Shloka 53

कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना

Devanagari script

अणुप्रायाणि धान्यानि आजप्रायं तथा पयः भविष्यति कलौ प्राप्ते उशीरं चानुलेपनम्

Transliteration

aṇuprāyāṇi dhānyāni ājaprāyaṃ tathā payaḥ bhaviṣyati kalau prāpte uśīraṃ cānulepanam

Translation

เมื่อกาลียุคมาถึงโดยสมบูรณ์ ธัญพืชจะน้อยและผอมบาง; น้ำนมก็จะเป็นนมแพะเป็นส่วนมาก แม้การชโลมกายก็ต้องอาศัยสิ่งทดแทน เช่น อุศีระ (หญ้าแฝก) เป็นเครื่องทา

Word by Word

• अणुप्रायाणि: mostly small (in size)
• अणुप्रायाणि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अणु + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (धान्यानि) — ‘अणु-प्राय’ = mostly small

• धान्यानि: grains/cereals
• धान्यानि: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धान्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• आजप्रायम्: mostly (like) goat’s
• आजप्रायम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आज + प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पयः) — ‘आजा-प्राय’ = mostly (like) goat’s

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (likewise/also)

• पयः: milk
• पयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• कलौ: in the Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; युगे (in the age)

• प्राप्ते: when (it) has come/arrived
• प्राप्ते: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + आप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle) सप्तमी-एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सति-सप्तमी—‘कलौ प्राप्ते’ = when Kali has arrived

• उशीरम्: uśīra (vetiver)
• उशीरम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उशीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अनुलेपनम्: ointment/anointing paste
• अनुलेपनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुलेपन (प्रातिपदिक; अनु + लिप् धातोः ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Characteristics and decline of Kali-yuga

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kali-yuga diminishes material abundance and even ordinary comforts, urging detachment from sensory dependence.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate simplicity (aparigraha), reduce consumption, and anchor well-being in japa and satsanga rather than luxuries.

Vishishtadvaita: Worldly conditions fluctuate by yuga, but refuge (śaraṇāgati) in Viṣṇu remains the stable support for the jīva.

FAQs

What is the significance of Kali-yuga scarcity in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse uses everyday indicators—reduced grain and diminished quality/availability of milk—to portray Kali-yuga as an age where material conditions mirror the weakening of dharma and social order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Kali-yuga conditions to Maitreya?

Parāśara lists concrete, observable changes in daily life (food, milk, and even body-anointing customs) to communicate Kali-yuga’s decline in prosperity and refinement within the larger Yuga-cycle teaching.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in this line, the teaching presupposes Vishnu’s supreme governance of cosmic time: Yugas unfold under divine order, and the decline of Kali-yuga is part of that regulated cycle.