Shloka 26

Matsya Purana — Measures of Time: Caturyuga Computation

Devanagari script

अष्टौ शतसहस्राणि वर्षाणां मानुषाणि तु चतुःषष्टिसहस्राणि वर्षाणां द्वापरं युगम् //

Transliteration

aṣṭau śatasahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ mānuṣāṇi tu catuḥṣaṣṭisahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ dvāparaṃ yugam //

Translation

The Dvāpara Yuga consists of 800,000 human years, with an additional 64,000 years.

Word by Word

• aṣṭau: eight

• śata-sahasrāṇi: hundreds of thousands (i.e., 800,000)

• varṣāṇām: of years

• mānuṣāṇi: human (years)

• tu: indeed/and

• catuḥ-ṣaṣṭi-sahasrāṇi: sixty-four thousand

• varṣāṇām: of years

• dvāparam: Dvāpara

• yugam: age/epoch

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (in discourse to Vaivasvata Manu)

Entities Mentioned

• Dvāpara Yuga

Tags

• Yuga
• CosmicTime
• Manvantara
• PuranaChronology
• DharmaDecline

FAQs

What does this verse reveal about the creation or dissolution (Pralaya)?

It does not describe Pralaya directly; it gives a technical yuga-duration used to situate creation, decline of dharma, and periodic dissolutions within a larger cosmic timetable.

How does this verse relate to the duties of a King or Householder?

By defining Dvāpara’s timescale, it frames the Matsya Purana’s ethical idea that dharma and social duties vary by yuga; rulers and householders are to follow yuga-appropriate conduct as righteousness wanes across epochs.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or ritual rule appears here; however, yuga-calculations are often used in Purāṇas to contextualize when particular temple-building traditions, rites, and dharma-practices are said to flourish or decline.