Shloka 12

Devanagari script

चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैकं कृतादिषु यथाक्रमम् दिव्याब्दानां सहस्राणि युगेष्व् आहुः पुराविदः

Transliteration

catvāri trīṇi dve caikaṃ kṛtādiṣu yathākramam divyābdānāṃ sahasrāṇi yugeṣv āhuḥ purāvidaḥ

Translation

The sages of old declare that, in the yugas beginning with Kṛta, the thousands of divine years are—respectively—four, three, two, and one, in due order.

Word by Word

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया द्विवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधकः अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; संख्याविशेषणम्

• कृतादिषु: in the Kṛta etc. (yugas)
• कृतादिषु: अधिकरण (Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी (७/अधिकरण) बहुवचनम्; समासः: कृत-आदि (कृतादयः)

• यथाक्रमम्: in order
• यथाक्रमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा + क्रम (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्ययम्; अव्ययीभावः (in due order)

• दिव्याब्दानाम्: of divine years
• दिव्याब्दानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्य + अब्द (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी (६/सम्बन्ध) बहुवचनम्; कर्मधारयः (दिव्याः अब्दाः)

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा (१/कर्ता) बहुवचनम्

• युगेषु: in the yugas
• युगेषु: अधिकरण (Locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (७/अधिकरण) बहुवचनम्

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रिया (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/परिपूर्ण) प्रथमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• पुराविदः: the knowers of old (ancients)
• पुराविदः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरा + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; ‘पुराविद्’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (१/कर्ता) बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (पुराणि वेत्ति इति)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Relative lengths of the four yugas in thousands of divine years

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Yuga: Satya/Treta/Dvapara/Kali

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The four yugas have proportionate durations—4, 3, 2, 1 thousand divine years—establishing a declining temporal rhythm across the ages.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the yuga-proportions to frame ethical urgency and personal discipline, especially in later ages where time for practice feels compressed.

Vishishtadvaita: Temporal gradation supports a real, ordered cosmos wherein dharma waxes and wanes under the Lord’s governance rather than being illusory.

Characters & Entities

• Ancient sages (purāvidaḥ)
• Kṛta (Satya) Yuga
• Dvāpāra Yuga

FAQs

What is the significance of the four Yugas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse gives the core proportional measure of the Yugas—4, 3, 2, 1 thousand divine years—forming the Purana’s framework for cosmic history and the gradual decline of dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Yuga durations to Maitreya?

He presents them as a traditional, authoritative teaching of the ancient seers, stating the ordered sequence of divine-year thousands for Kṛta through Kali.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By grounding time itself in an ordered cosmic law, the text prepares the Vaishnava view that the universe’s cycles unfold under the sovereignty of Vishnu, the sustaining Supreme Reality.