Manvantara, without interruption.

सुखमायुर्बलं रूपं धर्मो ऽर्थः काम एव च युगेष्वेतानि हीयन्ते त्रींस्त्रीन् पादान् क्रमेण तु

Happiness, lifespan, strength, beauty, dharma, wealth, and desire diminish in the ages, losing three quarters in each successive age.