Shloka 56

कृतयुगवर्णनम् तथा राजधर्मोपदेशः

Kṛtayuga Description and Instruction on Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

नगराणां विहारेषु विधर्माणो युगक्षये । अधर्मिष्ठिरुपायैश्व प्रजा व्यवहरन्त्युत,युगान्तके समय नगरोंके उद्यानोंमें पापी पुरुष अड्डा जमायेंगे और पापपूर्ण उपायोंद्वारा प्रजाके साथ दुर्व्यवहार करेंगे

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: nagarāṇāṁ vihāreṣu vidharmāṇo yugakṣaye | adharmiṣṭhir upāyaiś ca prajā vyavaharanti uta ||

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்—யுகத்தின் முடிவில் நகரங்களின் உல்லாசத் தோட்டங்களில் தர்மத்திலிருந்து வழுவியோர் கூடிச் தங்குவார்கள்; அநீதியான சூழ்ச்சிகளால் மக்களிடம் கொடுமையாக நடப்பார்கள்.

Word by Word

नगराणाम्of cities

विहारेषुin pleasure-gardens/parks

विधर्माणःirreligious/impious (people)

युगक्षयेat the end of the age (yuga)

अधर्मिष्ठैःby most unrighteous (means/ways)

उपायैःby means/methods

चand

प्रजाःthe people/subjects

व्यवहरन्तिthey deal/behave (towards)

उतalso/indeed

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

nagara (cities)

vihāra (city gardens/parks)

prajā (the people/subjects)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse warns that when dharma declines (yugakṣaya), public spaces meant for wholesome recreation become occupied by lawless people, and society suffers because the populace is exploited through unrighteous and deceptive means. It frames ethical governance and social conduct as indicators of an age’s moral health.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana is describing ominous characteristics of the end of an age: in city gardens and pleasure-grounds, irreligious men congregate, and they deal with the people through adharma—harassing, exploiting, and behaving unjustly—signaling widespread social disorder.