The Dharma of the Four Yugas

Verse 1 (garuda.1.223.1)

ब्रह्मोवाच मुनिभिश्चरिता धर्मा भक्त्या व्यास मयोदिताः । यैर्विष्णुस्तुष्यते चैव सूर्यादिपरिचारणात्

brahmovāca munibhiścaritā dharmā bhaktyā vyāsa mayoditāḥ yairviṣṇustuṣyate caiva sūryādiparicāraṇāt

Brahma said: O Vyasa, I have told you the dharmas practiced by the sages with devotion, by which, and through the worship of Surya and other deities, Vishnu is pleased.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.223.2)

तर्पणेन च होमेन सन्ध्याया वन्दनेन च । प्राप्यते भगवान् विष्णुर्धर्मकामार्थमोक्षदः

tarpaṇena ca homena sandhyāyā vandanena ca prāpyate bhagavān viṣṇurdharmakāmārthamokṣadaḥ

Through tarpana, the fire-offering, sandhya, and worship, Lord Vishnu is attained, who grants dharma, desire, wealth, and liberation.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.223.3)

धर्मो हि भगवान्विष्णुः पूजी विष्णोस्तु तर्पणम् । होमः सन्ध्या तथा ध्यानं धारणा सकलं हरिः

dharmo hi bhagavānviṣṇuḥ pūjī viṣṇostu tarpaṇam homaḥ sandhyā tathā dhyānaṁ dhāraṇā sakalaṁ hariḥ

Lord Vishnu himself is dharma; the worship of Vishnu itself is tarpana, homa, sandhya, meditation, and concentration — all of this is Hari himself.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.223.4)

सूच उवाच । प्रलयं जगतो वक्ष्ये तत्सर्वं शृणु शौनक । चतुर्युगसहस्रन्तु कल्पैकाब्जदिनं स्मृतम्

sūca uvāca pralayaṁ jagato vakṣye tatsarvaṁ śṛṇu śaunaka caturyugasahasrantu kalpaikābjadinaṁ smṛtam

Suta said: Now I shall describe the dissolution of the world; hear all of it, O Shaunaka. A thousand cycles of the four yugas is remembered as a single day of Brahma, one kalpa.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.223.5)

कृतत्रेताद्वापरादियुगावस्था निबोधमे । कृते धर्मश्चतुष्पाच्च सत्यं दानं तपो दया

kṛtatretādvāparādiyugāvasthā nibodhame kṛte dharmaścatuṣpācca satyaṁ dānaṁ tapo dayā

Learn from me the conditions of the ages beginning with Krita, Treta, and Dvapara. In the Krita age, dharma stands on four feet: truth, giving, austerity, and compassion.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.223.6)

धर्मपाता हरिश्चेति सन्तुष्टा ज्ञानिनो नराः । चतुर्वर्षसहस्राणि नरा जीवन्ति वै तदा

dharmapātā hariśceti santuṣṭā jñānino narāḥ caturvarṣasahasrāṇi narā jīvanti vai tadā

Hari is the protector of dharma; men are content and wise. At that time, men live for four thousand years.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.223.7)

कृतान्ते क्षत्त्रियैर्विप्रा विट्शूद्राश्च जिता द्विजैः । शूरश्चातिबलो विष्णू रक्षांसि च जघान ह

kṛtānte kṣattriyairviprā viṭśūdrāśca jitā dvijaiḥ śūraścātibalo viṣṇū rakṣāṁsi ca jaghāna ha

At the end of the Krita age, the kshatriyas and the twice-born conquered the vaishyas and shudras; the exceedingly strong, heroic Vishnu slew the rakshasas.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.223.8)

त्रेतायुगे त्रिपाद्धर्मः सत्यदानदयात्मकः । नरा यज्ञपरास्तस्मिंस्तथा क्षत्रोद्भवं जगत्

tretāyuge tripāddharmaḥ satyadānadayātmakaḥ narā yajñaparāstasmiṁstathā kṣatrodbhavaṁ jagat

