The Nature and Measure of the Yugas

Verse 1 (skanda.6.272.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः यदेतद्भवता प्रोक्तमीशानस्य महीपतेः ईश्वरेण पुरा दत्तमायुर्यावत्स्ववासरम्

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ yadetadbhavatā proktamīśānasya mahīpateḥ īśvareṇa purā dattamāyuryāvatsvavāsaram

The sages said: You have told us that Ishvara formerly granted king Ishana a life-span equal to his own single day...

Verse 2 (skanda.6.272.2)

किंप्रमाणं भवेत्तस्य दिवसस्य ब्रवीहि नः सूत उवाच अहं वः कीर्तयिष्यामि प्रमाणं दिवसस्य तु

kiṁpramāṇaṁ bhavettasya divasasya bravīhi naḥ sūta uvāca ahaṁ vaḥ kīrtayiṣyāmi pramāṇaṁ divasasya tu

...what is the measure of that day? Tell us. Suta said: I shall now declare to you the measure of that day.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.272.3)

माहेश्वरस्य विप्रेन्द्राः श्रूयतां गदतः स्फुटम् निमेषस्य चतुर्भागस्त्रुटिः स्यात्तद्द्वयं लवः

māheśvarasya viprendrāḥ śrūyatāṁ gadataḥ sphuṭam nimeṣasya caturbhāgastruṭiḥ syāttaddvayaṁ lavaḥ

O foremost of brahmins, hear clearly as I explain the day of Maheshvara: a quarter of a wink is a truti; two of those make a lava.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.272.4)

लवद्वयं यवः प्रोक्तः काष्ठा ते दश पंच च त्रिंशत्काष्ठाः कलामाहुः क्षणस्त्रिंशत्कलो मतः

lavadvayaṁ yavaḥ proktaḥ kāṣṭhā te daśa paṁca ca triṁśatkāṣṭhāḥ kalāmāhuḥ kṣaṇastriṁśatkalo mataḥ

Two lavas are called a yava; fifteen of those, a kashtha; thirty kashthas, they say, make a kala; and thirty kalas are held to make a kshana.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.272.5)

क्षणैः षष्ट्या पलं प्रोक्तं षष्ट्या तेषां च नाडिका नाडिकाद्वितयेनैव मुहूर्तं परिकीर्तितम्

kṣaṇaiḥ ṣaṣṭyā palaṁ proktaṁ ṣaṣṭyā teṣāṁ ca nāḍikā nāḍikādvitayenaiva muhūrtaṁ parikīrtitam

Sixty kshanas make a pala; sixty of those, a nadika; and two nadikas together are declared to make a muhurta.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.272.6)

त्रिंशन्मुहूर्त्तमुद्दिष्टमहोरात्रं मनीषिभिः मासस्त्रिंशदहोरात्रैद्वौ द्वौ मासावृतुं विदुः

triṁśanmuhūrttamuddiṣṭamahorātraṁ manīṣibhiḥ māsastriṁśadahorātraidvau dvau māsāvṛtuṁ viduḥ

Thirty muhurtas, the wise declare, make a day-and-night; thirty days-and-nights make a month; and two months together, they know, make a ritu.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.272.7)

ऋतुत्रयं चाप्ययनमयने द्वे तु वत्सरम् मानुषाणां हि सर्वेषां स एव परिकीर्तितः

ṛtutrayaṁ cāpyayanamayane dve tu vatsaram mānuṣāṇāṁ hi sarveṣāṁ sa eva parikīrtitaḥ

Three ritus make an ayana; and two ayanas make a vatsara — this alone is declared as the year for all human beings.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.272.8)

स देवानामहोरात्रं पुराणज्ञाः प्रचक्षते अयनं चोत्तरं शुक्लं यद्देवानां दिनं च तत् यद्दक्षिणं तु सा रात्रिः शुभकर्मविगर्हिता

sa devānāmahorātraṁ purāṇajñāḥ pracakṣate ayanaṁ cottaraṁ śuklaṁ yaddevānāṁ dinaṁ ca tat yaddakṣiṇaṁ tu sā rātriḥ śubhakarmavigarhitā

That very human year, those who know the Puranas declare, is a day-and-night for the gods: the northern course is bright, and that is the gods' day; the southern course is their night, condemned for auspicious rites.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.272.9)

