Sūta said:
1. Henceforth I shall explain the traits of Dvāpara1 age. When Tretà Yuga ends, Dväpara sets in.
1. This chapter describes the state of society, religion, religious texts etc. in Dväpara Age. The deterioration and confusion in social, religious and other conditions in Dväpara show how a background of chaotic conditions was developing for Kali Age.
2. In the beginning of Dvāpara, the attainment of Şhiddhis by the people is as it was in Treta Yuga. But as the Yuga advances, the Siddhis disappear.
3-4. Then the following vices begin to appear in the people at the time of Dvāpara.: covetousness, lack of fortitude, trading mentality, war-mindedness, indecision about principles, inter-mixture of castes, indecision about duties, destruction of sacrificial plants and animals, pride, arrogance, impatience and weakness. These vices provoked by Rajas and Tamas Guņas prevail in Dvāpara Age.
5. In Kruta Age Dharma is natural; in Tretā it is sought and attained. In Dväpara it becomes agitated and intensly affected, and in Kali it perishes.
6. In Kali Age the order of the castes gets destroyed. The discipline of the different stages of life is disturbed and confused. Doubts (due to variance) in Shrutis and Smrutis begin to rise.
7. Owing to the difference between Shrutis and Smrutis, no decision is arrived at. Due to indecision, principles of Dharma cannot be declared. When the principles diverge, there is difference of opinion among men.
8. Owing to mutual difference in their views and delusion, no definite decision as to what is Dharma and what is not, can be arrived at.
9. In view of the defects in the causes and the indecisions therein, differences in opinion arise leading to these peculiarities of outlook (or philosophy).
10. Multiplicity of scriptures has been created by the people of different (philosophical) outlooks. A single unified Veda is divided into four in Tretă Age.
11. Due to the short span of life as found in Dväpara Yuga, the Veda is classified into four by Vedavyasas (in Dvåpara Yugas).
12. The Vedas are further sub-divided into Mantras and Brāhmaṇas by the descendants of sages by alterations on accents, syllables etc. in accordance with their different outlooks.
13. The Samhitás of the Ruk, Säman and Yajur Vedas were compiled by sages expert in Shrutis occasionally with general and special (known as Vedic Vikrutis) changes according to different standpoints.
14. Consequently Brāhmaṇa (works), Kalpa Sūtras and Mantra-Pravachanas (different scriptural texts) came into existence.
Some were abandoned by authoritative teachers while others were retained.
15. In Dväpara Age Brāhmaṇas began to disregard the rules of conduct and stages of life. Formerly there was one Yajurveda; later it was bifurcated into Shukla and Krishna Yajurveda).
16. This entire scriptural lore became confused by the general and perverted interpretations. By the discourses on (the interpretation of the Yajurveda, it was greatly impaired.
17. So also, by means of innumerable alterations and variations, the Atharvan, Ruk and Säman have been confused in Dvåpara by the people of different views.
18. These diverse and different versions do not perish in spite of alterations in Dvāpara Age. They continue to function but in Kaliyuga they perish.
19. Effects of these contrarieties and errors take shape in Dvāpara itself as calamities such as draughts, premature deaths, epidemics.
20. Due to miseries born of verbal, mental and physical acts, despondency and indifference to worldly life sets in, as a result of which they begin to ponder over the ways of relief from misery.
21. The pondering leads to detachment; from detachment, defects (of the worldly life) are seen. As a result of seeing defects, there is the possibility of spiritual knowledge in Dvāpara Age.
22. In Dväpara Age, rival (scriptures and sects) crop up against the scriptures which were honoured formerly in the first Svayambhuva Manvantara.
23. There are variations and alterations in the science of Ayurveda, Jyotisha and the ancillaries of the Vedas; there are doubts and variations in regard to the texts on political economy and logic.
24. There are diversities and variations in the Smruti texts. Separate systems and schools (of theology and philosophy) are established. In Dväpara Yuga difference of opinion starts among men.
25. The life of all living beings in Dväpara Age becomes arduous involving bodily strain. Livelihood is possible only by mental, verbal and physical strain.
26-27. Covetousness, lack of fortitude, mercantile activities, wars, indecision in regard to philosophical principles, handling and editing of the Vedic texts, inter-mixture of holy rites, diseases, sickness, greed, slaughter, breakdown in the system and rules of castes and stages of life, and susceptibility to passion and hatred - all these are rampant in Dvāpara Age.
28-29. The traits of Dväpara are evident in the Sandhya period but a little. They become deficient in quality. In the quarter of the Sandhya period, a part of it persists.
