Vayu Purana

द्वापरं द्वे सहस्रे तु युगमाहुर्मनीषिणः । तस्यापि द्विशती सन्ध्या सन्धयांशः सन्ध्यया समः ।। ५७.

The wise declare the Dvāpara Yuga to be two thousand years; for it too, there are two hundred years of Sandhyā, and a Sandhyāṃśa equal to the Sandhyā.

कलिं वर्षसहस्रन्तु युगमाहुर्मनीषिणः। तस्याप्येकशती सन्ध्या सन्ध्यया समः ।। ५७.

The wise say the Kali Yuga is a thousand years; for it as well, there is a Sandhyā of one hundred years, equal to the Sandhyāṃśa.

एषा द्वादशसाहस्री युगाख्या परिकीर्त्तिता। कृतं त्रेता द्वापरञ्च कलिश्चैव चतुष्टयम् ।। ५७.

Thus, the cycle of yugas is said to be twelve thousand (years): Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali, these four together.

अत्र संवत्सराः सृष्टा मानुषेण प्रमाणतः। कृतस्य तावद्वक्ष्यामि वर्षाणां तत्प्रमाणतः ।। ५७.

Here, the years are reckoned according to the human measure; I shall now declare the number of years for the Kṛta Yuga by that measure.

सहस्राणां शतान्यत्र चतुर्दश तु सङ्ख्यया। चत्वारिंशत् सहस्राणि कलिकालयुगस्य तु ।। ५७.

Here, by count, there are fourteen hundred thousands, and forty thousand for the time of the Kali Yuga.

एवं सङ्‌ख्यातकालश्च कालेष्विह विशेषतः। एवं चतुर्युगः कालो विना सन्ध्यांशकैः स्मृतः ।। ५७.

Thus, the measured time is especially reckoned here; so the four-yuga cycle is considered, excluding the Sandhyāṃśas.

चत्वारिंशत्र्त्रीणि चैव नियुतानि च सङ्ख्यया । विंशतिश्च सहस्राणि ससन्ध्यांशश्चतुर्युगः ।। ५७.

By count, there are forty-three niyutas and twenty thousand, with the Sandhyāṃśas, for the four yugas.

एवं चतुर्युगाख्या तु साधिका ह्येकसप्ततिः। कृतत्रेतादियुक्ता सा मनोरन्तरमुच्यते ।। ५७.

Thus, the cycle of four yugas, with the excess, is indeed seventy-one; joined with Kṛta, Tretā, and so on, this is called a Manvantara.

मन्वन्तरस्य सङ्ख्या तु वर्षाग्रेण निबोधत। त्रिंशत्कोट्यस्तु वर्षाणां मानुषेण प्रकीर्तिताः ।। ५७.

Now learn the number of years in a Manvantara: thirty crores of years are declared according to the human reckoning.

सप्तषष्टिस्तथान्यानि नियुतान्यधिकानि तु। विंशतिश्च सहस्राणि कालोऽयं साधिकां विना ।। ५७.

There are also sixty-seven additional niyutas, and twenty thousand; this is the time, excluding the excess.

मन्वन्तरस्य सङ्ख्यैषा सङ्ख्याविद्भिर्द्विजैः स्मृता। मन्वन्तरस्य कालोऽयं युगैः सार्द्धं प्रकीर्तितः ।। ५७.

This is the reckoning of a Manvantara, as remembered by those skilled in numbers among the twice-born; this is the time of a Manvantara, declared together with the yugas.

चतुः सहस्रयुक्तं वै प्रथमन्तत् कृतं युगम्। त्रेतावशिष्टं वक्ष्यामि द्वापरं कलिमेव च ।। ५७.

The first Kṛta Yuga is joined with four thousand; I shall declare the remaining Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali as well.

युगपत्समवेतार्थो द्विधा वक्तुं न शक्यते। क्रमागतं मया ह्येतत्तुभ्यं प्रोक्तं युगद्वयम्। ऋषिवंशप्रसङ्गेन व्याकुलत्वात्तथैव च ।। ५७.

The meaning of the yugas, taken together at once, cannot be spoken of in two ways; in sequence I have told you of these two yugas, due to the context of the lineage of sages and also because of the complexity.

तत्र त्रेतायुगस्यादौ मनुः सप्तर्षयश्च ते। श्रौतं स्मार्त्तञ्च धर्मञ्च ब्रह्मणा च प्रचोदितम् ।। ५७.

There, at the beginning of the Treta Yuga, Manu and the seven sages, prompted by Brahma, established both the Vedic and the customary law.

दाराग्निहोत्रसंयोगमृग्यजुः सामसंज्ञितम्। इत्यादिलक्षणं श्रौतं धर्मं सप्तर्षयोऽब्रुवन् ।। ५७.

