Shloka 37

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

क्षत्रियाश्षापि वैश्याश्ष विकर्मस्था नराधिप । अल्पायुष: स्वल्पबला: स्वल्पवीर्यपराक्रमा:,नरेश्वर! क्षत्रिय और वैश्य भी अपना-अपना धर्म छोड़कर दूसरे वर्णोके कर्म करने लगेंगे। सबकी आयु कम होगी, सबके बल, वीर्य और पराक्रम घट जायँगे

Transliteration

kṣatriyāś cāpi vaiśyāś ca vikarmasthā narādhipa | alpāyuṣaḥ svalpabalāḥ svalpavīryaparākramāḥ ||

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «О царь, даже кшатрии и вайшьи оставят свои предписанные обязанности и возьмутся за дела иных варн. Оттого люди станут недолговечны; их сила иссякнет, и жизненная мощь и героическая доблесть падут».

Word by Word

क्षत्रियाःKshatriyas

चand

अपिalso/even

वैश्याःVaishyas

चand

विकर्मस्थाःengaged in improper/other (non-prescribed) acts

नराधिपO king (lord of men)

अल्पायुषःshort-lived

स्वल्पबलाःof little strength

स्वल्पवीर्यपराक्रमाःof little vigor and valor

नरेश्वरO lord of men (king)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

narādhipa (the king addressed)

Kṣatriyas

Vaiśyas

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When people—especially those responsible for protection and sustenance of society—abandon their own svadharma and take up improper roles (vikarma), the result is collective decline: reduced lifespan, strength, vitality, and valor. The verse frames social and ethical disorder as having tangible consequences for human flourishing.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana, narrating to a king, describes signs of societal degeneration: Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas will deviate from their prescribed duties and perform the work of other varṇas. This deviation is presented as a symptom and cause of weakening human capacities and the unraveling of righteous order.