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.
अन्योन्यस्याविरोधेन प्राप्यन्ते नृपतेः समम् अर्थो धर्मश्च कामश्च यशो विजय एव च
Without mutual conflict, a king attains equally wealth, righteousness, desire, fame, and victory.
ऐश्वर्येणाणिमाद्येन प्रभुशक्तिबलान्विताः श्रुतेन तपसा चैव ऋषींस्ते ऽभिभवन्ति हि
Endowed with lordly powers such as sovereignty and the like, strength, and might, and through knowledge and austerity, they surpass even the seers.
बलेनाभिभवन्त्येते तेन दानवमानवान् लक्षणैश्चैव जायन्ते शरीरस्थैरमानुषैः
By their strength, they overcome both Dānavas and men; and they are born with bodily marks that are human in form.
केशाः स्थिता ललाटेन जिह्वा च परिमार्जनी श्यामप्रभाश्चतुर्दंष्ट्राः सुवंशाश्चोर्ध्वरेतसः
Their hair is set on the forehead, their tongue is cleansing, they are dark in complexion, have four fangs, are of noble lineage, and have upward-flowing energy.
आजानुबाहवश्चैव तालहस्तौ वृषाकृती परिणाहप्रमाणाभ्यां सिंहस्कन्धाश्च मेधिनः
Their arms reach to the knees, their hands are like palm leaves, they are bull-like in form, their chest and girth are measured, and they have lion-like shoulders, O ruler of the earth.
पादयोश्चक्रमत्स्यौ तु शङ्खपद्मे च हस्तयोः पञ्चाशीतिसहस्राणि जीवन्ति ह्यजरामयाः
On their feet are marks of the discus and fish, on their hands the conch and lotus; they live for eighty-five thousand years, free from old age and disease.
असङ्गा गतयस्तेषां चतस्रश्चक्रवर्तिनाम् अन्तरिक्षे समुद्रेषु पाताले पर्वतेषु च
The movements of those four universal emperors are unimpeded: in the sky, in the oceans, in the netherworlds, and in the mountains.
इज्या दानं तपः सत्यं त्रेताधर्मास्तु वै स्मृताः तदा प्रवर्तते धर्मो वर्णाश्रमविभागशः मर्यादास्थापनार्थं च दण्डनीतिः प्रवर्तते
Sacrifice, charity, austerity, and truth are declared to be the dharmas of the Tretā Yuga; then dharma is practiced according to the division of classes and stages of life, and for the establishment of order, the rule of punishment is set in motion.
हृष्टपुष्टा जनाः सर्वे अरोगाः पूर्णमानसाः एको वेदश्चतुष्पादस् त्रेतायां तु विधिः स्मृतः त्रीणि वर्षसहस्राणि जीवन्ते तत्र ताः प्रजाः
All people are joyful and strong, free from disease and fully content in mind. In the Tretā Age, the Veda is said to have four parts, and the rule is that the people live for three thousand years.
पुत्रपौत्रसमाकीर्णा म्रियन्ते च क्रमेण ताः एष त्रेतायुगे भावस् त्रेतासंख्यां निबोधत
Surrounded by sons and grandsons, they die in due order. Such is the condition in the Tretā Age; now listen to the reckoning of Tretā.