Shloka 19

Kāla-vibhāga: The Divisions of Time from Atom to Brahmā, and the Lord Beyond Time

Devanagari script

चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वै चैकं कृतादिषु यथाक्रमम् । संख्यातानि सहस्राणि द्विगुणानि शतानि च ॥ १९ ॥

Transliteration

catvāri trīṇi dve caikaṁ kṛtādiṣu yathā-kramam saṅkhyātāni sahasrāṇi dvi-guṇāni śatāni ca

Translation

Sa pagkakasunod, ang Satya ay may apat na libo, ang Tretā ay tatlong libo, ang Dvāpara ay dalawang libo, at ang Kali ay isang libo; at ang mga daan ay doble. Kaya: 4,800; 3,600; 2,400; at 1,200 taon ng mga deva.

Synonyms

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), द्विवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• कृतादिषु: in the (yugas) beginning with Kṛta
• कृतादिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (कृत-आदि = beginning with Kṛta)

• यथाक्रमम्: in due order
• यथाक्रमम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb)

• संख्यातानि: counted/enumerated
• संख्यातानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सं-√ख्या (धातु) + त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (सहस्राणि/शतानि)

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: विषय/कर्म (Topic/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• द्विगुणानि: twofold/doubled
• द्विगुणानि: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (द्वि-गुण = twofold)

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: विषय/कर्म (Topic/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

Purport

As aforementioned, one year of the demigods is equal to 360 years of the human beings. The duration of the Satya-yuga is therefore 4,800 × 360, or 1,728,000 years. The duration of the Tretā-yuga is 3,600 × 360, or 1,296,000 years. The duration of the Dvāpara-yuga is 2,400 × 360, or 864,000 years. And the last, the Kali-yuga, is 1,200 × 360, or 432,000 years.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the lengths of the four yugas?

This verse states that Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali are proportioned 4:3:2:1, counted in thousands, with the related hundreds (the transitional portions) described as doubled as well.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe yuga durations to King Parīkṣit in Canto 3?

In this section on cosmic time, Śukadeva explains the structured flow of creation and degradation, helping the listener understand how dharma and human conditions change across yugas within the Lord’s cosmic administration.

How can understanding yuga cycles be applied in modern life according to Bhagavatam wisdom?

Knowing that Kali-yuga is characterized by reduced virtue encourages a devotee to prioritize sādhana—hearing and chanting, truthfulness, compassion, and steady devotion—rather than relying on external conditions for spiritual progress.