Shloka 38
Yoga-Sleep, Cosmic Dissolution, and the Lotus of Creation
with Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vision
तदा वर्षसहस्रं तु वर्षाणां द्वे शते तथा । यत्राधर्मश्चतुष्पादो धर्मः पादपरिग्रहः
tadā varṣasahasraṃ tu varṣāṇāṃ dve śate tathā | yatrādharmaścatuṣpādo dharmaḥ pādaparigrahaḥ
Entonces sobrevino un período de mil años, y asimismo de doscientos años, en el cual el adharma se afirmaba en sus cuatro pies, mientras el dharma quedaba reducido al sostén de un solo pie.
Unspecified narrator (context-dependent within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narration)
Concept: There are phases in Kali where adharma becomes fully established while dharma is reduced to a minimal remnant; spiritual effort must be concentrated when conditions are most adverse.
Application: Do not wait for ideal conditions: keep a small, consistent practice (one ‘foot’ of dharma)—daily japa, Ekādaśī, or Tulasi worship—especially during personal ‘Kali phases.’
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A cosmic wheel of time turns overhead, its spokes labeled with fading virtues; below, Adharma stands as a four-legged iron bull planted firmly on scorched ground. Dharma appears as a single-legged, luminous calf-like form, balancing precariously yet refusing to fall, while a distant conch-shaped cloud hints at Vishnu’s protective presence.","primary_figures":["Personified Time (Kāla) as a wheel","Adharma (four-legged bull)","Dharma (one-legged fragile bull/calf)","subtle Vishnu symbol (conch/cakra in sky)"],"setting":"Mythic wasteland under a rotating yuga-chakra sky; broken pillars of virtue like toppled temple columns","lighting_mood":"storm-dark with intermittent divine flashes","color_palette":["iron black","storm violet","burnt umber","cold silver","electric gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: dramatic yuga-chakra in the upper register with gold leaf spokes; Adharma as a powerful dark bull with embossed gold harness; Dharma as a small luminous one-legged figure with a thin gold halo; ornate border, deep crimson and emerald accents, traditional iconographic symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a poetic yet ominous landscape with a delicate time-wheel in the sky; Adharma heavy and grounded, Dharma tiny but radiant; cool grays and violets, fine detailing, distant mountains and a faint temple silhouette to suggest hope.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold circular Kāla-wheel with stylized glyphs; Adharma and Dharma rendered with strong outlines and flat pigments; lightning-like golden strokes indicating Vishnu’s unseen protection; temple-wall aesthetic with red/yellow/green dominance.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central circular mandala as yuga-wheel with lotus-petal borders; Adharma encroaching from four corners; Dharma as a small white motif near the center; deep indigo cloth, gold and silver highlights, intricate floral frames to contrast decay with devotional artistry."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["thunder rumble","conch blast (single)","wind","sudden silence after cadence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: वर्षसहस्रम् = वर्ष + सहस्रम्; यत्राधर्मः = यत्र + अधर्मः; अधर्मश्चतुष्पादः = अधर्मः + चतुष्पादः.
FAQs
It uses the traditional imagery of stability: four feet implies full strength and dominance, while one foot implies severe weakening—suggesting a time when unrighteousness prevails and dharma survives only marginally.
The verse describes a condition typical of dharma’s decline (often associated with later yugas). However, this single shloka does not explicitly name the yuga; identification depends on the surrounding verses of Adhyaya 39.
The shloka warns that societies can reach periods where wrongdoing becomes normalized and stable, while righteousness becomes fragile—implying the need for deliberate cultivation and protection of dharma through conduct, restraint, and right understanding.