Bhaviṣya-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 117

51 versesThe Coming Kṛta

Synopsis

"When the world is in ruin, by whom will men be protected? What conduct, what food and play, what deeds, what measure, what life-span, what milestone, reaching which will people enter the Kṛta again?" The middle of the chapter paints peace for the age-end's survivor: "Safety, plenty, health, completeness with kin - all these they will have, O best of men, at the yuga's end." The chapter closes: men of great age, for whom the yuga-turns have long worked by nature's own order; the living world stands nowhere for an instant, moving in decline and rise.

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse commentary below

From the Yuga's End to the Return of Kṛta: Verses 3, 5, 14, 23, 40, 44, 46: the decline through loss-of-guṇa, the great cascade from disillusion to self-awareness to dharma-nature that brings Kṛta-yuga back, great war and rain and fear as signs of the age's end, people fleeing to the forest from tax-burden, the afflicted listening to sādhus and turning to truth, the insight that growth returns step by step just as decline came step by step, and the image of the Soma covered by darkness in the Kali-age. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

Verse 1

एषं विलुलिते लोके मनुष्याः केन पालिताः निवत्स्यन्ति किमाचाराः किमाहारविहारिणः

eṣaṃ vilulite loke manuṣyāḥ kena pālitāḥ nivatsyanti kimācārāḥ kimāhāravihāriṇaḥ

'When the world is so confused, by whom will men be protected? With what conduct will they live — what will they eat, where will they go?'

Verse 2

किंकर्माणः किमीहन्तः किंप्रमाणाः किमायुषः कां च काष्ठां समासाद्य प्रपत्स्यन्ति कृतं युगम्

kiṃkarmāṇaḥ kimīhantaḥ kiṃpramāṇāḥ kimāyuṣaḥ kāṃ ca kāṣṭhāṃ samāsādya prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ yugam

Verse 3

अत ऊर्ध्वं च्युते धर्मे गुणहीनाः प्रजास् ततः शीलव्यसनम् आसाद्य प्राप्स्यन्ते ह्रासम् आयुषः

ata ūrdhvaṃ cyute dharme guṇahīnāḥ prajās tataḥ śīlavyasanam āsādya prāpsyante hrāsam āyuṣaḥ

Verse 4

आयुर्हार्न्या बलग्लानिर् बलग्लान्या विवर्णता वैवर्ण्याद् व्याधिसंपीडा निर्वेदो व्याधिपीडनात्

āyurhārnyā balaglānir balaglānyā vivarṇatā vaivarṇyād vyādhisaṃpīḍā nirvedo vyādhipīḍanāt

Verse 5

निर्वेदाद् आत्मसंबोधः संबोधाद् धर्मशीलता एवं गत्वा परां काष्ठां प्रपत्स्यन्ति कृतं युगम्

nirvedād ātmasaṃbodhaḥ saṃbodhād dharmaśīlatā evaṃ gatvā parāṃ kāṣṭhāṃ prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ yugam

Verse 6

उद्देशतो धर्मशीलाः केचिन् मध्यस्थतां गताः विमर्शशीलाः केचित् तु हेतुवादकुतूहलाः

uddeśato dharmaśīlāḥ kecin madhyasthatāṃ gatāḥ vimarśaśīlāḥ kecit tu hetuvādakutūhalāḥ

Verse 7

प्रत्यक्षम् अनुमानं च प्रमाणम् इति निश्चिताः प्रमाणं किं करिष्यति नेति पण्डितमानिनः अप्रमाणं करिष्यन्ति वेदोक्तम् अपरे जनाः

pratyakṣam anumānaṃ ca pramāṇam iti niścitāḥ pramāṇaṃ kiṃ kariṣyati neti paṇḍitamāninaḥ apramāṇaṃ kariṣyanti vedoktam apare janāḥ

