मार्कण्डेयो ऽथ मौद्गल्यो वामदेवश्च काश्यपः । कात्यायनो ऽथ जाबालिर्गौतमो नारदस्तथा । एते द्विजर्षभाः सर्वे आसनेषूपवेशिताः ।। ७.७४.
Markandeya, Maudgalya, Vamadeva, Kashyapa, Katyayana, Jabali, Gautama, and Narada—these eminent Brahmins all sat upon their seats.
महर्षीन्समनुप्राप्तानभिवाद्य कृताञ्जलिः । मन्त्रिणो नैगमांश्चैव यथार्हमनुकूलतः ।। ७.७४.
Having approached the great sages, Rama greeted them with joined palms; he also greeted the counselors and citizens appropriately and favorably.
तेषां समुपविष्टानां सर्वेषां दीप्ततेजसाम् । राघवः सर्वमाचष्टे द्विजो ऽयमुपरोधते ।। ७.७४.
As they all sat, radiant in their splendor, Raghava explained everything to them, saying, 'This Brahmin is pressing his case.'
तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राज्ञो दीनस्य नारदः । प्रत्युवाच शुभं वाक्यमृषीणां सन्निधौ नृपम् ।। ७.७४.
Hearing the king's words, distressed, Narada spoke auspicious words to the king in the presence of the sages.
शृणु राजन्यथाकाले प्राप्तो बालस्य सङ्क्षयः । श्रुत्वा कर्तव्यतां राजन्कुरुष्वरघुनन्दन ।। ७.७४.
Hear, O King, the untimely death of the child has occurred; having heard, act as is proper, O descendant of Raghu.
पुरा कृतयुगे राजन्ब्राह्मणा वै तपस्विनः । अब्राह्मणस्तदा राजन्न तपस्वी कथञ्चन ।। ७.७४.
In the ancient Kṛta Yuga, O King, the Brāhmaṇas were indeed ascetics; at that time, O King, no one who was not a Brāhmaṇa was ever an ascetic.
तस्मिन्युगे प्रज्वलिते ब्रह्मभूते त्वनावृते । अमृत्यवस्तदा सर्वे जज्ञिरे दीर्घदर्शिनः ।। ७.७४.
In that blazing age, filled with Brahman and unobscured, all were deathless, endowed with far-seeing wisdom.
ततस्त्रेतायुगं नाम मानवानां वपुष्मताम् । क्षत्रियास्तत्र जायन्ते पूर्णेन तपसा ऽन्विताः ।। ७.७४.
Then came the age called Tretā, among men of splendid form; there, Kṣatriyas were born, endowed with perfect austerity.
वीर्येण तपसा चैव ते ऽधिकाः पूर्वजन्मनि । मानवा ये महात्मानस्त्वत्र त्रेतायुगे युगे ।। ७.७४.
By their vigor and austerity, those great-souled men who were born in previous lives became superior in the Tretā Yuga.
ब्रह्मक्षत्रं च तत्सर्वं यत्पूर्वमपरं च यत् । युगयोरुभयोरासीत्समवीर्यसमन्वितम् ।। ७.७४.
Both the Brāhmaṇa and Kṣatriya classes, those from before and those after, in both ages, were endowed with equal strength.
अपश्यंस्तु न ते सर्वे विशेषमधिकं ततः । स्थापनं चक्रिरे तत्र चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य सम्मतम् ।। ७.७४.
Not seeing any significant distinction among them, they established the well-accepted system of four varṇas there.
तस्मिन्युगे प्रज्वलिते धर्मभूते ह्यनावृते । अधर्मः पादमेकं तु पातयत्पृथिवीतले ।। ७.७४.
In that blazing age, which was established in righteousness and unobscured, unrighteousness cast down one foot upon the earth.
अधर्मेण हि संयुक्तस्तेजो मन्दं भविष्यति ।। ७.७४.
Indeed, joined with unrighteousness, their brilliance would become diminished.
आमिषं यच्च पूर्वेषां राजसं च मलं भृशम् । अनृतं नाम तद्भूतं पादेन पृथिवीतले ।। ७.७४.
The meat and the intense impurity of passion among the former people—this came to be called falsehood, and with one foot it stood upon the earth.
अनृतं पातयित्वा तु पादमेकमधर्मतः । ततः प्रादुष्कृतं पूर्वमायुषः परिनिष्ठितम् ।। ७.७४.
Having cast down one foot of unrighteousness as falsehood, then, previously, the fixed span of life was diminished.
पतिते त्वनृते तस्मिन्नधर्मे च महीतले । शुभान्येवाचरँल्लोकः सत्यधर्मपरायणः ।। ७.७४.
