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Shloka 2

Adhyaya 59 — Cosmic Geography and Yuga-Order: Bhadrashva, Ketumala, and the Northern Kuru Region

Sanskrit

अत्रैवैतद्युगानान्तु चातुर्वर्ण्योऽत्र वै द्विज ।

चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैव तथैकञ्च शरच्छतम् ॥

Transliteration

atraivaitad yugānāṃ tu cāturvarṇyo ’tra vai dvija / catvāri trīṇi dve caiva tathaikañ ca śaracchatam

Translation

Wahai dwija yang mulia, di wilayah ini sungguh ada tatanan empat varṇa. Dan di sini, menurut urutan yuga, usia manusia berturut-turut adalah empat ratus, tiga ratus, dua ratus, dan seratus tahun.

Word by Word
अत्रhere
अत्र:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable adverb of place)
एवindeed/just
एव:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle/emphasis)
एतत्this
एतत्:
कर्म (Karma)
TypeNoun
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun
युगानाम्of the ages (yugas)
युगानाम्:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeNoun
Rootयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन
तुbut/indeed
तु:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction/particle: contrast)
चातुर्वर्ण्यःthe fourfold social order (four varṇas)
चातुर्वर्ण्यः:
कर्ता (Karta)
TypeNoun
Rootचातुर्वर्ण्य (प्रातिपदिक; चतुर् + वर्ण्य)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative)
अत्रhere
अत्र:
अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअत्र (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb of place)
वैindeed
वै:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवै (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle of emphasis/assurance)
द्विजO twice-born (brahmin)
द्विज:
सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
चत्वारिfour
चत्वारि:
कर्म (Karma)
TypeNoun
Rootचतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; numeral
त्रीणिthree
त्रीणि:
कर्म (Karma)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; numeral
द्वेtwo
द्वे:
कर्म (Karma)
TypeNoun
Rootद्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), द्विवचन; numeral
चand
च:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
एवindeed
एव:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle/emphasis)
तथाlikewise
तथा:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb: in that manner/likewise)
एकम्one
एकम्:
कर्म (Karma)
TypeNoun
Rootएक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; numeral
चand
च:
सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
शरत्-शतम्a hundred autumns (a hundred years)
शरत्-शतम्:
कर्म (Karma)
TypeNoun
Rootशरत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध: 'of autumns' → 'a hundred autumns/years')
Speakers
Narrator (traditional Purāṇic speaker) addressing a dvija interlocutor (likely Mārkaṇḍeya to a questioner in the frame)
Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes
CosmologySacred geographyYuga doctrineSocial order (varṇa)

FAQs

The verse links human longevity and social structure to cosmic time (yuga). It reflects the Purāṇic view that dharmic order and human capacities fluctuate with the moral-spiritual climate of an age.

Primarily 'Manvantara' and 'Vaṃśānucarita' are not explicit here; this is best classified under Purāṇic 'Sthāna/Poṣa' style cosmography (describing the ordered world and its conditions across yugas).

The descending numbers (4-3-2-1) symbolize progressive contraction of human vitality and dharmic capacity through the yugas—an inner allegory for diminishing sattva and increasing inertia/conflict.

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