Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कृते चतुष्पात्‌ सकलो निर्व्याजोपाधिवर्जित: । वृष: प्रतिष्ितो धर्मो मनुष्ये भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! सत्ययुगमें मनुष्योंके भीतर वृषरूप धर्म अपने चारों पादोंसे युक्त होनेके कारण सम्पूर्ण रूपमें प्रतिष्ठित होता है। उसमें छल-कपट या दम्भ नहीं होता

Transliteration

kṛte catuṣpāt sakalo nirvyājopādhivarjitaḥ | vṛṣaḥ pratiṣṭhito dharmo manuṣye bharatarṣabha ||

Translation

Markandeya said: “In the Kṛta (Satya) Yuga, O bull among the Bharatas, Dharma—likened to a mighty bull—stands firmly established among human beings in its complete form, supported by all four ‘feet’. In that age it is free from deceit, pretense, and any taint of ulterior motive.”

Word by Word

कृतेin the Kṛta (Satya) age

चतुष्पात्four-footed (having four quarters)

सकलःentire, complete

निर्व्याजोपाधिवर्जितःfree from deceit and pretence/guile

वृषःthe bull (symbol)

प्रतिष्ठितःestablished, firmly set

धर्मःdharma, righteousness

मनुष्येin man / in mankind

भरतर्षभO bull among the Bharatas

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Bharatarṣabha (addressed Bharata prince)

Kṛta Yuga (Satya Yuga)

Dharma (as Vṛṣa, the bull)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse teaches that in the Kṛta/Satya Yuga, dharma is complete and stable—symbolized as a bull standing on four feet—and human conduct is naturally aligned with truth and integrity, without deceit or hypocritical display.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the characteristics of the yugas to his listener (addressed as ‘Bharatarṣabha’), beginning with the ideal condition of the Kṛta Yuga where dharma is fully established among people.