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Shloka 42

Kali-yuga’s Degradation, the Advent of Kalki, and the Reset of the Yuga Cycle

कथं सेयमखण्डा भू: पूर्वैर्मे पुरुषैर्धृता । मत्पुत्रस्य च पौत्रस्य मत्पूर्वा वंशजस्य वा ॥ ४२ ॥

kathaṁ seyam akhaṇḍā bhūḥ pūrvair me puruṣair dhṛtā mat-putrasya ca pautrasya mat-pūrvā vaṁśa-jasya vā

贪著物欲的国王心想:“这无边大地曾由我先祖掌持,如今归我统治。我该如何安排,使它仍在我儿孙与后裔手中?”

कथम्how?
कथम्:
प्रकार (हेतु/प्रश्न-प्रकार)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकथम् (अव्यय)
Formप्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
साthat (she)
सा:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)
इयम्this
इयम्:
समानाधिकरण/विशेषण (appositive to सा)
TypeNoun
Rootइदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
अखण्डाundivided, intact
अखण्डा:
विशेषण (of भूः)
TypeAdjective
Rootअखण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण
भूःearth, land
भूः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootभू (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
पूर्वैःby the former/previous
पूर्वैः:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeAdjective
Rootपूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; विशेषण
मेof me, my
मे:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (enclitic)
पुरुषैःby men/persons
पुरुषैः:
करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन
धृताheld, maintained
धृता:
कर्मणि-क्रिया (predicate participle)
TypeVerb
Rootधृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘भूः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्
मत्-पुत्रस्यof my son
मत्-पुत्रस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootमत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी-समासाङ्ग) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative) ‘मम पुत्रः’; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
and
:
समुच्चय (connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)
पौत्रस्यof (my) grandson
पौत्रस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootपौत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
मत्-पूर्वाःthose preceded by me / my predecessors
मत्-पूर्वाः:
विशेषण (of वंशजस्य)
TypeAdjective
Rootमत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी-समासाङ्ग) + पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘मम पूर्वः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (वंशजस्य)
वंशजस्यof a descendant of the lineage
वंशजस्य:
सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootवंश (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (धातु √जन्/√जॄ?; here ‘ज’ as ‘born’)
Formतत्पुरुष (वंशात् जातः); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन
वाor
वा:
विकल्प (alternative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्प-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

This is an example of foolish possessiveness.

P
Parīkṣit

FAQs

This verse shows Parīkṣit’s concern that the earth is upheld when rulers follow the dharma of their forefathers, and he questions how that standard can continue in future generations.

In the context of Kali-yuga’s symptoms, Parīkṣit worries that future rulers in his dynasty may not preserve the same righteous governance that earlier kings maintained.

It highlights responsible stewardship: leaders and householders should preserve what they inherit—values, resources, and social order—by learning from exemplary predecessors and acting with accountability.