कल्पप्रमाणो द्विगुणो यथा भवति संख्यया चतुर्युगाख्या व्याख्याता कृतं त्रेतायुगं च वै
The measure of a kalpa is twice as much, as reckoned by number; the four-yuga cycle has been explained—Krita and Treta Yugas as well.
त्रेतासृष्टं प्रवक्ष्यामि द्वापरं कलिमेव च युगपत्समवेतौ द्वौ द्विधा वक्तुं न शक्यते
I will now explain the creation of Treta, and also Dvapara and Kali; since the two occur together, it is not possible to speak of them separately.
क्रमागतं मयाप्येतत् तुभ्यं नोक्तं युगद्वयम् ऋषिवंशप्रसङ्गेन व्याकुलत्वात्तथा क्रमात्
This matter, which has come in due order, I too did not tell you for two yugas, due to being preoccupied with the lineage of the sages and thus, step by step.
नोक्तं त्रेतायुगे शेषं तद्वक्ष्यामि निबोधत अथ त्रेतायुगस्यादौ मनुः सप्तर्षयश्च ये श्रौतस्मार्तं ब्रुवन्धर्मं ब्रह्मणा तु प्रचोदिताः
The remainder was not told in the Tretā Yuga; I will now tell it—listen. At the beginning of the Tretā Yuga, Manu and the seven sages, prompted by Brahmā, declared the dharma, both Vedic and traditional.
दाराग्निहोत्रसम्बन्धम् ऋग्यजुःसामसंहिताः इत्यादिबहुलं श्रौतं धर्मं सप्तर्षयो ऽब्रुवन्
The seven sages proclaimed the śrauta dharma, abundant in matters such as marriage, the sacred fire, and the collections of Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Veda.
परम्परागतं धर्मं स्मार्तं त्वाचारलक्षणम् वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतं मनुः स्वायम्भुवो ऽब्रवीत्
But Manu Svāyambhuva declared the traditional dharma, characterized by conduct, handed down through succession, and joined with the practices of varṇa and āśrama.
सत्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रुतेन तपसा तथा तेषां सुतप्ततपसाम् आर्षेणानुक्रमेण ह
Through truthfulness, celibacy, study, and austerity, and in the same way, by the intense austerities of those sages, in proper succession, indeed.
सप्तर्षीणां मनोश्चैव आदौ त्रेतायुगे ततः अबुद्धिपूर्वकं तेन सकृत्पूर्वकमेव च
At the beginning of the Tretā Yuga, from the seven sages and Manu, then, both unintentionally and also once intentionally, it happened thus.
अभिवृत्तास्तु ते मन्त्रा दर्शनैस्तारकादिभिः आदिकल्पे तु देवानां प्रादुर्भूतास्तु ते स्वयम्
Those mantras increased through visions such as Tāraka and others; in the first kalpa, they appeared spontaneously among the gods.
प्रमाणेष्वथ सिद्धानाम् अन्येषां च प्रवर्तते मन्त्रयोगो व्यतीतेषु कल्पेष्वथ सहस्रशः ते मन्त्रा वै पुनस्तेषां प्रतिमायामुपस्थिताः
Then, among the authorities, among the perfected beings and others, the practice of mantra-yoga prevails; in past kalpas, those mantras appeared by the thousands, and again they are present in their images.
ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि मन्त्राश्चाथर्वणास्तु ये सप्तर्षिभिश्च ये प्रोक्ताः स्मार्तं तु मनुरब्रवीत्
The Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman, and Atharvan mantras, and those declared by the seven sages—Manu declared the traditional dharma.
त्रेतादौ संहता वेदाः केवलं धर्मसेतवः संरोधादायुषश्चैव व्यस्यन्ते द्वापरे च ते ऋषयस्तपसा वेदान् अहोरात्रमधीयते
At the beginning of the Tretā, the Vedas were united, being the sole foundation of dharma; but due to the restraint of lifespan, in the Dvāpara they were divided. The sages, through austerity, studied the Vedas day and night.
अनादिनिधना दिव्याः पूर्वं प्रोक्ताः स्वयम्भुवा स्वधर्मसंवृताः साङ्गा यथाधर्मं युगे युगे विक्रियन्ते स्वधर्मं तु वेदवादाद्यथायुगम्
The divine Vedas, without beginning or end, were formerly declared by Svayambhū, complete with their limbs and established in their own dharma; in each yuga, they change according to dharma, and their own dharma, as taught by the Vedas, varies with each age.
आरम्भयज्ञः क्षत्रस्य हविर्यज्ञा विशः स्मृताः परिचारयज्ञाः शूद्राश्च जपयज्ञाश्च ब्राह्मणाः
The initiation sacrifice is for the kṣatriyas; the havis-sacrifices are said to be for the vaiśyas; the service-sacrifices are for the śūdras; and the recitation-sacrifices are for the brāhmaṇas.