यथा सुप्तो न गृह्णाति किंचिद्भोगादिकं नरः तथा देवाश्च यज्ञांशान्न गृह्णन्ति कथं चन

yathā supto na gṛhṇāti kiṁcidbhogādikaṁ naraḥ tathā devāśca yajñāṁśānna gṛhṇanti kathaṁ cana

Just as a sleeping man does not partake of any enjoyment, so too the gods do not accept their portion of sacrifices at all, during their night.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.272.10)

अनेनैव तु मानेन मानवेन द्विजोत्तमाः लक्षैः सप्तदशाख्यैस्तु वत्सराणां प्रकीर्तितम्

anenaiva tu mānena mānavena dvijottamāḥ lakṣaiḥ saptadaśākhyaistu vatsarāṇāṁ prakīrtitam

O best of brahmins, by this very human measure, seventeen lakh years...

Verse 11 (skanda.6.272.11)

अष्टाविंशत्सहस्रैस्तु वत्सराणां कृतं युगम् तस्मिञ्छ्वेतोऽभवद्विष्णुर्भगवान्यो जगद्गुरुः

aṣṭāviṁśatsahasraistu vatsarāṇāṁ kṛtaṁ yugam tasmiñchveto'bhavadviṣṇurbhagavānyo jagadguruḥ

...together with twenty-eight thousand years, is the Krita Yuga. In it, the blessed Vishnu, guru of the world, was white in color.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.272.12)

लोकाः पापविनिर्मुक्ताः शांता दांता जितेन्द्रियाः दीर्घायुषस्तथा सर्वे सदैव तपसि स्थिताः

lokāḥ pāpavinirmuktāḥ śāṁtā dāṁtā jitendriyāḥ dīrghāyuṣastathā sarve sadaiva tapasi sthitāḥ

People were free of sin, peaceful, self-controlled, masters of their senses; all were long-lived and ever established in austerity.

Verse 13 (skanda.6.272.13)

यो यथा जन्म चाप्नोति तथा स म्रियते नरः न पुत्रसंभवो मृत्युर्वीक्ष्यते जनकैः क्वचित्

yo yathā janma cāpnoti tathā sa mriyate naraḥ na putrasaṁbhavo mṛtyurvīkṣyate janakaiḥ kvacit

A man died in the very manner he was born; parents never witnessed the death of a son born to them.

Verse 14 (skanda.6.272.14)

कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभो दंभो मत्सर एव च न जायते नृणां तत्र युगे तु द्विजसत्तमाः

kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobho daṁbho matsara eva ca na jāyate nṛṇāṁ tatra yuge tu dvijasattamāḥ

O foremost of brahmins, desire, anger, greed, pride, and envy did not arise among men in that age.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.272.15)

ततस्त्रेतायुगं भावि द्वितीयं मुनिसत्तमाः पादेनैकेन पापं तु रौद्रं धर्मे तदाविशत्

tatastretāyugaṁ bhāvi dvitīyaṁ munisattamāḥ pādenaikena pāpaṁ tu raudraṁ dharme tadāviśat

O foremost of sages, then came the second age, the Treta; a single quarter of terrible sin then entered into dharma.

Verse 16 (skanda.6.272.16)

ततो रक्तत्वमभ्येति भगवान्मधुसूदनः पापांशेऽपि च संप्राप्ते सस्पर्द्धो जायते जनः

tato raktatvamabhyeti bhagavānmadhusūdanaḥ pāpāṁśe'pi ca saṁprāpte sasparddho jāyate janaḥ

Then the blessed Madhusudana took on a red color; and, with the portion of sin arisen, people became given to rivalry.

Verse 17 (skanda.6.272.17)

स्वर्गमार्गकृते सर्वे चक्रुर्यज्ञांस्ततः परम् अग्निष्टोमादिकांस्तत्र बहुहोमादिकांस्तथा

svargamārgakṛte sarve cakruryajñāṁstataḥ param agniṣṭomādikāṁstatra bahuhomādikāṁstathā

Then all began to perform sacrifices for the sake of the path to heaven — the Agnishtoma and others, and many fire-offerings besides.