In the Treta age, dharma stands on three feet, consisting of truth, giving, and compassion. Men then are devoted to sacrifice, and the world becomes predominantly kshatriya.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.223.9)

रक्तो हरिर्नरैः पूज्यो नरा दशशतायुषः । तत्र विष्णुर्भोमरथः क्षत्रिया राक्षसानहन्

rakto harirnaraiḥ pūjyo narā daśaśatāyuṣaḥ tatra viṣṇurbhomarathaḥ kṣatriyā rākṣasānahan

Hari, red in hue, is worshipped by men; men live a thousand years. There, Vishnu riding the chariot of the earth, together with the kshatriyas, slew the rakshasas.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.223.10)

द्विपादविग्रहो धर्मः पीतताञ्चाच्युते गते । चतुः शतायुषो लोका द्विजक्षत्रोद्भवाः प्रजाः

dvipādavigraho dharmaḥ pītatāñcācyute gate catuḥ śatāyuṣo lokā dvijakṣatrodbhavāḥ prajāḥ

Dharma's form now stands on two feet, and the Imperishable One's hue becomes yellow. People live four hundred years, born of the twice-born and kshatriya classes.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.223.11)

तत्र दृष्ट्वाल्पबुद्धींश्च विष्णुर्व्यासस्वरूपधृक् । तदेकन्तु यजुर्वेदं चतुर्धा व्यभजत्पुनः

tatra dṛṣṭvālpabuddhīṁśca viṣṇurvyāsasvarūpadhṛk tadekantu yajurvedaṁ caturdhā vyabhajatpunaḥ

There, seeing men of diminished intellect, Vishnu, assuming the form of Vyasa, again divided that single Yajurveda into four parts.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.223.12)

शिष्यानध्यापयामास समस्तांस्तान्निबोध मे । ऋग्वेदमथ पैलन्त्सामवेदञ्च जैमिनिम्

śiṣyānadhyāpayāmāsa samastāṁstānnibodha me ṛgvedamatha pailantsāmavedañca jaiminim

He taught all his disciples — learn them from me: the Rigveda to Paila, the Samaveda to Jaimini,

Verse 13 (garuda.1.223.13)

अथर्वाणं सुमन्तुन्तु यजुर्वेदं महामुनिम् । वैशम्पायनमङ्गन्तु पुराणं सूतमेव च । अष्टादशपुराणानि यैर्वेद्यो हरिरेव हि

atharvāṇaṁ sumantuntu yajurvedaṁ mahāmunim vaiśampāyanamaṅgantu purāṇaṁ sūtameva ca aṣṭādaśapurāṇāni yairvedyo harireva hi

the Atharvaveda to Sumantu, the Yajurveda to the great sage Vaishampayana, and the Puranas to Suta himself. It is by the eighteen Puranas that Hari alone is known.

Verse 14 (garuda.1.223.14)

सर्गश्च प्रतिसर्गश्च वंशो मन्वन्तराणि च । वंशानुचरितच्चैव पुराणं पञ्चलक्षणम्

sargaśca pratisargaśca vaṁśo manvantarāṇi ca vaṁśānucaritaccaiva purāṇaṁ pañcalakṣaṇam

Creation, re-creation, genealogy, the epochs of the Manus, and the history of dynasties — the Purana is marked by these five characteristics.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.223.15)

ब्राह्मं पाद्मं वैष्णवञ्च शैवं भागवतन्तथा । भविष्यन्नारदीयञ्चस्कान्दं लिङ्गं वराहकम्

brāhmaṁ pādmaṁ vaiṣṇavañca śaivaṁ bhāgavatantathā bhaviṣyannāradīyañcaskāndaṁ liṅgaṁ varāhakam

The Brahma, Padma, Vaishnava, Shaiva, and Bhagavata; the Bhavishya, Naradiya, Skanda, Linga, and Varaha —

Verse 16 (garuda.1.223.16)

मार्कण्डेयं तथाग्नेयं ब्रह्मवैवर्तमेव च । कौर्मं मात्स्यं गारुडञ्च वायवीयमनन्तरम् । अष्टादशसमुद्दिष्टं ब्रह्माण्डमिति संज्ञितम्

mārkaṇḍeyaṁ tathāgneyaṁ brahmavaivartameva ca kaurmaṁ mātsyaṁ gāruḍañca vāyavīyamanantaram aṣṭādaśasamuddiṣṭaṁ brahmāṇḍamiti saṁjñitam

— the Markandeya, the Agni, and the Brahmavaivarta; the Kurma, Matsya, Garuda, and Vayaviya — thus eighteen Puranas are enumerated, known also by the name Brahmanda.

