Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 12

Viṣṇupadī Gaṅgā: Descent, Cosmic Pathways, and Śiva’s Praise of Saṅkarṣaṇa

Devanagari script

एषु पुरुषाणामयुतपुरुषायुर्वर्षाणां देवकल्पानां नागायुतप्राणानां वज्रसंहननबलवयोमोदप्रमुदितमहासौरतमिथुनव्यवायापवर्गवर्षधृतैकगर्भ कलत्राणां तत्र तु त्रेतायुगसम: कालो वर्तते ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

eṣu puruṣāṇām ayuta-puruṣāyur-varṣāṇāṁ deva-kalpānāṁ nāgāyuta-prāṇānāṁ vajra-saṁhanana-bala-vayo-moda-pramudita-mahā-saurata-mithuna-vyavāyāpavarga-varṣa-dhṛtaika-garbha-kalatrāṇāṁ tatra tu tretā-yuga-samaḥ kālo vartate.

Translation

Dans ces huit varṣas, les humains vivent dix mille ans selon le calcul terrestre. Leurs habitants sont presque tels des demi-dieux : ils ont la force de dix mille éléphants et des corps durs comme le vajra. Leur jeunesse est délicieuse, et hommes et femmes goûtent longtemps l’union amoureuse avec une grande jouissance. Après des années de plaisir des sens, lorsqu’il ne reste qu’une année de vie, l’épouse conçoit un enfant. Ainsi, la mesure du plaisir y est semblable à celle des hommes du Tretā-yuga.

Synonyms

• eṣu: in these (regions/places)
• eṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun/सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• puruṣāṇām: of the men
• puruṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• ayuta-puruṣa-āyuḥ-varṣāṇām: of years equal to the lifespan of ten-thousand men
• ayuta-puruṣa-āyuḥ-varṣāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayuta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + āyus (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Compound (समास): Tatpuruṣa; Head: varṣa; Neuter, Genitive (6th), Plural; meaning 'of years (varṣa) of lifespan (āyus) of ayuta (10,000) men (puruṣa)'

• deva-kalpānām: of god-like (divine) duration
• deva-kalpānām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Genitive (6th), Plural; qualifying the preceding genitive group (varṣāṇām)

• nāga-ayuta-prāṇānām: measured by ten-thousand nāga-breaths
• nāga-ayuta-prāṇānām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nāga (प्रातिपदिक) + ayuta (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + prāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th), Plural; qualifying the same genitive group; 'having (counted in) breaths (prāṇa) of ten-thousand nāgas' (hyperbolic measure)

• vajra-saṁhanana-bala-vayas-moda-pramudita-mahā-saurata-mithuna-vyavāya-apavarga-varṣa-dhṛta-eka-garbha-kalatrāṇām: of spouses with year-long single pregnancies and great youthful vigor and pleasure
• vajra-saṁhanana-bala-vayas-moda-pramudita-mahā-saurata-mithuna-vyavāya-apavarga-varṣa-dhṛta-eka-garbha-kalatrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vajra (प्रातिपदिक) + saṁhanana (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + vayas (प्रातिपदिक) + moda (प्रातिपदिक) + pramudita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + saurata (प्रातिपदिक) + mithuna (प्रातिपदिक) + vyavāya (प्रातिपदिक) + apavarga (प्रातिपदिक) + varṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक) + kalatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Long Tatpuruṣa compound (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष); Head: kalatra; Neuter, Genitive (6th), Plural; denotes 'of spouses (kalatra) having one pregnancy (eka-garbha) sustained for a year (varṣa-dhṛta), with great sexual delight (mahā-saurata), pair-union intercourse (mithuna-vyavāya), joy (moda), strength and youth (bala-vayas), adamantine constitution (vajra-saṁhanana), etc.'

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (indeclinable), adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (निपात/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, particle (निपात) indicating contrast/emphasis

• tretā-yuga-samaḥ: equal to the Tretā-yuga
• tretā-yuga-samaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tretā (प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with kālaḥ

• kālaḥ: time
• kālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular

• vartate: prevails/continues
• vartate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vṛt (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; intransitive 'exists/continues'

Purport

There are four yugas: Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. During the first yuga, Satya-yuga, people were very pious. Everyone practiced the mystic yoga system for spiritual understanding and realization of God. Because everyone was always absorbed in samādhi, no one was interested in material sense enjoyment. During Tretā-yuga, people enjoyed sense pleasure without tribulations. Material miseries began in Dvāpara-yuga, but they were not very stringent. Stringent material miseries really began from the advent of Kali-yuga.

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam describe about human lifespan in Jambūdvīpa regions?

This verse says that in certain regions of Jambūdvīpa, people live for ten thousand years with demigod-like bodies, great strength, and stable vitality.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī mention Tretā-yuga-like time in Canto 5?

He is explaining that different parts of the cosmos experience different qualities of time; in those lands, conditions resemble Tretā-yuga—more virtuous, strong, and orderly than Kali-yuga conditions.

How can devotees apply the teaching of regulated enjoyment and time in modern life?

The verse highlights discipline and regulation under dharma; in modern life, it suggests living with self-control and spiritual purpose rather than being driven by uncontrolled senses.