Verse 18 (skanda.6.272.18)

देवलोकांस्ततो यांति मूलाद्यावच्चतुर्दश ब्रह्मलोकस्य पर्यंतं स्वकीयैर्य ज्ञकर्मभिः

devalokāṁstato yāṁti mūlādyāvaccaturdaśa brahmalokasya paryaṁtaṁ svakīyairya jñakarmabhiḥ

They then went to the worlds of the gods, from the lowest up through the fourteen, as far as Brahmaloka, by their own sacrificial deeds.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.272.19)

किंचित्स्वल्पायुषस्तत्र जायन्ते स्पर्धयाऽन्विताः परं तत्रापि नो यांति मृत्युं पुत्राः कथंचन

kiṁcitsvalpāyuṣastatra jāyante spardhayā'nvitāḥ paraṁ tatrāpi no yāṁti mṛtyuṁ putrāḥ kathaṁcana

Their lifespans became somewhat shorter there, and they became given to rivalry; yet even then sons never met death before their fathers.

Verse 20 (skanda.6.272.20)

जनके विद्यमाने च स्व ल्पदोषाः प्रकीर्तिताः कामक्रोधादयो ये च भवंति न भवंति च

janake vidyamāne ca sva lpadoṣāḥ prakīrtitāḥ kāmakrodhādayo ye ca bhavaṁti na bhavaṁti ca

While the father still lived, only small faults are declared to occur; desire, anger, and the rest — sometimes they arose, sometimes not.

Verse 21 (skanda.6.272.21)

एकया वेलया तत्र वापितं सस्यमुत्तमम् सप्तवारान्प्रगृह्णंति वैश्याः कृषिपरायणाः

ekayā velayā tatra vāpitaṁ sasyamuttamam saptavārānpragṛhṇaṁti vaiśyāḥ kṛṣiparāyaṇāḥ

There, grain sown at a single sowing was reaped seven times over by the vaishyas devoted to farming.

Verse 22 (skanda.6.272.22)

सर्वा घटस्रवा गावो महिष्यश्च चतुर्गुणाः प्रयच्छंति तथा क्षीरमुष्ट्र्यस्तासां चतुर्गुणम्

sarvā ghaṭasravā gāvo mahiṣyaśca caturguṇāḥ prayacchaṁti tathā kṣīramuṣṭryastāsāṁ caturguṇam

All the cows gave milk enough to fill a pot; the buffaloes gave four times that; and the she-camels gave four times as much as the buffaloes.

Verse 23 (skanda.6.272.23)

अजाविकास्तथा पादं नार्यः सर्वास्तथैव च वेदाध्ययनसंपन्नाः प्रतिग्रहविवर्जिताः शापानुग्रहकृत्येषु समर्थाः संभवंति च २३ क्षत्रियाः क्षात्रधर्मेण पालयंति वसुंधराम् न तत्र दृश्यते चौरो न च जारः कथंचन स्वधर्मनिरताः सर्वे वर्णाश्चैव व्यवस्थिताः

ajāvikāstathā pādaṁ nāryaḥ sarvāstathaiva ca vedādhyayanasaṁpannāḥ pratigrahavivarjitāḥ śāpānugrahakṛtyeṣu samarthāḥ saṁbhavaṁti ca 23 kṣatriyāḥ kṣātradharmeṇa pālayaṁti vasuṁdharām na tatra dṛśyate cauro na ca jāraḥ kathaṁcana svadharmaniratāḥ sarve varṇāścaiva vyavasthitāḥ

Goats and sheep gave a quarter of that; and all women too were accomplished in the study of the Vedas, free from accepting gifts, and capable of pronouncing both curses and blessings. Kshatriyas protected the earth by the duty of their class; no thief was seen there, nor any adulterer at all; all the classes remained devoted to their own dharma.

Verse 24 (skanda.6.272.24)

तच्च द्वादशभिर्लक्षैर्वत्सराणां प्रकीर्तितम् षण्णवत्या सहस्रैस्तु द्वितीयं युगमुत्तमम्

tacca dvādaśabhirlakṣairvatsarāṇāṁ prakīrtitam ṣaṇṇavatyā sahasraistu dvitīyaṁ yugamuttamam

That excellent second age is declared to last twelve lakh and ninety-six thousand years.

