प्राणिनां धर्मसंज्ञानां नराणां नीचजन्मनाम्। त्रीणिवर्षसहस्राणि त्रेतायुगमिहोच्यते
For living beings who know righteousness, and for men of low birth, the Tretā Yuga is here said to last three thousand years.
तस्य तावच्छती संध्या द्विगुणा परिकीर्तिता। द्वाभ्यामधर्मः पादाभ्यां त्रिभिर्धर्मो व्यवस्थितः
Of that, the twilight period is one hundred years, and its double is declared; unrighteousness stands on two feet, and righteousness is established on three.
यत्र सत्यं च सत्वं च क्रिया धर्मो विधीयते। त्रेतायां विकृतिं यांति वर्णा लोभेन संयुताः
In that age, truth, virtue, and prescribed rites are established; but in Tretā, the classes become corrupted, being overcome by greed.
चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य वै कृत्यं क्षांतिर्दौर्बल्यमेव च। एषा त्रेतायुगगतिर्विचित्रा देवनिर्मिता
The duties of the four classes, forbearance, and weakness are present; this is the varied course of the Tretā Yuga, created by the gods.
द्वापरं द्विसहस्रं तु वर्षाणां कुरुनन्दन। तस्य तावच्छती सन्ध्या द्विगुणं युगमुच्यते
O descendant of Kuru, the Dvāpara Yuga is two thousand years; its twilight period is one hundred years, and the Yuga is said to be double that.
तत्राप्यतीवार्थपराः प्राणिनो रजसा हताः। शठा नैष्कृतिकाः क्षुद्रा जायन्ते कुरुनन्दन
There too, beings are excessively attached to wealth, overcome by passion; deceitful, unrighteous, and base people are born, O descendant of Kuru.
द्वाभ्यां धर्मः स्थितः पद्भ्यामधर्मस्त्रिभिरुत्थितः। विपर्ययशतैर्धर्मः क्षयमेति कलौ युगे
There, righteousness stands on two feet, and unrighteousness arises on three; through hundreds of reversals, righteousness declines in the Kali Yuga.
ब्रह्मण्यभावश्च्यवते तथास्तिक्यं विवर्ज्यते। व्रतोपवासास्त्यज्यंते कलौ वै युगपर्यये
Devotion to Brahman wanes, and faith is abandoned; vows and fasts are given up at the end of the Yuga, in Kali.
तदा वर्षसहस्रं तु वर्षाणां द्वे शते तथा। यत्राधर्मश्चतुष्पादो धर्मः पादपरिग्रहः
Then, the Kali Yuga is a thousand years, and two hundred years more; in that age, unrighteousness stands on four feet, and righteousness is but a single limb.
कामिनस्तापसाः क्षुद्रा जायंते यत्र मानवाः। न चावसायिकः कश्चिन्न साधुर्न च सत्यवाक्
In that age, people are lustful, ascetics are base, and men are born lowly; there is no one who is steadfast, no one who is virtuous, and no one who speaks the truth.
नास्तिका ब्राह्मणा भक्ता ज्ञायंते तत्र मानवाः। अहंकारगृहीताश्च प्रक्षीणस्नेहबंधनाः
In that age, Brāhmaṇas are known to be atheists and devoted to base pursuits; they are seized by pride and have lost the bonds of affection.
विप्राः शूद्रसमाचारास्संति सर्वे कलौ युगे। आश्रमाणां विपर्यासः कलौ संप्रति वर्तते
In the Kali Yuga, all Brāhmaṇas behave like Śūdras; the proper order of the āśramas is now reversed in Kali.
वर्णानां चैव संदेहो युगांते कुरुनंदन। एषा द्वादशसाहस्री युगाख्या पूर्वनिर्मिता
And at the end of the age, O descendant of Kuru, there is confusion among the castes; this account of the ages, numbering twelve thousand, was composed in former times.