Verse 8

तदा मुखभगाश् चैव भविष्यन्ति स्त्रियो ऽपराः नास्तिक्यपरमाश् चापि केचिद् धर्मविलोपकाः भविष्यन्ति नरा मूढा मन्दाः पण्डितमानिनः

tadā mukhabhagāś caiva bhaviṣyanti striyo 'parāḥ nāstikyaparamāś cāpi kecid dharmavilopakāḥ bhaviṣyanti narā mūḍhā mandāḥ paṇḍitamāninaḥ

Verse 9

तदात्वमात्रश्रद्धेयाः शास्त्रज्ञानविमूर्छिताः दाम्भिकास् ते भविष्यन्ति वादशीलपरायणाः

tadātvamātraśraddheyāḥ śāstrajñānavimūrchitāḥ dāmbhikās te bhaviṣyanti vādaśīlaparāyaṇāḥ

Verse 10

तदा विचलिते धर्मे जनाः शेषपुरस्कृताः शुभान्य् एवाचरिष्यन्ति दानसत्यसमन्विताः

tadā vicalite dharme janāḥ śeṣapuraskṛtāḥ śubhāny evācariṣyanti dānasatyasamanvitāḥ

Verse 11

सर्वभक्षो ह्य् असंगुप्तो निर्गुणो निरपत्रपः भविष्यति तदा लोकस् तत् कषायस्य लक्षणम्

sarvabhakṣo hy asaṃgupto nirguṇo nirapatrapaḥ bhaviṣyati tadā lokas tat kaṣāyasya lakṣaṇam

Verse 12

विप्राणां शाश्वतीं वृत्तिं यदा वर्णावरो जनः अभिपत्स्यति वृत्त्यर्थं तत् कषायस्य लक्षणम्

viprāṇāṃ śāśvatīṃ vṛttiṃ yadā varṇāvaro janaḥ abhipatsyati vṛttyarthaṃ tat kaṣāyasya lakṣaṇam

Verse 13

कषायोपप्लवे काले ज्ञानविद्याप्रणाशने सिद्धिम् अल्पेन कालेन यास्यन्ति निरुपस्कृताः

kaṣāyopaplave kāle jñānavidyāpraṇāśane siddhim alpena kālena yāsyanti nirupaskṛtāḥ

Verse 14

महायुद्धं महानादं महावर्षं महाभयम् भविष्यति युगे क्षीणे तत् कषायस्य लक्षणम्

mahāyuddhaṃ mahānādaṃ mahāvarṣaṃ mahābhayam bhaviṣyati yuge kṣīṇe tat kaṣāyasya lakṣaṇam

Verse 15

विप्ररूपाणि रक्षांसि राजानः कर्णवेदिनः चरिष्यन्ति वसुंधरां प्रनष्टवर्णधर्माश् च पृथिवीम् उपभोक्ष्यन्ति युगान्ते प्रत्युपस्थिते

viprarūpāṇi rakṣāṃsi rājānaḥ karṇavedinaḥ cariṣyanti vasuṃdharāṃ pranaṣṭavarṇadharmāś ca pṛthivīm upabhokṣyanti yugānte pratyupasthite

Verse 16

निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारा मुनयश् चाभिमानिनः क्रव्यादा ब्रह्मरूपेण सर्वभक्षा वृथाव्रताः

niḥsvādhyāyavaṣaṭkārā munayaś cābhimāninaḥ kravyādā brahmarūpeṇa sarvabhakṣā vṛthāvratāḥ

Verse 17

मूर्खाः स्वार्थपरा लुब्धाः क्षुद्राः क्षुद्रपरिच्छदाः व्यवाहारोपवृत्ताश् च च्युता धर्माच् च शाश्वतात्

mūrkhāḥ svārthaparā lubdhāḥ kṣudrāḥ kṣudraparicchadāḥ vyavāhāropavṛttāś ca cyutā dharmāc ca śāśvatāt

Verse 18

हर्तारः पररत्नानां परदारप्रधर्षकाः कामात्मानो दुरात्मानः सोपधाः प्रियसाहसाः

hartāraḥ pararatnānāṃ paradārapradharṣakāḥ kāmātmāno durātmānaḥ sopadhāḥ priyasāhasāḥ