30. Now listen and understand the traits of Kaliyuga.1 At the close of transitional period of Dväpara, Kaliyuga begins.
1. This gloomy picture of Kali Age is found in almost all Puranas e.g. Mbh. Vana, chs. 188; 190, Br. P. chs. 229-230, Mt. P. 144. 32-47, VP. VI. 1.
31. These are the characteristics of Kaliyuga: violence, jealousy, falsehood, deception and slaughter of ascetics. These are the characteristics of Kali Age which people inherit.
32. Affected by the traits of the Age, entire Dharma deteriorates. It is doubtful whether the livelihood (of the people) can be achieved even by putting up mental strain, physical exertion or prayers.
33. In Kali Age, there are fatal diseases. There is perpetual fear of hunger. There is terrible danger of drought. Vision is blurred and rendered perverse.
34. In Kaliyuga, people do not accept the authority of Smrutis. Some die in the womb, others die in youth. Some die in old age and some in childhood, in Kali Yuga.
35. In Kali age people are unrighteous, unmindful of the rules of conduct, fierce in anger but deficient in power and splendour. They always utter falsehood.
36. There is danger and fear to people owing to wrong performance of sacrifices, neglect of (Vedic) studies, evil conduct, misleading religious scriptures and faults in the performance of holy rites of Brahmaņas.
The consensus of Puranas shows that this was probably the actual state of Indian society when the Puranas came to be written.
37. In Kali age creatures are affected by passion and greed. They become violent, deceptive, malicious, hot-tempered, impatient and untruthful.
38. There is much of agitation and turbulence at the advent of Kaliyuga. There is no regular study of the Vedas. The Brahamaņas do not perform Yajñas. All men inclusive of Kşhattriyas and Vaishyas gradually decay.
39. Low-born and insignificant persons have contact with Brāhmaṇas in sharing beds, seats and food in Kali Age.
40. Kings are mainly Shūdras propagating heretic ideas. People never hesitate to kill a child in the womb. They behave in such a way.
41. Longevity, intellect, strength, beauty and familyprestige decline. Shūdras behave like Brahmanas and Brāhmaṇas adopt the ways of Shūdras.
42. When the end of the Yuga approaches, thieves and robbers administer kingdoms like kings; kings adopt the methods of thieves and robbers. Servants are bereft of love, friendship and loyalty (to their masters).
43. Women become unchaste and disinterested in holy rites. They become fond of wine and meat. When Kali Age sets in, they resort to deceptive means.
44. In Kali Age beasts of prey become more numerous and powerful. Cattles die and dwindle. Saintly men withdraw and keep aloof.
45. At that time excessively fruitful but very subtle Dharma becomes difficult of access. Since the conduct of life of those who enjoy, in the various stages of life, is loose and un bridled, Dharma gets shaken.
46. Then, when the end of the age approaches, even the great goddess like the earth will yield but little fruit. Shūdras will begin to perform penance.
47. But piety practised for one day (in Kali Yuga) is equal to that practised for a month in Dväpara and a year in Tretā Age.
48. The kings never protect the subjects. They appropriate their shares in oblations. Towards the end of the Yuga, they become eager solely to protect themselves.
49. The kings do not belong to the Kşhattriya clan. Vaishyas maintain themselves with the help of Shūdras. The noble Brāhmaṇas perform obeisance to Shūdras at the end of Kali Age.
50. In Kali Age there will be (wicked) persons in the guise of sages. When the Yuga is about to come to a close, the god of rains will shower in a mysteriously haphazard manner.
51. In this base Yuga, people will have trading propensity. By false measures, the buyers will be deceived of their due share in the commodities.
52. The whole society abounds in heretics of foul conduct and activity with their false appearance. Men will be in a minority and women will be many, when the end of Kaliyuga is imminent.
53. People will be begging too much of one another. They will habitually eat meat. They will be using harsh words. They will not be straightforward or free from jealousy.
54. No one helps in return for the help received. People will get emaciated and weak. They will indulge unhesitatingly in the activities causing downfall. That is the characteristic of the Yuga coming to a close.
55. The earth will be devoid of good men. It will be desolate. In countries and cities, there will be groups and cliques.
56. The earth will be deficient in water and less fertile. Protectors (i.e. those who ought to protect) will not protect. They will not exercise control over the administration.
57. People will take away others’ gems and jewels. They will molest other men’s wives. They will be passionate with a wicked heart. They will revel in violent sinful activities.
58. The men have unlikeable consciousness (?) They keep their hair untied and dishevelled. Towards the close of the Yuga, men less than sixteen years will begin to procreate.
59. When the close of Yuga is imminent, Shūdras exhibiting their white teeth, with clean shaven heads and wearing ochre-coloured robes will perform sacred rites, proclaiming that they have conquered the sense-organs.1
1. Probably a reference to Buddhist monks, as Buddhism prevailed all over India at the time of these Purāņas.
60. There will be thieves stealing food crops and garments. There will be looters robbing other robbers and abductors of murderers.
