Shloka 118
The Marks of Merit and the Destinies of Beings
Divine vs Demonic Traits
कृते जाताः सुरा भूमौ न दैत्याश्चान्यजातयः । त्रेतायामेकपादं च द्विपदं द्वापरे युगे
kṛte jātāḥ surā bhūmau na daityāścānyajātayaḥ | tretāyāmekapādaṃ ca dvipadaṃ dvāpare yuge
ในกฤตะ (สัตยะ) ยุค บนแผ่นดินมีแต่เทพเจ้าอุบัติ มิได้มีไทตยะหรือจำพวกอื่นใด; ในเตรตายุกเป็นหนึ่งบาท และในทวาปรยุกเป็นสองบาท
Unspecified in the provided excerpt (context needed from surrounding verses; likely within the Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa narrative dialogue).
Concept: Yuga-dharma shifts: in Kṛta, a deva-like purity predominates; subsequent yugas show progressive alteration/decline in the ‘feet’ (pāda) of dharma.
Application: Adopt practices suitable to one’s capacity in Kali—steady bhakti, simple vrata, truthfulness—rather than romanticizing unattainable austerities of earlier ages.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grand wheel of time (kāla-cakra) turns above the earth, divided into yuga segments: Kṛta shines with deva-like figures walking among lotuses; Tretā shows a slight shadow and a single ‘foot’ motif; Dvāpara shows two feet and more mixed beings. The scene feels like a cosmic infographic rendered as sacred art, with Viṣṇu’s presence implied as the axis of the wheel.","primary_figures":["symbolic Viṣṇu as the axis of time (subtle, not dominating)","deva-like beings in Kṛta segment","mixed beings in later yuga segments"],"setting":"Cosmic sky over Bhū-loka with a rotating mandala-wheel; clouds shaped like scriptural diagrams.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["celestial gold","pearl white","sky blue","soft saffron","deep teal"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: kāla-cakra mandala with four yuga panels, Kṛta panel radiant with deva figures and lotuses; gold leaf heavily used for the wheel rim and halos; rich reds/greens in borders; South Indian ornamental symmetry.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: delicate circular yuga-wheel floating above a landscape; fine brushwork showing tiny narrative vignettes in each segment; cool blues and gentle saffrons; lyrical clouds and distant mountains.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold-outlined circular mandala of yugas with stylized figures; strong yellow/red/green pigments; Viṣṇu as central axis with characteristic mural eyes; temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: ornate circular wheel filled with lotus motifs; yuga segments indicated by changing floral density and color; deep indigo background with gold highlights; intricate border patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"narrative","suggested_raga":"Bhupali","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["tanpura drone","soft cymbals","wind through trees","distant conch"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दैत्याश्चान्यजातयः = दैत्याः + च + अन्यजातयः; त्रेतायामेकपादं = त्रेतायाम् + एकपादम्; (अन्यजातयः is a तत्पुरुष compound: अन्य + जाति).
FAQs
It presents a yuga-wise decline or modification in the world-order, implying that conditions (often framed as dharma’s ‘legs’) change across Kṛta, Tretā, and Dvāpara.
They commonly allude to dharma standing on fewer ‘legs’ (quarters) as time progresses—symbolizing reduced moral/spiritual stability from one yuga to the next.
Purāṇic statements can be theological or symbolic; here it emphasizes an idealized Kṛta-yuga purity (absence of daitya opposition), rather than serving as a strict biological census.