Verse 25 (skanda.6.272.25)

ततश्च द्वापरं भावि तृतीयं द्विजसत्तमाः द्वौ पादौ तत्र पापस्य द्वौ च धर्मस्य संस्थितौ भगवान्वासुदेवश्च कपिलस्तत्र जायते

tataśca dvāparaṁ bhāvi tṛtīyaṁ dvijasattamāḥ dvau pādau tatra pāpasya dvau ca dharmasya saṁsthitau bhagavānvāsudevaśca kapilastatra jāyate

O foremost of brahmins, then comes the third age, Dvapara; there two quarters of sin stand, and two of dharma. There the blessed Vasudeva is born as Kapila.

Verse 26 (skanda.6.272.26)

तच्चाष्टलक्षमानेन वत्सराणां प्रकीर्तितम् चतुःषष्टिभिरन्यैस्तु सहस्राणां द्विजोत्तमाः

taccāṣṭalakṣamānena vatsarāṇāṁ prakīrtitam catuḥṣaṣṭibhiranyaistu sahasrāṇāṁ dvijottamāḥ

O best of brahmins, that is declared to last eight lakh years, together with another sixty-four thousand.

Verse 27 (skanda.6.272.27)

कामः क्रोधस्तथा लोभो दंभो मत्सर एव च षडेते तत्र जायंते ईर्ष्या चैव तु सप्तमी

kāmaḥ krodhastathā lobho daṁbho matsara eva ca ṣaḍete tatra jāyaṁte īrṣyā caiva tu saptamī

Desire, anger, greed, pride, and envy — these six then arise, and jealousy as the seventh.

Verse 28 (skanda.6.272.28)

अथ संसेवितास्तैस्तु मानवाश्च परस्परम् विरुद्धांश्च प्रकुर्वंति नाप्नुवंति यथा दिवम्

atha saṁsevitāstaistu mānavāśca parasparam viruddhāṁśca prakurvaṁti nāpnuvaṁti yathā divam

Then men, given over to these, act in mutual opposition to one another, so that they do not attain heaven.

Verse 29 (skanda.6.272.29)

केचित्तत्रापि जायंते शांता दांता जितेंद्रियाः न सर्वेऽपि द्विजश्रेष्ठा यतोऽर्द्धं पातकस्य तु

kecittatrāpi jāyaṁte śāṁtā dāṁtā jiteṁdriyāḥ na sarve'pi dvijaśreṣṭhā yato'rddhaṁ pātakasya tu

O best of brahmins, some still arise there peaceful, self-controlled, masters of their senses — though not all, since half of sin already prevails.

Verse 30 (skanda.6.272.30)

ततः कलियुगं प्रोक्तं चतुर्थं च सुदारुणम् एकपादो वृषो यत्र पापं पादैस्त्रिभिः स्थितम्

tataḥ kaliyugaṁ proktaṁ caturthaṁ ca sudāruṇam ekapādo vṛṣo yatra pāpaṁ pādaistribhiḥ sthitam

Then comes the fourth age, called the Kali Yuga, most terrible; there dharma stands upon a single foot, and sin occupies the other three.

Verse 31 (skanda.6.272.31)

कृष्णत्वं याति देवोऽपि तत्र चैव चतुर्भुजः एक पादोऽपि धर्मस्य यावत्तावत्प्रवर्तते

kṛṣṇatvaṁ yāti devo'pi tatra caiva caturbhujaḥ eka pādo'pi dharmasya yāvattāvatpravartate

There even the four-armed god takes on a dark color; only so long as one quarter of dharma remains does it continue to operate.

Verse 32 (skanda.6.272.32)

पश्चान्नाशं समभ्येति यावत्तावच्छनैःशनैः प्रमाणं तस्य निर्दिष्टं लक्षाश्चत्वार एव हि

paścānnāśaṁ samabhyeti yāvattāvacchanaiḥśanaiḥ pramāṇaṁ tasya nirdiṣṭaṁ lakṣāścatvāra eva hi

Thereafter it goes gradually, little by little, to destruction; its measure is declared to be four lakh years...

Verse 33 (skanda.6.272.33)

द्वात्रिंशच्च सहस्राणि युगस्यैवांतिमस्य च कलिना तत्र संपृष्टा मर्त्याः सर्वे परस्परम्

dvātriṁśacca sahasrāṇi yugasyaivāṁtimasya ca kalinā tatra saṁpṛṣṭā martyāḥ sarve parasparam

...together with thirty-two thousand, for this last of the ages. There, all mortals become mutually entangled with Kali.