Verse 17 (garuda.1.223.17)

अन्यान्युपपुराणानि मुनिभिः कथितानि तु । आद्यं सनत्कुमारोक्तं नारसिंहमथापरम्

anyānyupapurāṇāni munibhiḥ kathitāni tu ādyaṁ sanatkumāroktaṁ nārasiṁhamathāparam

The sages have also told other, subsidiary Puranas (upapuranas). The first, spoken by Sanatkumara; the next, the Narasimha;

Verse 18 (garuda.1.223.18)

तृतीयं स्कान्दमुद्दिष्टं कुमारेण तु भाषितम् । चतुर्थं शिवधर्माख्यं स्यान्नन्दीश्वरभाषितम्

tṛtīyaṁ skāndamuddiṣṭaṁ kumāreṇa tu bhāṣitam caturthaṁ śivadharmākhyaṁ syānnandīśvarabhāṣitam

the third, the Skanda, spoken by Kumara; the fourth, called the Shivadharma, spoken by Nandishvara,

Verse 19 (garuda.1.223.19)

दुर्वाससोक्तमाश्चर्यं नारदोक्तमतः परम् । कापिलं वामनञ्चैव तथैवोशनसेरितम्

durvāsasoktamāścaryaṁ nāradoktamataḥ param kāpilaṁ vāmanañcaiva tathaivośanaseritam

the astonishing one spoken by Durvasa, then the one spoken by Narada; the Kapila and the Vamana, and likewise the one declared by Ushanas (Shukra) —

Verse 20 (garuda.1.223.20)

ब्रह्माण्डं वारुणञ्चाथ कालिकाह्वयमेव च । माहेश्वरं तथा साम्बमेवं सर्वार्थसञ्चयम् । पराशरोक्तमपरं मारीचं भार्गवाह्वयम्

brahmāṇḍaṁ vāruṇañcātha kālikāhvayameva ca māheśvaraṁ tathā sāmbamevaṁ sarvārthasañcayam parāśaroktamaparaṁ mārīcaṁ bhārgavāhvayam

— the Brahmanda and the Varuna, and the one called Kalika; the Maheshvara and the Samba — thus a collection embracing all subjects; another spoken by Parashara, and the Marica and the one called Bhargava.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.223.21)

पुराणं धर्मशास्त्रञ्च वेदास्त्वङ्गानि यन्मुने । न्यायः शौनक मीमांसा आयुर्वेदार्थशास्त्रकम् । गान्धर्वश्च धनुर्वेदो विद्या ह्यष्टादशस्मृताः

purāṇaṁ dharmaśāstrañca vedāstvaṅgāni yanmune nyāyaḥ śaunaka mīmāṁsā āyurvedārthaśāstrakam gāndharvaśca dhanurvedo vidyā hyaṣṭādaśasmṛtāḥ

The Puranas, the Dharmashastras, the Vedas with their auxiliary sciences, O sage; Nyaya (logic), O Shaunaka, Mimamsa, Ayurveda, Arthashastra, Gandharva-vidya (music), and Dhanurveda (archery) — these eighteen are remembered as the branches of knowledge.

Verse 22 (garuda.1.223.22)

द्वापरान्तेन च हरिर्गुरुभारमपाहरत् । एकपादस्थिते धर्मे कृष्णत्वञ्चाच्युते गते

dvāparāntena ca harirgurubhāramapāharat ekapādasthite dharme kṛṣṇatvañcācyute gate

At the end of Dvapara, Hari removed the [earth's] burden; dharma stands on a single foot, and the Imperishable One's hue becomes black.