सहस्रयुगपर्यंतं तदहर्ब्राह्ममुच्यते। ततो ह निगते तस्मिन्सर्वेषामेव जीविनाम्
A day of Brahmā is said to last as long as a thousand cycles of ages; when that time comes to an end, all living beings—
शरीरनिर्वृतिं दृष्ट्वा कालः संहारबुद्धिमान्। देवतानां च सर्वेषां ब्राह्मणानां महीपते
When he sees the dissolution of bodies, Time, intent on destruction, brings about the end for all the gods and all the brāhmaṇas, O king—
दैत्यानां दानवानां च यक्षराक्षसपक्षिणाम्। गंधर्वाणामप्सरसां भुजंगानां च पार्थिव
For the daityas, dānavas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, birds, gandharvas, apsarases, and serpents as well, O ruler—
पर्वतानां नदीनां च पशूनां चैव सत्तम। तिर्यग्योनिगतानां च क्रिमीणां दंशिनां तथा
For the mountains, rivers, and also the animals, O best of beings, and for those born in nonhuman wombs, for worms and biting creatures likewise—
सर्वभूतपतिः पंच भूत्वा भूतानि भूतकृत्। जगत्संहरणार्थाय कुरुते वैशसं महत्
The lord of all beings, having become the five elements and the creator of beings, for the purpose of dissolving the world, brings about a great destruction.
भूत्वा सूर्यश्चक्षुषी आददानो भूत्वा वायुः प्राणिनां प्राणिजातम्। भूत्वा वह्निर्निर्दहन्सर्वलोकान्भूत्वा मेघो भूय उग्रोऽभ्यवर्षत्
Becoming the sun, he takes away the sight; becoming the wind, he takes the breath of living beings; becoming fire, he burns up all the worlds; becoming a fierce cloud, he rains down again.
भूत्वा नारायणो योगी सर्वमूर्ति विभावसुः। गभस्तिभिः प्रदीप्ताभिः संशोषयति सागरान्
Becoming Nārāyaṇa, the yogī, the all-formed, the radiant one, with blazing rays he dries up the oceans.
ततः पीत्वार्णवान्सर्वान्नदीकूपांश्च सर्वतः। पर्वतानां च सलिलं सर्वमादाय योगवित्1.39.
Then, having drunk up all the oceans and all the rivers and wells everywhere, he takes all the water from the mountains as well, knowing the practice of yoga.
भूत्वा चैव स हस्तार्चिर्महीं भित्वा रसातले। रमते जलमादाय पिबन्रसमनुत्तमं
And then, with hands like flames, he pierces the earth and, reaching the netherworld, delights in drinking up the supreme essence of water.
मूर्त्तामूर्त्ते तदन्यच्च यदस्ति प्राणिषु ध्रुवं। तत्सर्वमरविंदाक्ष आदत्ते पुरुषोत्तमः
Whatever is manifest or unmanifest, and whatever else exists among living beings, all of that, the lotus-eyed, supreme person takes in.
वायुश्च बलवान्भूत्वा विधुन्वानोऽखिलं जगत्। प्राणापानं समासाद्य वायुना क्रमते हरिः
And becoming the powerful wind, shaking the entire world, Hari moves through the vital breaths, having seized the life and expiration.
ततो देवगणानां च सर्वेषां चैव देहिनाम्। पंचेंद्रियगुणास्सर्वे भूतान्येव च यानि च
Then, of all the hosts of gods and all embodied beings, all the qualities of the five senses, and whatever beings there are—
घ्रेयं घ्राणं शरीरं च पृथिवीसंश्रिता गुणाः। लोकयात्रा भगवता मुहूर्तेन विनाशिता
The objects of smell, the nose, the body, and the qualities based in earth—all these, the Lord destroys in a moment, along with the world’s activity.
जिह्वारसश्च स्नेहश्च संश्रिताः सलिले गुणाः। रूपं चक्षुर्विभागश्च नेत्र ज्योतिः श्रिता गुणाः
Taste of the tongue and moisture, the qualities based in water; form, the faculty of sight, and the light in the eye, the qualities based in fire—
स्पर्शः प्राणश्च चेष्टा च पवनं संश्रिता गुणाः। शब्दः श्रोत्रे च श्रवणं गगनं संश्रिता गुणाः
Touch, breath, and movement, the qualities based in wind; sound, hearing, and the faculty of listening, the qualities based in space—
मनो बुद्धिश्च चित्तं च क्षेत्रज्ञं चेति संश्रिताः। परेण परमेष्ठी च हृषीकेशमुपाश्रिताः
Mind, intellect, consciousness, and the knower of the field—all these are based in the supreme, and the highest Lord, Hṛṣīkeśa, is their refuge.
ततो भगवतस्तस्य रश्मिभिः परिवारिताः। वायुना परिनुन्नाश्च भूमिशाखामुपाश्रिताः
Then, surrounded by the rays of that Lord, and pressed by the wind, they take refuge in the branch of the earth.