Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

इदं कलियुगं घोरं संप्राप्तं पाण्डुनन्दन / ततो गच्छामि देवस्य वाराणसीं महापुरीम्

Transliteration

idaṃ kaliyugaṃ ghoraṃ saṃprāptaṃ pāṇḍunandana / tato gacchāmi devasya vārāṇasīṃ mahāpurīm

Translation

โอ้โอรสแห่งปาณฑุ กาลียุคอันน่าสะพรึงได้มาถึงแล้ว เพราะฉะนั้นเราจักออกเดินทางไปยังพาราณสี มหานครศักดิ์สิทธิ์ของพระเป็นเจ้า

Word by Word

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कलियुगम्: the Kali age
• कलियुगम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कलेः युगम्)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘कलियुगम्’

• संप्राप्तम्: has come, has arrived
• संप्राप्तम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-प्र-आप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘कलियुगं ... संप्राप्तम्’ = has arrived

• पाण्डुनन्दन: O son of Pāṇḍu
• पाण्डुनन्दन: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डु (प्रातिपदिक) + नन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पाण्डोः नन्दनः)

• ततः: therefore
• ततः: Hetu (हेतु/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, तस्मात्-अर्थे (therefore/from that)

• गच्छामि: I go
• गच्छामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• वाराणसीम्: to Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायाः कर्म (destination)

• महापुरीम्: the great city
• महापुरीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती पुरी) वाराणसी-विशेषणम्

Speaker

A narrator/elder addressing a Pāṇḍava (Pāṇḍunandana) within the Purāṇic dialogue frame (contextual speaker in Adhyaya 27)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kali-yuga
• Pāṇḍunandana (Pāṇḍava)
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Deva (the Lord)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by pointing to “the Lord” whose city is Vārāṇasī, the verse frames refuge in the Supreme as the remedy in Kali-yuga—turning the mind toward the divine ground of liberation rather than worldly supports.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes a Kali-yuga strategy: tirtha-sevana (seeking sanctified places like Kāśī) as supportive discipline for purification, devotion, and inner steadiness—often paired in the Kurma tradition with japa, vrata, and contemplation of the Lord.

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

By calling Vārāṇasī “the Lord’s great city,” it uses inclusive theistic language that accommodates the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: Kāśī is classically Śiva’s city, yet spoken of as belonging to the supreme Deva, consistent with non-sectarian unity.