Verse 23 (garuda.1.223.23)

जनास्तदा दुराचारा भविष्यन्ति च निर्दयाः । सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति दृश्यन्ते पुरुषे गुणाः । कालसञ्चोदितास्तेऽपि परिवर्तन्त आत्मनि

janāstadā durācārā bhaviṣyanti ca nirdayāḥ sattvaṁ rajastama iti dṛśyante puruṣe guṇāḥ kālasañcoditāste'pi parivartanta ātmani

Then people become evil-conducted and merciless. Sattva, rajas, and tamas are the qualities seen in a person; driven by time, these revolve of themselves within the self.

Verse 24 (garuda.1.223.24)

प्रभूतञ्च यदा सत्त्वं मनो बुद्धीन्द्रियाणि च । तदा कृतयुगं विद्याज्ज्ञाने तपसि यद्रतिः

prabhūtañca yadā sattvaṁ mano buddhīndriyāṇi ca tadā kṛtayugaṁ vidyājjñāne tapasi yadratiḥ

When sattva abounds in the mind, intellect, and senses, one should know it as the Krita age, in which delight is found in knowledge and austerity.

Verse 25 (garuda.1.223.25)

यदा कर्मसु काम्येषु शक्तिर्यशसि देहिनाम् । तदा त्रेता रजोभूतिरिति जानीहि शौनक

yadā karmasu kāmyeṣu śaktiryaśasi dehinām tadā tretā rajobhūtiriti jānīhi śaunaka

When people's power is engaged in desire-motivated deeds and in fame, then it is the Treta age, dominated by rajas — know this, O Shaunaka.

Verse 26 (garuda.1.223.26)

यदा लोभस्त्वसन्तोषो मानो दम्भश्च मत्सरः । कर्मणाञ्चापि काम्यानां द्वापरं तद्रजस्तमः

yadā lobhastvasantoṣo māno dambhaśca matsaraḥ karmaṇāñcāpi kāmyānāṁ dvāparaṁ tadrajastamaḥ

When greed, discontent, pride, hypocrisy, envy, and desire-motivated deeds prevail, that is Dvapara, dominated by a mixture of rajas and tamas.

Verse 27 (garuda.1.223.27)

यदा सदानृतं तन्द्रा निद्रा हिंसादिसाधनम् । शोकमोहौ भयं दैन्यं स कलिस्तमसि स्मृतः

yadā sadānṛtaṁ tandrā nidrā hiṁsādisādhanam śokamohau bhayaṁ dainyaṁ sa kalistamasi smṛtaḥ

When constant falsehood, lethargy, sleep, the instruments of violence, grief, delusion, fear, and wretchedness prevail, that is Kali, remembered as dominated by tamas.

Verse 28 (garuda.1.223.28)

यस्मिञ्जनाः कामिनः स्युः शश्वत्कटुकभाषिणः । दस्यूत्कृष्टा जनपदा वेदाः पाषण्डदूषिताः

yasmiñjanāḥ kāminaḥ syuḥ śaśvatkaṭukabhāṣiṇaḥ dasyūtkṛṣṭā janapadā vedāḥ pāṣaṇḍadūṣitāḥ

In which people will be lustful and ever harsh of speech; the countryside will be dominated by robbers, and the Vedas will be corrupted by heretics,

Verse 29 (garuda.1.223.29)

राजानश्च प्रजाभिक्षाः शिश्नोदरपराजिताः । अव्रता वटवोऽशौचा भिक्षवश्च कुटुम्बिनः

rājānaśca prajābhikṣāḥ śiśnodaraparājitāḥ avratā vaṭavo'śaucā bhikṣavaśca kuṭumbinaḥ

— kings will beg from their subjects, conquered by lust and belly; celibate students will be without vows and impure, while mendicants will take on households,

Verse 30 (garuda.1.223.30)

तपस्विनो ग्रामवासाः न्यासिनो ह्यर्थलोलुपाः । ह्रस्वकाया महाहाराश्चौरास्ते साधवः स्मृताः

tapasvino grāmavāsāḥ nyāsino hyarthalolupāḥ hrasvakāyā mahāhārāścaurāste sādhavaḥ smṛtāḥ

— ascetics will dwell in villages, renunciants will be greedy for wealth; small-bodied, great-eating thieves will be reckoned as saints.