Verse 34 (skanda.6.272.34)

विबुधैस्ते प्रवर्तंते रागद्वेषपरायणाः यस्ययस्य गृहे वित्तं तथा नार्यो मनोरमाः

vibudhaiste pravartaṁte rāgadveṣaparāyaṇāḥ yasyayasya gṛhe vittaṁ tathā nāryo manoramāḥ

They act in accordance with the learned, given over to attachment and aversion. Whoever has wealth in his house, and beautiful women...

Verse 35 (skanda.6.272.35)

तेनतेन समं मैत्रीं कलौ कुर्वंति मानवाः विधवानां यतीनां च सर्वेषां च तपस्विनाम्

tenatena samaṁ maitrīṁ kalau kurvaṁti mānavāḥ vidhavānāṁ yatīnāṁ ca sarveṣāṁ ca tapasvinām

...with him, in the Kali age, men form friendship. Of widows, ascetics, and all penitents...

Verse 36 (skanda.6.272.36)

लोकद्वयविनाशः स्याद्यतश्चेतो न शुध्यति प्रावृट्कालेऽपि संप्राप्ते दुर्भिक्षेण प्रपीडिताः

lokadvayavināśaḥ syādyataśceto na śudhyati prāvṛṭkāle'pi saṁprāpte durbhikṣeṇa prapīḍitāḥ

...neglect brings destruction of both worlds, since the mind is not purified. Even when the rainy season arrives, people are afflicted by famine.

Verse 37 (skanda.6.272.37)

भ्रमंति च कलौ लोका गगनासक्तदृष्टयः जानाति चापि तनयः पिता चेन्निधनं व्रजेत्

bhramaṁti ca kalau lokā gaganāsaktadṛṣṭayaḥ jānāti cāpi tanayaḥ pitā cennidhanaṁ vrajet

In the Kali age, people wander about with eyes fixed anxiously on the sky, for rain. And even a son knows, if his father should come to die...

Verse 38 (skanda.6.272.38)

ततोहं गृहपो भूयां बांधवो ह्यपि बांधवम् स्नुषापि वेत्ति चित्तेन यदि श्वश्रूः क्षयं व्रजेत्

tatohaṁ gṛhapo bhūyāṁ bāṁdhavo hyapi bāṁdhavam snuṣāpi vetti cittena yadi śvaśrūḥ kṣayaṁ vrajet

...'Then I shall become the head of the household' — even one kinsman thinks so of another. So too a daughter-in-law thinks in her heart, should her mother-in-law come to perish...

Verse 39 (skanda.6.272.39)

मम स्याद्गृह ऐश्वर्यं तत्सर्वं नान्यथा व्रजेत् काव्यैरुपहता वेदाः पुत्रा जामातृकैस्तथा

mama syādgṛha aiśvaryaṁ tatsarvaṁ nānyathā vrajet kāvyairupahatā vedāḥ putrā jāmātṛkaistathā

...'then the mastery of the household shall be mine.' None of this happens otherwise. The Vedas are supplanted by poetry, and sons by sons-in-law.

Verse 40 (skanda.6.272.40)

शालकैर्बांधवाश्चैव ह्यसतीभिः कुलस्त्रियः शूद्रास्तपस्विनश्चैव शूद्रा धर्मस्य सूचकाः

śālakairbāṁdhavāścaiva hyasatībhiḥ kulastriyaḥ śūdrāstapasvinaścaiva śūdrā dharmasya sūcakāḥ

Kinsmen are supplanted by brothers-in-law, and virtuous family women by unchaste ones; shudras become the ascetics, and shudras become the teachers of dharma.

Verse 41 (skanda.6.272.41)

ब्राह्मणानां ततः शूद्रा उपदेशं वदंति च अल्पोदकास्तथा मेघा अल्पसस्या च मेदिनी

brāhmaṇānāṁ tataḥ śūdrā upadeśaṁ vadaṁti ca alpodakāstathā meghā alpasasyā ca medinī

Shudras then give instruction to brahmins; the clouds yield little rain, and the earth yields scant grain.

