Shloka 59

कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना

Devanagari script

तत्राल्पेनैव यत्नेन पुण्यस्कन्धम् अनुत्तमम् करोति यं कृतयुगे क्रियते तपसा हि सः

Transliteration

tatrālpenaiva yatnena puṇyaskandham anuttamam karoti yaṃ kṛtayuge kriyate tapasā hi saḥ

Translation

在那里，只需些许努力，便能积聚无上的福德宝藏；这在克利多时代（Kṛta Yuga）唯有凭借苦行（tapas）方可获得。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there/in that (time)
• तत्र: देशाधिकरण (Locative adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• अल्पेन: with little (effort)
• अल्पेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘अल्प’ इति विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• यत्नेन: by effort
• यत्नेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• पुण्यस्कन्धम्: a mass/heap of merit
• पुण्यस्कन्धम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्कन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यस्य स्कन्धः)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; ‘पुण्यस्कन्धम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• करोति: produces/attains
• करोति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• यम्: which (that)
• यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• कृतयुगे: in the Kṛta-yuga
• कृतयुगे: अधिकरण (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (कृतं युगं)

• क्रियते: is performed
• क्रियते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम् (passive sense: ‘is done’)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• हि: for/indeed
• हि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चये निपातः (particle: for/indeed)

• सः: he/that (person)
• सः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; अन्वय-सर्वनाम (correlative pronoun)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Comparative efficacy of dharma across yugas: in later ages small effort yields merit comparable to Kṛta-yuga tapas

Teaching: Devotional

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In the later age, even modest dharmic practice can yield immense merit comparable to severe Kṛta-yuga austerities.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt consistent, simple disciplines—nāma-japa, pūjā, charity, truthfulness—without waiting for ideal conditions.

Vishishtadvaita: Grace-accessibility: the Lord allows great spiritual fruit through simple, sincere practice suited to the age.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Tapas (austerity)

FAQs

What is the significance of yuga-dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse highlights that spiritual attainment is calibrated to each yuga: what required intense tapas in Kṛta Yuga can be gained with comparatively little effort in other yuga conditions, reflecting dharma’s adaptation to time.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the changing power of practice across the yugas?

Parāśara presents a comparative principle: the same “measure” of merit can be reached through different means depending on the yuga—here, minimal effort yields the merit that Kṛta Yuga demanded austerity to achieve.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when not named explicitly, the verse fits the Purana’s Vaishnava framework: the yuga-order itself is upheld under Vishnu’s sovereignty, and the accessibility of merit across ages reflects the Supreme’s governance of dharma for all beings.