Shloka 42

कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना

Devanagari script

पलितोद्भवश् च भविता तदा द्वादशवार्षिकः नातिजीवति वै कश्चित् कलौ वर्षाणि विंशतिः

Transliteration

palitodbhavaś ca bhavitā tadā dvādaśavārṣikaḥ nātijīvati vai kaścit kalau varṣāṇi viṃśatiḥ

Translation

Then even one who is only twelve years old will show grey hair; and in Kali, indeed, no one will live beyond twenty years.

Word by Word

• पलितोद्भवः: appearance of gray hair
• पलितोद्भवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पलित-उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक; पलित + उद्भव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (पलितस्य उद्भवः)

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

• भविता: will be
• भविता: Kriya (Predicative/क्रिया-समानार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) → भवितृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: परिप्रयोगे भविष्यदर्थक-कर्तृवाचक-नाम (भविता = ‘will be’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्ये भविष्यति-समर्थः

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• द्वादशवार्षिकः: twelve-year(-old)
• द्वादशवार्षिकः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वादश-वार्षिक (प्रातिपदिक; द्वादश + वार्षिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (द्वादश वर्षाणि यस्य/द्वादशवर्षीयः); ‘पलितोद्भवः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• अतिजीवति: lives beyond/exceeds (in lifespan)
• अतिजीवति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-जीव् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्; ‘अति’ उपसर्गः

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic)

• कश्चित्: anyone/someone
• कश्चित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कश्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun)

• कलौ: in Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (कलियुगे)

• वर्षाणि: years
• वर्षाणि: Karma (Object/कर्म; measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; परिमाण/अवधि-निर्देशे

• विंशतिः: twenty
• विंशतिः: Visheshana (Numeral qualifier/संख्या-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (प्रातिपदिक; संख्या)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संख्याशब्दः, ‘वर्षाणि’ इत्यस्य संख्या-निर्देशकः

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Human degeneration in Kali-yuga (āyus and bodily decline)

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In Kali-yuga the body rapidly decays and lifespan contracts, urging dispassion and urgency in pursuing the highest good.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Practice daily remembrance of Vishnu, simplify desires, and prioritize sādhana now rather than postponing spiritual life.

Vishishtadvaita: Because time and body are the Lord’s modes, their fragility should turn the jīva toward prapatti/bhakti to the indwelling Hari as sole refuge.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Humankind (people of Kali)

FAQs

What is the significance of shortened lifespan in Kali Yuga in the Vishnu Purana?

It functions as a key marker of Kali’s degeneration: bodily vigor, longevity, and maturity diminish as dharma wanes under the pressure of time.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the effects of Kali on human life?

Through concrete, observable signs—premature aging and drastically reduced lifespan—Parāśara depicts Kali as an age where human capacity rapidly declines.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even as Kali brings decay, the Purana frames time and the yuga-cycle as operating within Vishnu’s supreme governance, implying that decline is not ultimate but part of a divinely ordered cosmic rhythm.