Shloka 44

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

Devanagari script

ततस्ताः पर्यगृह्णन्त नदीक्षेत्राणि पर्वतान् / वृक्षगुल्मौषधीश्चैव प्रसह्य तु यथाबलम्

Transliteration

tatastāḥ paryagṛhṇanta nadīkṣetrāṇi parvatān / vṛkṣagulmauṣadhīścaiva prasahya tu yathābalam

Translation

แล้วพวกเขาก็ยึดครองด้วยกำลังตามเรี่ยวแรงของตน ทั้งแม่น้ำ ไร่นา ภูเขา และต้นไม้ พุ่มไม้ ตลอดจนสมุนไพรโอสถา

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla/Anantara (काल/अनन्तर)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablatival adverb (तस्मात्-भाव)

• tāḥ: they (those)
• tāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा 1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• paryagṛhṇanta: seized, took possession of
• paryagṛhṇanta: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari + √grah (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, Imperfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• nadī-kṣetrāṇi: rivers and fields
• nadī-kṣetrāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nadī (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣetra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व) 'nadyāḥ ca kṣetrāṇi ca' (collective); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया 2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• parvatān: mountains
• parvatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parvata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया 2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vṛkṣa-gulma-oṣadhīḥ: trees, shrubs, and herbs
• vṛkṣa-gulma-oṣadhīḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + gulma (प्रातिपदिक) + oṣadhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dvandva (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व) 'vṛkṣān ca gulmān ca oṣadhīś ca'; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग) by last member, Accusative (द्वितीया 2), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis (अवधारण)

• prasahya: forcibly, having overpowered
• prasahya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra + √sah (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्-कृदन्त, अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग), manner

• tu: but, indeed
• tu: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), contrast/emphasis

• yathā-balam: according to (their) strength
• yathā-balam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyayībhāva (अव्ययीभाव) adverbial; Accusative-form used adverbially

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, traditionally through Vyāsa’s discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Rivers
• Fields (kṣetra)
• Mountains (parvata)
• Trees (vṛkṣa)
• Shrubs (gulma)
• Medicinal herbs (auṣadhī)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by portraying forceful appropriation of nature, it highlights the opposite of Atman-centered vision—where one abides in inner fullness rather than grasping at external possessions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit practice is named in this verse; thematically it supports Yogic restraint (saṃyama) and non-possessiveness (aparigraha-like discipline), which the Kurma Purana later aligns with Shaiva-Vaishnava spiritual synthesis and self-mastery.

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

It does not state it directly; the verse functions as narrative groundwork where dharma and restraint are tested—principles that the Kurma Purana later frames through a unified Shaiva-Vaishnava theological lens.