223 - Yuga - dharma 

Brahma said: 

1. O Vyasa, I have narrated with devotion the various acts of piety practised by the sages. Through them Vishnu can be propitiated. They are conducive to happiness. 

2-3. Lord Vishnu who dispenses virtue, love, wealth and salvation can be attained by Tarpana, Homa and Sandhya prayers. Virtue is Lord Vishnu Himself; worship is Vishnu; performance of Tarpana, Homa, Sandhya prayers, contemplation, everything is Lord Hari Himself.

Suta said: 

4. I shall explain, O Shaunaka, the Pralaya (dissolution) of the universe. Please listen to everything. A thousand sets of the four Yugas constitute a Kalpa which is one day for Brahma, the lotus born deity. 

5. Know the characteristic features of the four Yugas viz Kruta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. In Kruta age virtue rests on its four feet, viz. Truth, Gift, Penance and Mercy. 

6. Hari protects Dharma then. All the wise men are contented. Men lived for four thousand years then. 

7. At the end of Kruta, brahmins were conquered by Kshatriyas and Vaishyas and Shudras remained submissive to the twice-born. The powerful Vishnu, the valorous, killed the Rakshasas. 

8. In the Treta age, virtue stands on three feet, viz. Truth, Gift and Mercy. Men are devoted to Yajnas (sacrifices) then. The universe takes its origin (sustenance) from Kshatriyas. 

9. Hari of the red hue is worshipped by men who live for a thousand years. Vishnu has a mighty chariot in this age. Kshatriyas killed Rakshasas. [Or Vishnu who incarnated as Bhimaratha of the Kshatriya caste killed the Rakshasas]. 

10. In the Dvapara age, when Vishnu takes the yellow hue, virtue stands on two legs. People live for four hundred years and take their origin and sustenance from brahmins and Kshatriyas.

11. On seeing people deficient in intellect, Lord Vishnu incarnating as Vyasa divided the Vedas into four books. 

12-13. He taught the Vedas to his disciples. Please know the details. Disciple Paila was taught Rugveda; Jaimini was taught Samaveda; Sumantu was taught Atharvaveda and Mahamuni was taught Yajurveda. Suta in the company of Vaishampayana was taught the Puranas. He who knows the eighteen Puranas is Lord Hari himself. 

14. The five topics dealt with in a Purana are (1) creation (2) subsidiary creation (3) genealogy (4) Manvantaras and (5) the detailed description of the exploits of various kings. 

15-16. The eighteen Puranas are-(1) Brahma (2) Padma (3) Vaishnava (4) Shaiva¹ (5) Bhagavata (6) Bhavishya (7) Nāradiya (8) Skända (9) Linga (10) Varaha (11) Markandeya (12) Agneya (13) Brahmavaivarta (14) Kaurma (15) Matsya (16) Garuda (17) Vāyaviya and (18) Brahmanda. 

1. Sometimes Vayu Purana is inserted in place of Shiva Purana in the list of eighteen Mahapuranas.

17. Many Upapuraņas have been mentioned by sages. The first one is narrated by Sanatkumara. The next one is that of Narasimha. 

18. The third one is Skända as narrated by Kumara. The fourth one is Shivadharma as narrated by Nandishvara. 

19. The next one is the one of wonderful features narrated by Durvasas. The next one is narrated by Narada. Then come those narrated by Kapila, Vamana and Ushanas. 

20. The other ones are Brahmanda, Varuna, Kalika, Maheshvara, Samba, Sarvarthasañchaya, Parāśharokta, Maricha and Bhargava. 

21. The eighteen Vidyas are (1) Puranas (2) Dharmashastras (3-6) the four Vedas (7-12) the six Vedangas (13) Nyaya (14) Mimamsa (15) Ayurveda (16) Arthashastra (17) the Gandharva vidya (Science of Music) and (18) Dhanurveda the Science of Archery, O Sage Shaunaka. 

22. By the end of Dvapara, Lord Hari had already re moved the weighty burden of the earth. Then Lord Hari incarnated as Krishna (the black) when virtue began to stand on a single foot. 

23. Then (in the Kali age) men will become vicious, ruthless and evil-minded. There are three qualities in a man viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Actuated by Kali (Kala) these qualities undergo various changes in the Atman. 

24. When the Sattva quality is predominant in the mind, the intellect and the sense organs know that to be the Kruta Yuga when people are devoted to knowledge and penance. 

25. O Shaunaka, when the energy of people is turned towards the fulfilment of their desires and Rajas predominates, know that to be Treta Yuga. 

26. When Rajas and Tamas are equally powerful giving rise to greed, discontent, false prestige, haughtiness, rivalry and eager pursuit of desired objects, know that to be Dvapara. 

27. When Tamas alone is predominant, the people utter falsehood always, are lethargic, somnolent, seeking violent means and overwhelmed by grief, delusion, terror and wretchedness, know that to be Kali age. 

28. Then people are lustful and harsh in speech. Country is overrun by thieves and robbers. Vedas are spoiled by Paşhandas (misinterpreters). 

29. Kings will be begging of the subjects. People will be overpowered by their penises and bellies. (They will be carnal minded and gluttonous). The religious students will be divested of their rites and impure. Mendicants will turn householders. 

30. Ascetics will begin to stay in villages. Depositors will be covetous of wealth. People will be short in stature but very gluttonous. Thieves and robbers will be considered holy. 

31. Servants will leave their masters in the lurch; the ascetics will cast off their religious rite; Shudras will begin to receive Dakshinas and Vaishyas will turn to austerities. 

32-33. All people will be disgruntled appearing like Pishachas. They will be worshipping fire, deities and guests by means of unjustifiable means of feeding. When Kali age sets in, people will never offer water libations to their Pitrus. They will be devoted to womenfolk and for all appearance they will not be different from Shudras, O, Shaunaka. 

34. Women will give birth to many children. Their good fortune will decline. If they are rebuked they will simply scratch their heads and defy all orders. 

35. Overwhelmed by heretics, people will cease to worship Vishnu. But, O Brahmins, though the Kali age is full of defects there is a great virtue in it. 

36-37. In Kali, by singing songs in praise of Lord Krishna one can free oneself from the great bondage. In Kruta age people have to perform sacrifices and in the Treta they have to recite Japas. In the Dvapara age, by serving the lord they can attain salvation but in Kali that is possible only by singing songs in praise of the Lord. Hence, Hari is to be contemplated upon for ever and worshipped, O Shaunaka.