Shloka 4
Yuga Order, Lifespan Measures, and Traits of Beings in Bhārata-varṣa
पूर्वे कृतयुगं नाम ततस्त्रेतायुगं द्विजाः । तत्पश्चाद्द्वापरं चाथ ततस्तिष्यः प्रवर्तते
pūrve kṛtayugaṃ nāma tatastretāyugaṃ dvijāḥ | tatpaścāddvāparaṃ cātha tatastiṣyaḥ pravartate
ఆదిలో కృతయుగము అని పిలువబడును; తరువాత, హే ద్విజులారా, త్రేతాయుగము వచ్చును. ఆపై ద్వాపరము, చివరికి తిష్య (కలి) యుగము ప్రారంభమగును.
Unspecified (narratorial voice within Svargakhaṇḍa context)
Concept: Time unfolds in ordained yuga-sequences; dharma and human capacity shift accordingly, so spiritual practice must be aligned with one’s era.
Application: Cultivate urgency and steadiness: accept change, choose practices suited to one’s time (especially nāma-japa, ekādaśī, and simple bhakti disciplines in later ages).
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A vast cosmic wheel of time turns in the sky, its four quadrants labeled Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Tiṣya, while sages look upward in contemplation. Above the wheel, a subtle Viṣṇu-presence—only a luminous śaṅkha-cakra aura—suggests the unseen governor of time.","primary_figures":["assembled munis (dvijāḥ)","a narratorial sage-figure","symbolic Viṣṇu aura (śaṅkha-cakra)"],"setting":"celestial amphitheater within Svarga-khaṇḍa imagination; cloud-thrones, starfield canopy, faint mandala geometry","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sapphire blue","lotus pink","gold leaf","pearl white","smoky violet"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a grand kāla-cakra mandala divided into four yugas with Sanskrit labels, sages seated in symmetrical rows, a central golden halo bearing śaṅkha and cakra motifs, heavy gold leaf embossing on the wheel rim, rich crimson and emerald borders, gem-studded ornaments on the sages’ crowns, traditional South Indian iconographic geometry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate circular time-wheel floating over a twilight Himalayan sky, refined sages with gentle expressions pointing to the yuga quadrants, lyrical clouds and distant peaks, cool blues and mauves with fine gold detailing, soft naturalism and intricate linework.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines of a large mandala wheel with four yuga panels, stylized sages with elongated eyes and serene faces, flat temple-wall composition, dominant ochres, reds, and greens, a radiant śaṅkha-cakra emblem above as Viṣṇu’s kāla-signature.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate circular mandala framed by lotus borders and peacock-feather motifs, yuga names inscribed in decorative cartouches, deep indigo background with gold highlights, floral vines and temple-arch framing, subtle Vaishnava symbols (tilaka, śaṅkha-cakra) integrated into the border."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","low drone (tanpura)","distant conch shell","gentle wind"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: ततस्त्रेतायुगम् → ततः त्रेतायुगम् (विसर्ग-लोप). तत्पश्चाद्द्वापरम् → तत् पश्चात् द्वापरम् (द्-द् संधि/द्वित्व). ततस्तिष्यः → ततः तिष्यः (विसर्ग-लोप).
FAQs
It states the standard progression of cosmic ages: Kṛta (Satya) → Tretā → Dvāpara → Tiṣya (Kali), indicating a cyclical decline of the age that culminates in Kali.
“Tiṣya” is a traditional epithet used in some Purāṇic and astronomical contexts; here it functions as an alternate name for Kali-yuga, the final age in the fourfold sequence.
By recalling the yugas, the text frames human life within a moral timeline where dharma changes across ages, encouraging vigilance and right conduct—especially as one approaches the challenges associated with Kali.