Verse 42 (skanda.6.272.42)

अल्पक्षीरास्तथा गावः क्षीरे सर्पिस्तथाऽल्पकम् सर्वभक्षास्तथा विप्रा नृपा निष्करुणास्ततः कृष्या लज्जंति वैश्याश्च शूद्रा ब्राह्मणप्रेषकाः

alpakṣīrāstathā gāvaḥ kṣīre sarpistathā'lpakam sarvabhakṣāstathā viprā nṛpā niṣkaruṇāstataḥ kṛṣyā lajjaṁti vaiśyāśca śūdrā brāhmaṇapreṣakāḥ

Cows yield little milk, and the milk yields little ghee; brahmins eat all manner of food indiscriminately, kings become merciless, vaishyas grow ashamed of farming, and shudras give orders to brahmins.

Verse 43 (skanda.6.272.43)

हेतुवादरता ये च भंडंविद्यापराश्च ये तेते स्युर्भूमिपालस्य सदाऽभीष्टाः कलौ युगे

hetuvādaratā ye ca bhaṁḍaṁvidyāparāśca ye tete syurbhūmipālasya sadā'bhīṣṭāḥ kalau yuge

Whoever is devoted to mere logic-chopping, and whoever is skilled in charlatan arts — such men become ever the favorites of kings in the Kali age.

Verse 44 (skanda.6.272.44)

श्वःश्वःपापीयदिवसाः पृथिवी गतयौवना अतिक्रांत शुभाः कालाः पर्युपस्थितदारुणाः

śvaḥśvaḥpāpīyadivasāḥ pṛthivī gatayauvanā atikrāṁta śubhāḥ kālāḥ paryupasthitadāruṇāḥ

Each successive day grows more sinful than the last; the earth loses its youthful vigor; the auspicious times have passed, and terrible times have drawn near.

Verse 45 (skanda.6.272.45)

यथायथा युगं भावि वृद्धिं यांति स्त्रियो नराः तथातथा प्रयांति स्म लघुतां जंतुभिः सह

yathāyathā yugaṁ bhāvi vṛddhiṁ yāṁti striyo narāḥ tathātathā prayāṁti sma laghutāṁ jaṁtubhiḥ saha

As the age progresses, women and men increase in number, while all creatures together dwindle in stature.

Verse 46 (skanda.6.272.46)

द्वादशमे चैव कन्या स्याद्भर्तृसंयुता

dvādaśame caiva kanyā syādbhartṛsaṁyutā

At the twelfth year itself, a girl comes to be joined with a husband.

Verse 47 (skanda.6.272.47)

ततः षोडशमे वर्षे नराः पलितयौवनाः शौचाचारपरित्यक्ता निजकार्यपरास्तथा

tataḥ ṣoḍaśame varṣe narāḥ palitayauvanāḥ śaucācāraparityaktā nijakāryaparāstathā

Then, at sixteen, men have grey hair even in their youth, abandon purity of conduct, and are absorbed only in their own affairs.

Verse 48 (skanda.6.272.48)

भविष्यंति युगस्यांते नराः अंगुष्ठमात्रकाः गृहं च तेऽथ कुर्वंति बिलैराखुसमुद्भवैः

bhaviṣyaṁti yugasyāṁte narāḥ aṁguṣṭhamātrakāḥ gṛhaṁ ca te'tha kurvaṁti bilairākhusamudbhavaiḥ

At the end of the age, men shall become the size of a thumb, and they shall make their homes in burrows dug by mice.

Verse 49 (skanda.6.272.49)

तथा प्रावरणं तेषां कृमिवस्त्रं भविष्यति एकवर्णा भविष्यंति वर्णाः सर्वे ततः परः म्लेछीभूता दुराचारा धर्मकृत्यविदूषकाः

tathā prāvaraṇaṁ teṣāṁ kṛmivastraṁ bhaviṣyati ekavarṇā bhaviṣyaṁti varṇāḥ sarve tataḥ paraḥ mlechībhūtā durācārā dharmakṛtyavidūṣakāḥ

Their clothing shall be the silk of worms; all the classes shall become a single class, and thereafter, having become as barbarians, of evil conduct, they shall corrupt all religious observance.

Verse 50 (skanda.6.272.50)

एवं जाते ततो लोके ब्राह्मणो हरिपिंगलः कल्किगोत्रसमुत्पन्नस्तान्सर्वा न्सूदयेत्ततः

evaṁ jāte tato loke brāhmaṇo haripiṁgalaḥ kalkigotrasamutpannastānsarvā nsūdayettataḥ

When the world has thus come to be, a tawny-golden brahmin, born of the Kalki lineage, shall then slay them all.

