उत्तङ्कोपाख्यानप्रारम्भः — Uttanka’s Tapas, Viṣṇu-stuti, and the Dhundhumāra Prophecy
Opening
पश्चिमे युगकाले च य: स ते सम्प्रकीर्तित: । सर्वलोकस्य विदिता युगसंख्या च पाण्डव,धर्मका यह स्वरूप सत्ययुगमें अक्षुण्ण रहेगा। त्रेता, द्वापर तथा कलियुगमें धर्मकी जैसी स्थिति रहेगी, उसका वर्णन तुमसे किया जा चुका है। पाण्डुनन्दन! तुम्हें सम्पूर्ण लोककी युग-संख्याका ज्ञान भी हो चुका है
paścime yugakāle ca yaḥ sa te samprakīrtitaḥ | sarvalokasya viditā yugasaṅkhyā ca pāṇḍava ||
Mārkaṇḍeya berkata: “Dia yang muncul pada penghujung zaman yuga itu pun telah kuuraikan kepadamu dengan semestinya. Wahai Pāṇḍava, engkau juga telah mengetahui perhitungan yuga yang dikenal di seluruh dunia.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
The verse underscores that dharma and human conduct are to be understood against the backdrop of cosmic time: the yugas have a recognized order and measure, and knowledge of this cycle helps interpret how righteousness changes and declines across ages.
Sage Mārkaṇḍeya, speaking to Yudhiṣṭhira in the forest, concludes a section of instruction by noting that he has already described the figure associated with the end of an age and that Yudhiṣṭhira has now learned the universally accepted chronology (yuga-count) as well.