61. When perfect knowledge and holy rites disappear in the world, when people become inactive (in religious matters) even worms, mice and serpents will attack men.
62. Abundance, welfare, good health and ability will become rare. Owls will begin to infest the countries afflicted by the fear of hunger.
63. The maximum life expectation of the people afflicted by misery will be a hundred years. In Kali Yuga, the Vedas will be seen in some places and not seen in some places.
64-66. Yajñas are forsaken when Dharma receives a setback. There will be many types of heretics like wearers of ochre-coloured robes (Buddhists), Jainas and Kapalikas (skull-bearing mendicants). There will be sellers of the Vedas and of the sacred places. Heretics antagonistic to the discipline and arrangement of different castes and stages of life will be born. When Kali Yuga sets in, the Vedas will not be studied. Shūdras will be experts and authorities in the affairs of Dharma.
67. Kings born of Shūdra women will not perform Yajñas. The subjects will murder women and slaughter cows. Coming to mutual clash, they will kill one another. And in this way, people will try to accomplish (their object).
68. Due to the spread of misery, people will be short-lived. Realms will be exterminated. Sickness, delusion, dejection, unhappiness and all Tamasic activities prevail in Kali Age.
69. People will kill and destroy children in wombs. With the advent of Kali, longevity, strength and beauty begin to decline. The highest life expectation of men afflicted by misery will be a hundred years.
70. The Vedas will be seen somewhere and not seen in some places. When Dharma is harassed Yajñas are forsaken.
71. At that time men will attain Siddhi in a short time. Blessed people, leading excellent Brāhmanas will perform holy rites at the end of the Yuga.
72. For those who perform the holy rites enjoined by the Śhrutis and Smrutis, without the least tinge of jealousy, the performance of holy rites for a year in Tretă Yuga is equal to that for a month in Dvāpara Age. An intelligent man per forming these in Kali Age according to his capacity, shall attain the same fruit in a day.
73-74. This is the condition in Kali Age. Now understand the condition in the part of the junction (Sandhyāmsha) from me. In every Yuga the achievements (Siddhis) shrink and dwindle by three-fourths. In accordance with the nature of the Yuga, the Sandhyās stay by a quarter. In accordance with the nature of the Sandhyās they are established in their parts by a quarter.
75-76. Thus when the period of junction (Sandhyāmsha) approaches at the close of the (Kali Yuga, a king, the chastiser of the wicked people, will be born after the death (fall) of Bhrụgus. He (will be) Chandramas by Gotra (of the Lunar race). He will be called Pramiti. He was born of a part of Vişhņu formerly in the Svayambhuva Manvantara.
77. He wandered over the earth for full twenty years. He led an army consisting of cavalry, chariots and elephants.
78. He was surrounded by hundreds and thousands of Brāhmaṇas armed with weapons. He killed Mlecchas in thousands.
79. He went everywhere. After killing the kings born of Shūdra women, he exterminated the heretics.
80. He killed thousands of persons who were not religious and righteous. He killed those born of mixed castes as well as those who depended on them.
81-83. He killed the Udichyas (northerners), Madhya Deshyas (people of the Middle Land), mountain-dwellers, easterners, westerners, dwellers in Vindhya and Aparanta. He killed the southerners, Dravidas, Simhalas, Gandhāras, Paradas, Pahlavas, Yavanas, Tuşhāras, Barbaras, Chīnas, Shūlikas, Daradas, Khasas, Lampākas, Ketas, and the different tribes of Kiratas.
84. Setting his wheel (of religious victory) in motion, the powerful lord, the destroyer of Mlecchas, roamed over the earth. He could not be thwarted by any living being.
85. He was born of a part of Lord Vişhnu. This valorous hero was known as Pramiti by people knowing what happened in the previous birth.
86-88. In the previous Kali Yuga, he was of Chandramas Gotra (Lunar race). When he was thirtytwo (he started his victorious march). For twenty years, he continued to slay men and other living beings in thousands. By his firm action, he rendered the earth a relic (memento) of his valour. Due to his anger provoked by mutual causes (bilateral relations) or suddenness, he subdued Vrşhalas who were generally unrighteous. Thereafter, he attained eternal rest along with his followers in the region (confluence?) of Gangā and Yamună.
89-91. When he thus passed away along with his ministers and faithful soldiers, after exterminating all the kings and Mlecchas in thousands, when the period of the part of Sandhyā arrived at the end of the Yuga, and when only a few of the people remained scattered here and there, the unchecked people became active in the world in groups. They harassed one another and sought help of one another.
