Shloka 32

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

निवृत्तयज्ञस्वाध्याया दण्डाजिनविवर्जिता:

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | nivṛtta-yajña-svādhyāyā daṇḍājina-vivarjitāḥ | (sahasra-caturyugake antima) kali-yugake antima-bhāge brāhmaṇā yajñaṃ svādhyāyaṃ daṇḍam ajinaṃ ca tyakṣyanti, bhakṣyābhakṣya-vivekaṃ vihāya sarva-bhakṣa-bhojino bhaviṣyanti | tāta! brāhmaṇā japaṃ dūrataḥ parityakṣyanti, śūdrāś ca vaidika-mantra-japeṣu saṃlagnā bhaviṣyanti ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana dijo: «En la porción final de la era de Kali —al término del largo ciclo de las edades— los brahmanes abandonarán el sacrificio y el estudio védico; dejarán el bastón y la piel de antílope que señalan la vida disciplinada. Descartando el discernimiento sobre lo que es apto o no para comer, se volverán indiscriminados en comida y bebida. Oh querido, los brahmanes huirán del japa (recitación sagrada), mientras que los śūdras se ocuparán en la recitación de mantras védicos.»

Word by Word

• निवृत्त: having ceased/turned away
• निवृत्त: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निवृत्त (√वृत् + नि, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यज्ञ: in sacrifice; in ritual
• यज्ञ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• स्वाध्यायाः: self-study/recitation (of Veda)
• स्वाध्यायाः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाध्याय
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• दण्ड: with/using a staff
• दण्ड: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दण्ड
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• अजिन: with/using a deer-skin
• अजिन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अजिन
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• विवर्जिताः: devoid of; having abandoned
• विवर्जिताः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवर्जित (वि + √वृज्/√वर्ज्, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Kali-yuga
• Brāhmaṇas
• Śūdras
• yajña
• svādhyāya
• daṇḍa
• ajina
• japa
• Vedic mantras

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Kali-yuga as a period where dharma weakens: traditional markers of disciplined religious life—sacrifice, Vedic study, ascetic emblems, dietary discernment, and japa—are neglected by those expected to uphold them, indicating ethical and spiritual inversion.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana delivers a future-oriented description (a Kali-yuga sign) in which Brahmins abandon customary Vedic duties and restraints, while Śūdras are depicted as taking up Vedic mantra-recitation—presented as a reversal of expected social-religious roles.