Mahabharata
Bhūmi-parvan (011) (Bhīṣma-parva: The Yugas and Lifespans in Bhārata-varṣa)6.11.3-7
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Mahabharata · 6.11.3-7
Devanāgarī

संजय उवाच
चत्वारि भारते वर्षे युगानि भरतर्षभ ॥
कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च पुष्यं च कुरुवर्धन ॥
पूर्वं कृतयुगं नाम ततस् त्रेतायुगं विभो ॥
संक्षेपाद् द्वापरस्याथ ततः पुष्यं प्रवर्तते ॥
चत्वारि च सहस्राणि वर्षाणां कुरुसत्तम ॥
आयुःसंख्या कृतयुगे संख्याता राजसत्तम ॥
तथा त्रीणि सहस्राणि त्रेतायां मनुजाधिप ॥
द्विसहस्रं द्वापरे तु शते तिष्ठति संप्रति ॥
न प्रमाणस्थितिर् ह्य् अस्ति पुष्ये ऽस्मिन् भरतर्षभ ॥
गर्भस्थाश् च म्रियन्ते ऽत्र तथा जाता म्रियन्ति च ॥

Transliteration (IAST)

saṃjaya uvāca
catvāri bhārate varṣe yugāni bharatarṣabha ||
kṛtaṃ tretā dvāparaṃ ca puṣyaṃ ca kuruvardhana ||
pūrvaṃ kṛtayugaṃ nāma tatas tretāyugaṃ vibho ||
saṃkṣepād dvāparasyātha tataḥ puṣyaṃ pravartate ||
catvāri ca sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ kurusattama ||
āyuḥsaṃkhyā kṛtayuge saṃkhyātā rājasattama ||
tathā trīṇi sahasrāṇi tretāyāṃ manujādhipa ||
dvisahasraṃ dvāpare tu śate tiṣṭhati saṃprati ||
na pramāṇasthitir hy asti puṣye 'smin bharatarṣabha ||
garbhasthāś ca mriyante 'tra tathā jātā mriyanti ca ||

Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
संजयsaṃjayaSanjaya; wise Sanjaya
उवाचuvācasaid; answered
चत्वारिcatvārifour; numbering four
भारतेbhāratein Bharata; in the land of the Bharatas
वर्षेvarṣein the varsha; in the region of the world
युगानिyugāniyugas; world ages
भरतर्षभbharatarṣabhaO bull among the Bharatas; best of the Bharatas
कृतंkṛtaṃKrita; the golden age
त्रेताtretāTreta; the age of Treta
द्वापरंdvāparaṃDvapara; the age of Dvapara
caand; also
पुष्यंpuṣyaṃPushya; the present dark age
caand; also
कुरुवर्धनkuruvardhanaO increaser of the Kurus; joy of the Kuru line
पूर्वंpūrvaṃfirst; in the beginning
कृतयुगंkṛtayugaṃKrita-yuga; the golden age
नामnāmaby name; called
ततस्tatasthen; after it
त्रेतायुगंtretāyugaṃTreta-yuga; the age of Treta
विभोvibhoO lord; O mighty one
संक्षेपाद्saṃkṣepādafter the contraction; as it wanes
द्वापरस्याथdvāparasyāthathen of Dvapara; after Dvapara
ततःtataḥafter that; then
पुष्यंpuṣyaṃPushya; the present dark age
प्रवर्ततेpravartatebegins; unfolds
चत्वारिcatvārifour; numbering four
caand; also
सहस्राणिsahasrāṇithousands; thousand-fold measures
वर्षाणांvarṣāṇāṃyears; of years
कुरुसत्तमkurusattamaO best of the Kurus; excellent Kuru
आयुःसंख्याāyuḥsaṃkhyāthe count of life; the measure of the lifespan
कृतयुगेkṛtayugein Krita-yuga; in the golden age
संख्याताsaṃkhyātāreckoned; determined
राजसत्तमrājasattamaO best of kings; excellent ruler
तथाtathāalso; and
त्रीणिtrīṇithree; numbering three
सहस्राणिsahasrāṇithousands; thousand-fold measures
त्रेतायांtretāyāṃin Treta; in the age of Treta
मनुजाधिपmanujādhipaO lord of men; O ruler of men
द्विसहस्रंdvisahasraṃtwo thousand; numbering two thousand
द्वापरेdvāparein Dvapara; in the age of Dvapara
तुtubut; and
शतेśateat a hundred; at a hundred years
तिष्ठतिtiṣṭhatistands; settles
संप्रतिsaṃpratinow; at the present time
nanot; no
प्रमाणस्थितिर्pramāṇasthitira fixed measure; a firm limit
ह्य्hyindeed; for
अस्तिastiexists; there is
पुष्येpuṣyein Pushya; in the present age
ऽस्मिन्'sminin this; here
भरतर्षभbharatarṣabhaO bull among the Bharatas; best of the Bharatas
गर्भस्थाश्garbhasthāśthose still in the womb; the yet unborn
caand; also
म्रियन्तेmriyantedie; perish
ऽत्र'trahere; in this age
तथाtathāalso; and
जाताjātāthose born; those who have come into the world
म्रियन्तिmriyantidie; perish
caand; also
Translation

Sanjaya said: "In Bharata-varsha, O bull among the Bharatas, there are four yugas — Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Pushya, O increaser of the Kuru line. First comes the age called Krita; then, O lord, the Treta-yuga; after the waning of Dvapara, Pushya begins. In Krita-yuga the span of life, O best of the Kurus, was reckoned at four thousand years, O excellent ruler; in Treta, O lord of men, at three thousand; in Dvapara, at two thousand; and now it stands at a hundred. But in this Pushya, O bull among the Bharatas, there is no fixed measure: here even those still in the womb die, and those already born die as well."

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a0fc52476228 · published Jul 17, 2026, 8:47:27 PM UTC

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