ततः समुदिता वर्णास् त्रेतायां धर्मशालिनः क्रियावन्तः प्रजावन्तः समृद्धाः सुखिनश्च वै
Then, in the Tretā Yuga, the varṇas arose, upholding dharma, performing rites, possessing offspring, prosperous, and indeed happy.
ब्राह्मणैश्च विधीयन्ते क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियैर्विशः वैश्याञ्छूद्रा अनुवर्तन्ते परस्परमनुग्रहात्
Brāhmaṇas are established by brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas by kṣatriyas, vaiśyas by vaiśyas, and śūdras follow them, each supporting the others.
शुभाः प्रकृतयस्तेषां धर्मा वर्णाश्रमाश्रयाः संकल्पितेन मनसा वाचा वा हस्तकर्मणा त्रेतायुगे ह्यविकले कर्मारम्भः प्रसिध्यति
Their natures were auspicious, and their dharmas were based on varṇa and āśrama; with intention, speech, or action by hand, in the Tretā Yuga, the undertaking of karma was indeed unbroken and successful.
आयूरूपं बलं मेधा आरोग्यं धर्मशीलता सर्वसाधारणं ह्येतद् आसीत्त्रेतायुगे तु वै
Long life, good form, strength, intelligence, health, and righteousness—these were common to all in the Tretā Yuga.
वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्थानम् एषां ब्रह्मा तथाकरोत् संहिताश्च तथा मन्त्रा आरोग्यं धर्मशीलता
Brahmā thus established the system of varṇa and āśrama for them, as well as the collections and mantras, health, and righteousness.
संहिताश्च तथा मन्त्रा ऋषिभिर् ब्रह्मणः सुतैः यज्ञः प्रवर्तितश्चैव तदा ह्येव तु दैवतैः
The collections and mantras, by the sages who were sons of Brahmā, and the sacrifice was then established by the gods themselves.
यामैः शुक्लैर्जयैश्चैव सर्वसाधनसंभृतैः विश्वसृड्भिस् तथा सार्धं देवेन्द्रेण महौजसा स्वायम्भुवे ऽन्तरे देवैस् ते यज्ञाः प्राक्प्रवर्तिताः
In the Svāyambhuva Manvantara, sacrifices were first performed by the creators of the universe, together with the mighty Indra, using all the necessary means, with white-clad priests, victorious rites, and all required materials.
सत्यं जपस्तपो दानं पूर्वधर्मो य उच्यते यदा धर्मस्य ह्रसते शाखाधर्मस्य वर्धते
Truthfulness, recitation, austerity, and charity are said to be the original dharma; when dharma declines, the branch-dharma increases.
जायन्ते च तदा शूरा आयुष्मन्तो महाबलाः न्यस्तदण्डा महायोगा यज्वानो ब्रह्मवादिनः
Then are born heroes, long-lived and mighty, who have laid aside the rod of punishment, are great yogis, performers of sacrifice, and speakers of Brahman.
पद्मपत्त्रायताक्षाश्च पृथुवक्त्राः सुसंहताः सिंहोरस्का महासत्त्वा मत्तमातंगगामिनः
They have eyes like lotus petals, broad faces, well-built bodies, lion-like chests, great strength, and walk like intoxicated elephants.
महाधनुर्धराश्चैव त्रेतायां चक्रवर्तिनः सर्वलक्षणपूर्णास्ते न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डलाः
In the Tretā Yuga, the universal emperors are great archers, perfect in all marks, and have bodies shaped like the spreading banyan tree.
न्यग्रोधौ तु स्मृतौ बाहू व्यामो न्यग्रोध उच्यते व्यामेन सूच्छ्रयो यस्य अत ऊर्ध्वं तु देहिनः समुच्छ्रयः परीणाहो न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डलः
In tradition, the arms are called 'banyan-like'; a 'vyāma' is the measure of a banyan; whoever's height is by that measure, their bodily height and girth are said to be like the circumference of a banyan.
चक्रं रथो मणिर्भार्या निधिरश्वो गजस्तथा प्रोक्तानि सप्त रत्नानि पूर्वं स्वायम्भुवे ऽन्तरे
The seven jewels are said to be: the discus, the chariot, the jewel, the wife, the treasure, the horse, and the elephant, in the former Svāyambhuva Manvantara.
विष्णोरंशेन जायन्ते पृथिव्यां चक्रवर्तिनः मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु ह्य् अतीतानागतेषु वै
Universal emperors are born on earth in every Manvantara, past and future, by a portion of Viṣṇu.
भूतभव्यानि यानीह वर्तमानानि यानि च त्रेतायुगानि तेष्वत्र जायन्ते चक्रवर्तिनः
Whatever has existed, exists, or will exist here, in the Tretā Yugas, in all of them, universal emperors are born.
भद्राणीमानि तेषां च विभाव्यन्ते महीक्षिताम् अत्यद्भुतानि चत्वारि बलं धर्मं सुखं धनम्
Among those kings, these four auspicious and most wondrous things are manifested: strength, righteousness, happiness, and wealth.