Shloka 32
कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः
Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma
निवृत्तयज्ञस्वाध्याया दण्डाजिनविवर्जिता:
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 ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : «Dans la portion finale de l’âge de Kali —au terme du long cycle des âges— les brahmanes abandonneront le sacrifice et l’étude védique ; ils renonceront au bâton et à la peau d’antilope qui marquent la vie de discipline. Rejetant le discernement du licite et de l’illicite en matière de nourriture, ils deviendront sans choix dans le boire et le manger. Mon cher, les brahmanes fuiront le japa (récitation sacrée), tandis que les śūdras s’adonneront à la récitation des mantras védiques.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
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.
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.