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 ||
マールカンデーヤは言った。「また、そのユガの終末に現れる者についても、汝にはすでにしかるべく説き明かしてある。パーンドゥ族の者よ、汝はさらに、世に広く認められる尺度としてのユガの算定をも知ったのだ。」
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.