Shloka 8

Matsya Purana — Yuga Durations

Devanagari script

त्रेतायां विकृतिं यान्ति वर्णास्त्वेते न संशयः चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य वैकृत्याद् यान्ति दौर्बल्यमाश्रमाः //

Transliteration

tretāyāṃ vikṛtiṃ yānti varṇāstvete na saṃśayaḥ cāturvarṇyasya vaikṛtyād yānti daurbalyamāśramāḥ //

Translation

In the Tretā Yuga, these social classes (varṇas) indeed fall into distortion—there is no doubt. And because the fourfold social order becomes corrupted, the stages of life (āśramas) also lapse into weakness and decline.

Word by Word

• त्रेतायाम् (tretāyām): in the Tretā Yuga

• विकृतिम् (vikṛtim): distortion, deterioration, perversion of the proper form

• यान्ति (yānti): go, fall into

• वर्णाः (varṇāḥ): the social classes/orders

• तु (tu): indeed

• एते (ete): these

• न (na): not

• संशयः (saṃśayaḥ): doubt

• चातुर्वर्ण्यस्य (cāturvarṇyasya): of the fourfold varna system

• वैकृत्यात् (vaikṛtyāt): due to corruption/distortion

• यान्ति (yānti): go to, become subject to

• दौर्बल्यम् (daurbalyam): weakness, enfeeblement, loss of strength

• आश्रमाः (āśramāḥ): the life-stages (brahmacarya, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, saṃnyāsa)

Speaker

• Lord Matsya (Vishnu) instructing Vaivasvata Manu (contextual attribution within Matsya Purana’s Manu dialogue)

Entities Mentioned

• Tretā Yuga
• Varna
• Chaturvarnya
• Ashrama

Tags

• Yuga-Dharma
• Varna-Ashrama
• Social Decline
• Dharma
• Ethics

FAQs

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

This verse is not about cosmic dissolution (pralaya); it describes moral and institutional decline within time (yuga), specifically the weakening of varṇa and āśrama structures in the Tretā Yuga.

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

It implies that when the varṇa framework is corrupted, āśrama duties also weaken; therefore a king should protect dharma through fair governance and discipline, and householders should uphold their prescribed duties so society does not lose strength.

What is the architectural or ritual significance mentioned here?

No direct Vāstu or temple-architecture rule is stated here; the takeaway is indirect—ritual life and social institutions lose efficacy when dharma (varna–āśrama order) is distorted.