The seven sages declared the Vedic law, characterized by the union of wife and the Agnihotra, and known as Rig, Yajur, and Sama.

परस्परागतं धर्मं स्मार्त्तञ्चाचारलक्षणम्। वर्णाश्रमाचारयुतं मनुः स्वायम्भुवोऽब्रवीत् ।। ५७.

Manu Svayambhuva spoke of the customary law, marked by conduct and mutual observance, accompanied by the practices of the varnas and ashramas.

सत्येन ब्रह्मचर्येण श्रुतेन तपसा च वै। तेषां सुतप्ततपसामार्षेयेण क्रमेण तु ।। ५७.

Through truthfulness, celibacy, study, and austerity, those who had performed intense penance followed the order of the sages.

सप्तर्षीणां मनोश्चैव आद्ये त्रेतायुगस्य तु । अबुद्धिपूर्वकं तेषामक्रियापूर्वमेव च ।। ५७.

For the seven sages and Manu, at the start of the Treta Yuga, it was without prior understanding and without previous action.

अभिव्यक्तास्तु ते मन्त्रास्तारकाद्यैर्निदर्शनैः। आदिकल्पे तु देवानां प्रादुर्भूतास्तु ते स्वयम् ।। ५७.

Those mantras became manifest, indicated by stars and other signs; in the earliest cycle, they appeared spontaneously among the gods.

प्रणाशे त्वथ सिद्धीनामप्यासाञ्च प्रवर्त्तनम्। आसन् मन्त्रा व्यतीतेषु ये कल्पेषु सहस्रशः। तेमन्त्रा वै पुनस्तेषां प्रतिभाससमुत्थिताः ।। ५७.

At the destruction of attainments and the beginning of new ones, mantras existed by the thousands in past cycles; those mantras arose again for them, emerging from intuition.

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि मन्त्राश्चाथर्वणानि च। सप्तर्षिभिस्तु ते प्रोक्ताः स्मार्तं धर्मं मनुर्जगौ ।। ५७.

The hymns, yajus, samans, and Atharvan mantras were spoken by the seven sages; Manu proclaimed the customary law.

त्रेतादौ संहिता वेदाः केवला धर्मशेषतः। संरोधादायुषश्चैव व्यस्यन्ते द्वापरेषु ते ।। ५७.

At the beginning of Treta, the Vedas existed as unified collections, with only the remainder of law; due to restriction and lifespan, they were dispersed in the Dvapara Yuga.

ऋषयस्तपसा देवाः कलौ च द्वापरेषु वै। अनादिनिधना दिव्याः पूर्वं सृष्टाः स्वयम्भुवा ।। ५७.

The sages, through austerity, and the gods, in Kali and Dvapara, were created by Svayambhuva in ancient times, divine, without beginning or end.

सधर्माः सप्रजाः साङ्गा यथाधर्मं युगे युगे। विक्रीडन्ते समानार्था वेदवादा यथायुगम् ।। ५७.

With their own law, offspring, and limbs, according to dharma in each age, they play together with shared purpose, expounding the Vedas as suited to each yuga.

आरम्भयज्ञा क्षत्रस्य हविर्यज्ञा विशाम्पतेः। परिचार यज्ञाः शूद्रास्तु जपयज्ञा द्विजोत्तमाः ।। ५७.

Initiatory sacrifices belong to the Kshatriya; oblation sacrifices to the lord of the people; service sacrifices to the Shudras; recitation sacrifices to the best of the twice-born.

तथा प्रमुदिता वर्णास्त्रेतायां धर्मपालिताः। क्रियावन्तः प्रजावन्तः समृद्धाः सुखिनस्तथा ।। ५७.

Thus, the varnas in Treta, protected by dharma, were joyful, active in rites, fruitful in offspring, prosperous, and happy.

ब्राह्मणाननुवर्त्तन्ते क्षत्रियाः क्षत्रियान् विशः। वैश्यानुवर्तिनः शूद्राः परस्परमनुव्रताः ।। ५७.

The Kshatriyas follow the Brahmanas; the people follow the Kshatriyas; the Shudras follow the Vaishyas; all follow one another.

शुभाः प्रवृत्तयस्तेषां धर्मा वर्णाश्रमास्तथा। सङ्कल्पितेन मनसा वाचोक्तेन स्वसर्मणा। त्रेतायुगे त्वविकलः कर्म्मारम्भः प्रसिद्ध्यति ।। ५७.

Their auspicious activities, dharmas, varnas, and ashramas, with resolved mind, spoken word, and their own duties, in Treta Yuga, the undertaking of action is flawless and accomplished.

आयुर्मेधा बलं रूपमारोग्यं धर्मशीलता। सर्वसाधारणा ह्येते त्रेतायां वै भवन्त्युत ।। ५७.

Long life, intelligence, strength, beauty, health, and righteousness are common to all in Treta Yuga.