Verse 31 (garuda.1.223.31)

त्यक्ष्यन्ति भृत्याश्च पतिं तापसस्त्यक्ष्यति व्रतम् । शूद्राः प्रतिग्रहिष्यन्ति वैश्या व्रतपरायणः

tyakṣyanti bhṛtyāśca patiṁ tāpasastyakṣyati vratam śūdrāḥ pratigrahiṣyanti vaiśyā vrataparāyaṇaḥ

Servants will abandon their masters, the ascetic will abandon his vow; shudras will accept gifts, while vaishyas will devote themselves to vows.

Verse 32 (garuda.1.223.32)

उद्विग्नाः सन्ति च जनाः पिशाचसदृशाः प्रजाः । अन्यायभोजनेनाग्निदेवतातिथिपूजनम्

udvignāḥ santi ca janāḥ piśācasadṛśāḥ prajāḥ anyāyabhojanenāgnidevatātithipūjanam

People will be anxious, and the populace will resemble ghouls. With food obtained unjustly, the worship of fire, deities, and guests

Verse 33 (garuda.1.223.33)

करिष्यन्ति कलौ प्राप्ते न च पित्र्योदकक्रियाम् । स्त्रीपराश्च जनाः सर्वे शूद्रप्रायाश्च शौनक

kariṣyanti kalau prāpte na ca pitryodakakriyām strīparāśca janāḥ sarve śūdraprāyāśca śaunaka

— they will perform once Kali arrives, but they will not perform the water-rite for the ancestors. O Shaunak, all people will be devoted to women and become nearly equal to shudras.

Verse 34 (garuda.1.223.34)

बहुप्रजाल्पभाग्याश्च भविष्यन्ति कलौ स्त्रियः । शिरः कण्डूयनपरा आज्ञां भेत्स्यन्ति भर्त्सिताः

bahuprajālpabhāgyāśca bhaviṣyanti kalau striyaḥ śiraḥ kaṇḍūyanaparā ājñāṁ bhetsyanti bhartsitāḥ

In Kali, women will bear many children but have little fortune; ever scratching their heads, they will break commands even when rebuked.

Verse 35 (garuda.1.223.35)

विष्णुं न पूजयिष्यन्ति पाषण्डोपहता जनाः । कलेर्दोषनिधेर्विप्रा अस्ति ह्येको महागुणः

viṣṇuṁ na pūjayiṣyanti pāṣaṇḍopahatā janāḥ kalerdoṣanidherviprā asti hyeko mahāguṇaḥ

People, afflicted by heresy, will not worship Vishnu. O brahmins, even in Kali, that ocean of faults, there is one great virtue —

Verse 36 (garuda.1.223.36)

कीर्तनादेव कृष्णस्य महाबन्धं परित्यजेत् । कृते यद्ध्यायतो विष्णुं त्रेतायां जपतः फलम्

kīrtanādeva kṛṣṇasya mahābandhaṁ parityajet kṛte yaddhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ japataḥ phalam

— by the chanting of Krishna's name alone, one is freed from the greatest bondage. The fruit that in Krita comes from meditating on Vishnu, in Treta from reciting his name,

Verse 37 (garuda.1.223.37)

द्वापरे परिचर्यायां कलौ तद्धरिकीर्तनात् । तस्माद्ध्येयो हरिर्नित्यं गेयः पूज्यश्च शौनक

dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ kalau taddharikīrtanāt tasmāddhyeyo harirnityaṁ geyaḥ pūjyaśca śaunaka

— and in Dvapara from ritual worship, that same fruit in Kali comes from the chanting of Hari's name alone. Therefore, O Shaunaka, Hari should ever be meditated upon, sung, and worshipped.