Shloka 26

Yoga-Sleep, Cosmic Dissolution, and the Lotus of Creation

with Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vision

Devanagari script

तस्य तावच्छती संध्या द्विगुणा कुरुनंदन । यत्र धर्मश्चतुष्पादस्त्वधर्मः पादविग्रहः

Transliteration

tasya tāvacchatī saṃdhyā dviguṇā kurunaṃdana | yatra dharmaścatuṣpādastvadharmaḥ pādavigrahaḥ

Translation

โอ กุรุนันทนะ ช่วงสนธยา (สํธฺยา) แห่งยุคนั้นยาวนานเท่าจำนวนร้อยนั้น และยิ่งทวีเป็นสองเท่า; ณ กาลนั้น ธรรมะตั้งมั่นครบสี่บาท ส่วนอธรรมะเหลือเพียงเศษเสี้ยวของบาทเดียว

Word by Word

• tasya: of that (yuga)
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāvat: so much; that much
• tāvat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2 विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन); quantifier used with measure

• śatī: a hundred
• śatī: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘a hundred (as a unit)’

• saṃdhyā: twilight period; junction (dawn/dusk)
• saṃdhyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃdhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• dviguṇā: double
• dviguṇā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying saṃdhyā

• kuru-nandana: O delight of the Kurus
• kuru-nandana: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuru (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• yatra: wherein
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Relative adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• dharmaḥ: dharma; righteousness
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• ca-tuṣ-pādaḥ: four-footed; having four parts
• ca-tuṣ-pādaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying dharmaḥ

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating contrast

• adharmaḥ: unrighteousness; adharma
• adharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• pāda-vigrahaḥ: having a broken foot/part; deficient by a quarter
• pāda-vigrahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता) / Predicate complement
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); ‘vigraha’ = separation/defect

Speaker

Pulastya (to Bhīṣma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: tāvacchatī → tāvat + śatī; dharmaścatuṣpādaḥ → dharmaḥ + catuṣpādaḥ; tvadharmaḥ → tu + adharmaḥ.

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Adharma
• Kuru lineage (Kurunandana)

FAQs

What is meant by Dharma being 'four-footed' in this verse?

It denotes complete stability of righteousness—truth, purity, compassion, and austerity (or equivalent pillars) are fully present, so moral and cosmic order is at its strongest.

What does 'saṃdhyā' mean in the context of yugas?

Saṃdhyā is the junction or twilight period at the beginning or end of a yuga, marking a gradual transition in the strength of Dharma and Adharma rather than an abrupt change.

What ethical lesson does the contrast between Dharma and Adharma convey?

The verse teaches that societal and personal flourishing correlates with the firm establishment of Dharma; when righteousness is upheld fully, unrighteousness loses its footing and influence.