92. When anarchy prevailed as a result of the Yuga (coming to a close), and when there was doubt and suspense every where among the subjects. they became frightened of one another.
93. They were exhausted and agitated. Eager to preserve their own lives, they left their wives and homes. They became extremely miserable and died.
94. When Dharma based on the Vedas and Smrutis became defunct, people killed one another devoid of the bounds of decency, affection, friendship or shame.
95. Their span of life dwindled to twenty-five years. They became short-sized. They abandoned their wives and sons. Their sense-organs became agitated and their minds dejected.
96. Oppressed by drought and scanty rain, they were forced to abandon cultivation. Being utterly miserable, they left their lands and countries and lived in the frontier.
97. They began to resort to rivers, oceans, wells and mountains. They maintained themselves on fruits and roots, wine and meat. They became very miserable.
98. They wear bark garments and deer skins. They have no wives or sons. They fall off from the system of castes and stages of life. They resort to a terrible promiscuous intermixture of castes.
99. They reach the limit of misery. Only a few of them survive. They are oppressed by old age, sickness and hunger. Due to misery they become indifferent to worldly existence.
100. Due to this despondency and indifference, they begin to ponder. By pondering over they attain the state of equanimity. In the state of equanimity, they are enlightened. Due to enlightenment they become pious.
101. When those subjects surviving at the end of Kali Age are thus enlightened, in a single day and night the Yuga is transformed.
102. After making their minds enchanted Krutayuga sets in due to the power of the inevitable destiny.
103. When Krutayuga begins to function again, the few subjects surviving from Kaliyuga become the subjects of Krutayuga.
104. Those Siddhas who stay move about and are seen clearly. The Seven Sages are also ever present there.
105. Brahmanas, Kşhattriyas, Vaishyas and Shūdras who are to serve as seeds for future generation become non-differentiated from those who are born of Kali.
106. The Seven Sages instruct them and the others too in the two types of Dharma prescribed by Shrutis and Smrutis as well as in the conduct pertaining to the castes and stages of life.
107. Then in Kruta Yuga, people (subjects) perform the sacred rites. To the subjects of the Kruta Age Dharma based on Shrutis and Smrutis is laid down by the Seven Sages.
108. For establishment of Dharma among the subjects, the Sages remain in authority over the whole of Manvantara and stay on (live) to the end of the Yuga.
109-110. Just as new shoots grow from the roots of grasses that are burnt during the summer in the forest-fire, so also the new Yuga grows out of the old Yuga. Till the end of the Manvantara this series goes on without break.
111. Happiness, longevity, strength, beauty, virtue (Dharma), wealth and love-all these become reduced by one fourth from one Yuga to another.
112. In the parts of junctions of Yugas (Sandhyāṁśhas) the Siddhis of Dharma become almost extinct. Thus, O Brahmanas, the Pratisandhi (the period of transition between Yugas) has been narrated to you.
113-114. By means of this alone should all the sets of four Yugas be known. When the set of four Yugas repeats a thousand times, it is the day of god Brahma. His night is also of the same duration. In it, there is simplicity and inactiveness of the Bhūtas (elements).
115. This alone is the trait of all Yugas. Seventy-one cycles of the sets of four Yugas occurring successively constitute a Manvantara.
116. In a single set of four Yugas everything happens in the manner you have heard now. In the other sets of four Yugas also the same thing happens in the same order.
117. The differences that occur in the various creations are confined to twenty-five, neither more nor less.
118. So also ‘the Kalpas and the Yugas are similar in characteristics. This alone is the characteristic sign of all the Manvantaras.
119. So also the transitions of the Yugas occur naturally. They are eternal as well. But the living beings that undergo modifications in the form of dissolution and re-creation cannot be permanent.
120. Thus the characteristics of Yugas have been briefly mentioned, the Yugas of the past and future in all Manvantaras.
121-122. In respect of the future Manvantaras the traits shall be inferred from the previous one. In the Manvantaras whether of the past or of the future, know that the Manvantaras shall be explained by the present one; one Kalpa is explained by explaining another.1
1. cf. Dhāta yathapūrvam akalpayat
-Mahānārāyaniya Up.5.7.
123-124. The eight classes of Devas, sages and Manus are also similar in all Manvantaras in names, forms and purposes.
The division of the four castes and stages of lite is the same in every Yuga.
125. The Lord arranges for the creation and the division of castes and stages in the different Yugas in accordance with the nature of those Yugas for the purposes of fulfilling the functions, in the respective Yugas.
126. The topic has been narrated in brief. Now listen to and understand the creation of the world. I shall explain the situation in different Yugas in details and in proper order.