Verse 51 (skanda.6.272.51)

पश्चात्कृतयुगं भावि भूयोऽपि द्विजसत्तमाः

paścātkṛtayugaṁ bhāvi bhūyo'pi dvijasattamāḥ

O foremost of brahmins, thereafter the Krita Yuga shall come again.

Verse 52 (skanda.6.272.52)

एवं युगसहस्रेण संप्राप्तेन ततः परम् ब्रह्मणो दिवसं भावि रात्रिश्चैव ततः परम्

evaṁ yugasahasreṇa saṁprāptena tataḥ param brahmaṇo divasaṁ bhāvi rātriścaiva tataḥ param

Thus, when a thousand such cycles have passed, a single day of Brahma shall have come, and after it, likewise, a night.

Verse 53 (skanda.6.272.53)

ततश्चानेन मानेन षष्ट्या युक्तैस्त्रिभिः शतैः ब्रह्मणो वत्सरं भावि केशवस्य च तद्दिनम्

tataścānena mānena ṣaṣṭyā yuktaistribhiḥ śataiḥ brahmaṇo vatsaraṁ bhāvi keśavasya ca taddinam

Then, by this same measure, three hundred and sixty such days shall make a year of Brahma; and that entire span shall be a single day of Keshava.

Verse 54 (skanda.6.272.54)

आत्मीये जीविते ब्रह्म यावद्वर्षशतं स्थितः केशवोऽपि स्वमानेन वर्षाणां जीविते शतम्

ātmīye jīvite brahma yāvadvarṣaśataṁ sthitaḥ keśavo'pi svamānena varṣāṇāṁ jīvite śatam

Brahma abides for a hundred years by his own measure of life; and Keshava too, by his own measure, lives a hundred years.

Verse 55 (skanda.6.272.55)

वर्षेण वासुदेवस्य दिनं माहेश्वरं भवेत् निजमानेन सोप्यत्र याव द्वर्षशतं स्थितः

varṣeṇa vāsudevasya dinaṁ māheśvaraṁ bhavet nijamānena sopyatra yāva dvarṣaśataṁ sthitaḥ

A year of Vasudeva makes a single day of Maheshvara; and he too, by his own measure, abides here for a hundred years.

Verse 56 (skanda.6.272.56)

ततः शक्तिस्वरूपः स्यात्सोऽक्षयी कीर्त्यते यतः सदाशिवस्य निःश्वासः शैवं वर्षशतं भवेत् उच्छ्वासस्तु पुनस्तस्य शक्तिरूपेण संस्थितः

tataḥ śaktisvarūpaḥ syātso'kṣayī kīrtyate yataḥ sadāśivasya niḥśvāsaḥ śaivaṁ varṣaśataṁ bhavet ucchvāsastu punastasya śaktirūpeṇa saṁsthitaḥ

Thereafter he becomes one with the nature of Shakti, since he is declared imperishable: a single out-breath of Sadashiva makes a hundred years of Shiva's measure, and his in-breath in turn abides in the form of Shakti.

Verse 57 (skanda.6.272.57)

सूत उवाच एतद्वः सर्वमाख्यातं शिवशक्तिसमुद्भवम् यावदायुः प्रमाणं च मानुषाढ्यं च यद्भवेत्

sūta uvāca etadvaḥ sarvamākhyātaṁ śivaśaktisamudbhavam yāvadāyuḥ pramāṇaṁ ca mānuṣāḍhyaṁ ca yadbhavet

Suta said: Thus all of this has been told to you — the origin from Shiva and Shakti, and whatever the full measure of life is, beginning from the human scale.

Verse 58 (skanda.6.272.58)

भवद्भिः शांकरं पृष्टो द्विजा अस्मि दिनं पुरा मया पुनस्तु सर्वेषां मर्त्यादीनां तु कीर्तितम्

bhavadbhiḥ śāṁkaraṁ pṛṣṭo dvijā asmi dinaṁ purā mayā punastu sarveṣāṁ martyādīnāṁ tu kīrtitam

O brahmins, you had earlier asked me about Shankara's day; and I have in turn declared to you the measure for all mortal beings as well.