Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 5

Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching

नाधीयते कलौ वेदान् न यजन्ति द्विजातयः / यजन्त्यन्यायतो वेदान् पठन्ते चाल्पबुद्धयः

nādhīyate kalau vedān na yajanti dvijātayaḥ / yajantyanyāyato vedān paṭhante cālpabuddhayaḥ

ในกาลีกาล เวทมิได้ถูกศึกษาอย่างถูกต้อง และเหล่าทวิชะไม่ประกอบยัญ; ผู้ปัญญาน้อยสวดเวทก็จริง แต่กลับทำพิธีอย่างผิดแบบแผนและนอกธรรมะ।

not
:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय; negation particle
अधीयतेis studied/recited
अधीयते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootअधि-इ (धातु; अधी + इ)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person singular (Ātmanepada)
कलौin the Kali age
कलौ:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootकलि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular
वेदान्the Vedas
वेदान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural
not
:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेधार्थक अव्यय; negation particle
यजन्तिthey sacrifice/worship
यजन्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootयज् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person plural
द्विजातयःthe twice-born (classes)
द्विजातयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootद्विजाति (प्रातिपदिक; द्वि + जाति)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; Nominative plural
यजन्तिthey sacrifice
यजन्ति:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootयज् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person plural
अन्यायतःunjustly/incorrectly
अन्यायतः:
Hetu/Prakara (हेतु/प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअन्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय; adverb (ablatival)
वेदान्the Vedas
वेदान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootवेद (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), बहुवचन; Accusative plural
पठन्तेthey recite/read
पठन्ते:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootपठ् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person plural (Ātmanepada)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक अव्यय; conjunction
अल्पबुद्धयःthe small-minded/ignorant
अल्पबुद्धयः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootअल्पबुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक; अल्प + बुद्धि)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; Nominative plural

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing (contextually) sages/Indradyumna on Kali Yuga dharma-decline

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

K
Kali Yuga
V
Vedas
D
Dvija
Y
Yajna

FAQs

Indirectly: it emphasizes that mere recitation or outer ritual, when done without right understanding and discipline, fails to uphold dharma—implying that true spiritual realization requires discernment (buddhi) and proper practice, not mechanical performance.

This verse does not teach a specific yoga technique; it critiques Kali Yuga’s loss of adhikāra and right method. In Kurma Purana’s broader frame, the corrective is disciplined sādhana—purity, right conduct, and inward devotion/knowledge—so practice becomes aligned with dharma rather than mere display.

Not explicitly in this line; the emphasis is on dharma and proper observance. Within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such warnings are framed as the Lord’s guidance to restore righteous practice—whether expressed through Vaiṣṇava yajña ideals or Śaiva yogic discipline—toward the same supreme goal.