Shloka 22

Yuga-Dharma, Kalpa Measure, Purāṇa Definitions, and the Kali-Yuga Power of Nāma-Kīrtana

Devanagari script

द्वापरान्तेन च हरिर्गुरुभारमपाहरत् / एकपादस्थिते धर्मे कृष्णत्वञ्चाच्युते गते

Transliteration

dvāparāntena ca harirgurubhāramapāharat / ekapādasthite dharme kṛṣṇatvañcācyute gate

Translation

Am Ende des Dvāpara-Zeitalters nahm Hari die schwere Last der Erde hinweg. Als Dharma nur noch auf einem Fuß stand, ging Acyuta, der Unfehlbare Herr, in der Gestalt Kṛṣṇas fort.

Word by Word

• द्वापरान्तेन: by/at the end of the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरान्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर-अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; द्वापरस्य अन्तः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; करण/हेतु-अर्थे (by/at the end of Dvāpara)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• गुरुभारम्: the heavy burden
• गुरुभारम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु-भार (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; गुरुश्चासौ भारः इति कर्मधारयः

• अपाहरत्: removed/took away
• अपाहरत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप-हृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/भूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; सकर्मक

• एकपादस्थिते: when (it was) standing on one foot/quarter
• एकपादस्थिते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक-पाद-स्थित (कृदन्त; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘स्थित’ (क्त, past participle) from √स्था; एकस्मिन् पादे स्थितः इति तत्पुरुषः; अधिकरणे (locative absolute-like with dharme)

• धर्मे: in dharma (righteousness)
• धर्मे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरणे

• कृष्णत्वम्: the state of being Krishna (Krishna-hood)
• कृष्णत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णत्व (प्रातिपदिक; भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भाववाचक-प्रत्यय (त्व)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अच्युते: in/with Acyuta (the infallible Lord)
• अच्युते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम; अधिकरणे

• गते: having gone (when he had departed)
• गते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; ‘अच्युते गते’ इति सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute): when Acyuta had gone

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrative voice within Vishnu–Garuda dialogue)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Yuga-dharma: Dharma diminishes across ages; divine avatāra-līlā withdraws when the cosmic burden is removed.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara as the regulator of cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) and the impermanence of manifest forms; impetus toward detachment and refuge in the eternal.

Application: Recognize moral decline as cyclical; respond by strengthening personal dharma and devotion rather than despairing over societal change.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (yuga-varṇana sections in Preta/Dharma-kāṇḍa contexts)

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Dharma
• Acyuta
• Krishna
• Dvapara Yuga

FAQs

What is the importance of Dharma standing on one foot in the Garuda Purana?

It signals the onset of Kali-yuga, when righteousness remains only minimally present; the verse uses this image to describe the moral-spiritual decline accompanying the age transition.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s broader teaching?

By marking Kṛṣṇa’s departure and the weakening of Dharma, it frames later teachings on ethical restraint, sin, and remedial rites as especially urgent in Kali-yuga.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Since Dharma is described as weakened, the takeaway is to consciously uphold truthfulness, self-control, and duty—strengthening personal dharma despite the pressures of the age.