Shloka 14

Yuga-Dharma: The Four Ages, Decline of Dharma, and the Rise of Social Order

Devanagari script

तस्मै प्रोवाच सकलं मुनिः सत्यवतीसुतः / प्रणम्य देवमीशानं युगधर्मान् सनातनान्

Transliteration

tasmai provāca sakalaṃ muniḥ satyavatīsutaḥ / praṇamya devamīśānaṃ yugadharmān sanātanān

Translation

അപ്പോൾ സത്യവതീസുതനായ മുനി (വ്യാസൻ) ഈശാന ദേവനെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു, യുഗങ്ങളിലെ സനാതന ധർമ്മങ്ങളെ മുഴുവനായി അവനോട് പ്രസ്താവിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• तस्मै: to him
• तस्मै: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative-recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• प्रोवाच: said, spoke forth
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सकलम्: entire, complete
• सकलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• मुनिः: the sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सत्यवतीसुतः: son of Satyavatī (Vyāsa)
• सत्यवतीसुतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवती + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—सत्यवत्याः सुतः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Preceding action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund): having bowed

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ईशानम्: the Lord, ruler
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (देवम्)

• युगधर्मान्: duties of the ages
• युगधर्मान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—युगस्य धर्माः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• सनातनान्: eternal, ancient
• सनातनान्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (युगधर्मान्)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) describing Vyāsa’s instruction after bowing to Īśāna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa (Satyavatīsuta)
• Īśāna (Śiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

By presenting Īśāna as the worship-worthy Lord presiding over timeless yuga-dharma, the verse points to an enduring supreme principle that grounds changing social and spiritual duties—hinting at the stable, overarching reality behind temporal cycles.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds praṇāma (reverential surrender) to Īśāna as the inner posture that precedes instruction—an essential devotional discipline (bhakti-aṅga) that supports later yogic and dharmic teachings in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Pashupata milieu.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

By placing authoritative teaching (Vyāsa) under the invocation of Īśāna, the text reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: the Supreme is approached through Śiva-tattva (Īśāna) even within a Purāṇa associated with Viṣṇu/Kūrma, emphasizing unity of lordship over sectarian division.