Shloka 15

कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता

Devanagari script

यत् कृते दशभिर् वर्षैस् त्रेतायां हायनेन तत् द्वापरे तच् च मासेन अहोरात्रेण तत् कलौ

Transliteration

yat kṛte daśabhir varṣais tretāyāṃ hāyanena tat dvāpare tac ca māsena ahorātreṇa tat kalau

Translation

在克利多时代以十年精勤所成就者，于特雷塔时代一年可得；于堕婆罗时代一月可得；而于迦利时代一昼一夜即可得。

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-प्रत्यय (relative)

• कृते: in the Kṛta (age)
• कृते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत (प्रातिपदिक; युग-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दशभिः: by ten
• दशभिः: Vishesana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम्

• वर्षैः: with years; in years
• वर्षैः: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन

• त्रेतायाम्: in the Tretā (age)
• त्रेतायाम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक; युग-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• हायनेन: by a year
• हायनेन: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तत्: that (same result)
• तत्: Karma (Correlative object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तद्-प्रत्यय (correlative)

• द्वापरे: in the Dvāpara (age)
• द्वापरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वापर (प्रातिपदिक; युग-नाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तत्: that (same)
• तत्: Karma (Correlative object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

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

• मासेन: by a month
• मासेन: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• अहोरात्रेण: by a day-and-night (one full day)
• अहोरात्रेण: Karana (Measure/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहः (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (इतरेतर); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• तत्: that (same)
• तत्: Karma (Correlative object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• कलौ: in the Kali (age)
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक; युग-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Yuga: Krita/Treta/Dvapara/Kali

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The efficacy of spiritual practice increases across the yugas, culminating in Kali where results can be attained with minimal time.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Prioritize daily, consistent sādhana (especially nāma-japa/kīrtana) rather than postponing practice as ‘too difficult’ for the age.

Vishishtadvaita: Divine grace makes liberation-oriented fruit accessible even in Kali through simple, sincere means rather than sheer ascetic capacity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: shanta

FAQs

What is the significance of the Four Yugas in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse uses the four-yuga framework to show how the same spiritual result requires progressively less time as the ages decline, highlighting the Purana’s doctrine of cyclical time and changing conditions of dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain spiritual attainment across yugas?

Parāśara presents a graded scale: what demands long austerity in Kṛta becomes achievable faster in later ages—year in Tretā, month in Dvāpara, and merely a day-night in Kali—emphasizing time-conditioned practice and fruition.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching aligns with Vaishnava theology that divine grace and devotion can compress effort and time, making liberation-oriented attainment possible even in Kali-yuga.