Shloka 31
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
व्रतप्रतिनिधिश्वैव तस्मिन् काले प्रवर्तते । भरतश्रेष्ठ सहस्र युगकी समाप्तिमें जब थोड़ा-सा ही समय शेष रह जाता है
Vaiśampāyana uvāca — vratapratinidhiś caiva tasmin kāle pravartate | brāhmaṇāḥ śūdrakarmāṇas tathā śūdrā dhanārjakāḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «En ce temps-là, de simples substituts des observances religieuses seront en vogue. Les brāhmaṇas prendront les métiers propres aux śūdras, et les śūdras s’appliqueront à l’acquisition des richesses — signes du déclin de l’âge ultime, lorsque la vérité s’éteint et que sacrifice, charité et austérité ne sont plus accomplis selon la règle entière.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse portrays late-age (Kali-yuga) moral and religious decline: authentic vows and disciplines are replaced by nominal substitutes, and social duties become confused—highlighting the ethical concern that dharma becomes externalized and reduced to appearances rather than principled conduct.
Vaiśampāyana continues a description of the characteristics of a degenerate age, noting that proxy or token forms of religious observance become common and that traditional roles blur, with Brāhmaṇas taking up Śūdra-type occupations and Śūdras focusing on wealth-making.