When that falsehood and unrighteousness fell upon the earth, people still practiced only auspicious acts, devoted to truth and righteousness.
त्रेतायुगे च वर्तन्ते ब्राह्मणाः क्षत्रियाश्च ये । तपो ऽतप्यन्त ते सर्वे शुश्रूषामपरे जनाः ।। ७.७४.
In the Tretā Yuga, Brāhmaṇas and Kṣatriyas practiced austerity, and the other people engaged in service.
स धर्मः परमस्तेषां वैश्यशूद्रं समागमत् । पूजां च सर्ववर्णानां शूद्राश्चक्रुर्विशेषतः ।। ७.७४.
Among them, that supreme righteousness reached the Vaiśyas and Śūdras; the Śūdras especially rendered service to all the varṇas.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे तेषामधर्मे चानृते च ह । ततः पूर्वे भृशं ह्रासमगमन्नृपसत्तम ।। ७.७४.
Meanwhile, as unrighteousness and falsehood arose among them, the people of earlier times, O best of kings, greatly declined.
ततः पादमधर्मस्स द्वितीयमवतारयत् । ततो द्वापरसञ्ज्ञा ऽस्य युगस्य समजायत ।। ७.७४.
Then unrighteousness set down a second foot; thus, this age came to be known as Dvāpara.
तस्मिन्द्वापरसञ्ज्ञे तु वर्तमाने युगक्षये । अधर्मश्चानृतं चैव ववृधे पुरुषर्षभ ।। ७.७४.
In that age called Dvāpara, as the yuga declined, unrighteousness and falsehood increased, O best of men.
तस्मिन्द्वापरसङ्ख्याते तपो वैश्यान्समाविशत् । त्रिभ्यो युगेभ्यस्त्रीन्वर्णान्क्रमाद्वै तप आविशत् ।। ७.७४.
In that age called Dvāpara, austerity entered the Vaiśyas; in each of the three yugas, austerity entered the three varṇas in order.
त्रिभ्यो युगेभ्यस्त्रीन्वर्णान्धर्मश्च परिनिष्ठितः । न शुद्धो लभते धर्मं युगतस्तु नरर्षभ । हीनवर्णो नृपश्रेष्ठ तप्यते सुमहत्तपः ।। ७.७४.
From the three yugas, the three varṇas and righteousness became established; one who is not pure does not attain righteousness in the yuga, O best of men; and one of lower varṇa, O best of kings, undertakes great austerity.
भविष्यच्छूद्रयोन्यां वै तपश्चर्या कलौ युगे । अधर्मः परमो राजन्द्वापरे शूद्रजन्मनः ।। ७.७४.
In the Kali age, ascetic practice will arise among those born in the Śūdra class; O King, in Dvāpara, unrighteousness will be supreme among those of Śūdra birth.
स वै विषयपर्यन्ते तव राजन्महातपाः । अद्य तप्यति दुर्बुद्धिस्तेन बालवधो ह्ययम् ।। ७.७४.
Indeed, O King, that wicked-minded ascetic is now performing austerities at the border of your realm; therefore, this killing of the child has occurred.
यो ह्यधर्ममकार्यं वा विषये पार्थिवस्य तु । करोति चाश्रीमूलं तत्पुरे वा दुर्मतिर्नरः । क्षिप्रं च नरकं याति स च राजा न संशयः ।। ७.७४.
Whoever, within the king’s domain, commits unrighteous or improper acts, or brings misfortune to the city, that evil-minded man quickly goes to hell, and so does the king—of this there is no doubt.
अधीतस्य च तप्तस्य कर्मणः सुकृतस्य च । षष्ठं भजति भागं तु प्रजा धर्मेण पालयन् ।। ७.७४.
By protecting his subjects with righteousness, the king receives a sixth portion of the merit from their study, austerity, and good deeds.
षङ्भागस्य न भोक्ता ऽसौ रक्षते न प्रजाः कथम् ।। ७.७४.
If he does not partake of the sixth share, how can he protect his subjects?
स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल मार्गस्व विषयं स्वकम् । दुष्कृतं यत्र पश्येथास्तत्र यत्नं समाचर ।। ७.७४.
Therefore, O best of men, examine your realm; wherever you see wrongdoing, there apply your effort.
एवं चेद्धर्मवृद्धिश्च नृणां चायुर्विवर्धनम् । भविष्यति नरश्रेष्ठ बालस्यास्य च जीवितम् ।। ७.७४.
If you do so, there will be an increase of righteousness among men, their lifespan will grow, O best of men, and this child will live.