Shloka 316

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

क्षत्रधर्मेण वाप्यत्र वर्तयन्ति गते युगे । युगकी समाप्तिके समय ब्राह्मण शूद्रोंके कर्म करते हैं और शाद्र वैश्योंकी भाँति धनोपार्जन करने लगते हैं अथवा क्षत्रियोंके कर्मसे जीविका चलाने लगते हैं

Transliteration

kṣatradharmeṇa vāpy atra vartayanti gate yuge |

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは語った。「ここにおいて、一つの時代が過ぎ、ユガの終末が到来すると、人々はクシャトリヤ（kṣatriya）の務めを引き受けて生計を立て始める。これは、本来は生業と行いを律するはずのヴァルナ・ダルマ（varṇa-dharma）が崩れ、定められた社会的・倫理的役割が混淆してゆく徴である。」

Word by Word

• क्षत्रधर्मेण: by/through the kshatriya-duty
• क्षत्रधर्मेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रधर्म
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• वा: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा

• अपि: also/even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि

• अत्र: here/in this context
• अत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र

• वर्तयन्ति: they conduct/they practice
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत्
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active

• गते: when (it is) gone/passed
• गते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्
• Form: Past Passive Participle (क्त), Neuter, Locative, Singular

• युगे: in the age (yuga)
• युगे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse points to yuga-end disorder: when the age declines, people abandon their prescribed duties and livelihoods, taking up kṣatriya-style means of living—an ethical warning about the erosion of dharma and social responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing characteristics of a deteriorating time-cycle (yuga), where customary role-based conduct no longer holds and livelihoods shift toward kṣatriya modes, reflecting instability in society.