Shloka 10

Kali's Complaint to Brahma (Part 2) — Kali’s Complaint to Brahma and the Arrival of Śrī (Jayaśrī) in Bali’s Reign

Devanagari script

कृतः प्रावर्त्तत तदा कलेर्नासात् जगत्त्रये धर्मो ऽभवच्चतुष्पादश्चातुर्वर्ण्ये ऽपि नारद

Transliteration

kṛtaḥ prāvarttata tadā kalernāsāt jagattraye dharmo 'bhavaccatuṣpādaścāturvarṇye 'pi nārada

Translation

Then the Kṛta (age) commenced again, owing to the destruction (or suppression) of Kali, throughout the three worlds; and Dharma became four-footed again, even within the system of the four varṇas, O Nārada.

Speakers

• Narrator addressing Nārada

Primary Deities

• Kali (personified)

Key Themes

• Yuga-cycle regulation
• Restoration of Satya/Kṛta order
• Dharma as a fourfold support
• Social order (Varṇa) aligned with cosmic order

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What does ‘Dharma became four-footed’ mean?

A standard Purāṇic metaphor: in Kṛta-yuga Dharma stands on four ‘feet’—typically understood as truthfulness, purity, compassion, and austerity (or closely related virtues). As yugas decline, Dharma loses feet (becoming three-, two-, and one-footed), symbolizing progressive moral weakening.

Does ‘kaler nāśa’ mean Kali-yuga ends permanently?

Not necessarily permanent annihilation; it can mean Kali’s effective suppression or removal from influence in that cycle/episode. Purāṇic narratives often describe Kali being bound, banished, or restricted, allowing Kṛta-like conditions to prevail again.

Why mention ‘even in cāturvarṇya’?

The verse emphasizes that the restoration is not only cosmic but social: the fourfold varṇa system functions properly when Dharma is complete—each group performing its svadharma without corruption, exploitation, or inversion of duties.