Shloka 13

उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy

Opening

Devanagari script

व्यवहाररता वैश्या भविष्यन्ति कृते युगे । षट्कर्मनिरता वित्रा: क्षत्रिया विक्रमे रता:

Transliteration

vyavahāraratā vaiśyā bhaviṣyanti kṛte yuge | ṣaṭkarmaniratā viprāḥ kṣatriyā vikrame ratāḥ ||

Translation

Dijo Mārkaṇḍeya: «En el Kṛta Yuga, los Vaiśyas se consagrarán al trato justo y al comercio ordenado; los Brāhmaṇas se aplicarán a los seis deberes prescritos; y los Kṣatriyas hallarán gozo en el valor y en las empresas heroicas».

Word by Word

व्यवहाररताःengaged in trade/transactions

वैश्याःVaishyas (merchant class)

भविष्यन्तिwill be / will become

कृतेin the Kṛta (age)

युगेin the age/epoch

षट्कर्मनिरताःdevoted to the six duties

विप्राःBrahmins

क्षत्रियाःKshatriyas (warrior class)

विक्रमेin valor/heroism

रताःengaged/delighting

Speaker

मार्कण्डेय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Mārkaṇḍeya

Kṛta Yuga

Vaiśya

Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

Kṣatriya

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse presents an idealized social-ethical order for the Kṛta Yuga: each varṇa is portrayed as naturally inclined toward its dharmic function—Vaiśyas toward honest economic conduct, Brāhmaṇas toward the six Vedic duties, and Kṣatriyas toward courageous protection and heroic action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Mārkaṇḍeya is describing characteristics of the Kṛta Yuga, outlining how different social groups behave when dharma is strong and society is harmoniously ordered.