Verse 19

तेषु प्रभवमानेषु तुल्यशीलेषु सर्वतः अभाविनो भविष्यन्ति मुनयो बहुरूपिणः

teṣu prabhavamāneṣu tulyaśīleṣu sarvataḥ abhāvino bhaviṣyanti munayo bahurūpiṇaḥ

Verse 20

उत्पन्ना ये कृतयुगे प्रधानपुरुषाश्रयाः कथायोगेन तान् सर्वान् पूजयिष्यन्ति मानवाः

utpannā ye kṛtayuge pradhānapuruṣāśrayāḥ kathāyogena tān sarvān pūjayiṣyanti mānavāḥ

Verse 21

सस्यचोरा भविष्यन्ति तथा चैलापहारिणः भक्ष्यभोज्यहराश् चैव भाण्डानां चैव हारिणः

sasyacorā bhaviṣyanti tathā cailāpahāriṇaḥ bhakṣyabhojyaharāś caiva bhāṇḍānāṃ caiva hāriṇaḥ

Verse 22

चोराश् चोरस्य हर्तारो हन्ता हर्तुर् भविष्यति चोराश् चोरक्षये चापि कृते क्षेमं भविष्यति

corāś corasya hartāro hantā hartur bhaviṣyati corāś corakṣaye cāpi kṛte kṣemaṃ bhaviṣyati

Verse 23

निःसारे क्षुभिते लोके निष्क्रिये व्यन्तरे स्थिते नराः श्रयिष्यन्ति वनं करभारप्रपीडिताः

niḥsāre kṣubhite loke niṣkriye vyantare sthite narāḥ śrayiṣyanti vanaṃ karabhāraprapīḍitāḥ

Verse 24

पितॄन् आज्ञापयिष्यन्ति पुत्राः कर्माणि सर्वशः स्नुषाः श्वश्रूस् तथा चैव युगान्ते पर्युपस्थिते वाक्शरैस् तर्जयिष्यन्ति गुरूञ् शिष्याः समन्ततः यज्ञकर्मण्य् उपरते रक्षांसि श्वापदानि च कोटिमूषकसर्पाश् च धर्षयिष्यन्ति मानवान्

pitṝn ājñāpayiṣyanti putrāḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ snuṣāḥ śvaśrūs tathā caiva yugānte paryupasthite vākśarais tarjayiṣyanti gurūñ śiṣyāḥ samantataḥ yajñakarmaṇy uparate rakṣāṃsi śvāpadāni ca koṭimūṣakasarpāś ca dharṣayiṣyanti mānavān

Verse 25

क्षेमं सुभिक्षम् आरोग्यं सामग्र्यम् अथ बन्धुभिः उद्देशेन नरश्रेष्ठ भविष्यन्ति युगक्षये

kṣemaṃ subhikṣam ārogyaṃ sāmagryam atha bandhubhiḥ uddeśena naraśreṣṭha bhaviṣyanti yugakṣaye

'Safety, plenty, health, completeness with kin — in summary, best of men, these they will have at the yuga's end.'

Verse 26

स्वयंपालाः स्वयंचोरा युगसंभारसंभृताः मण्डलैः प्रभविष्यन्ति देशे देशे पृथक् पृथक्

svayaṃpālāḥ svayaṃcorā yugasaṃbhārasaṃbhṛtāḥ maṇḍalaiḥ prabhaviṣyanti deśe deśe pṛthak pṛthak

Verse 27

स्वदेशेभ्यः परिभ्रष्टा निःसाराः सह बन्धुभिः नरास् तदा भविष्यन्ति सर्वे कालप्रतीक्षिणः

svadeśebhyaḥ paribhraṣṭā niḥsārāḥ saha bandhubhiḥ narās tadā bhaviṣyanti sarve kālapratīkṣiṇaḥ

Verse 28

तदा स्कन्धे समादाय कुमारान् प्रद्रुता भयात् कौशिकीं संश्रयिष्यन्ति नराः क्षुद्भयपीडिताः

tadā skandhe samādāya kumārān pradrutā bhayāt kauśikīṃ saṃśrayiṣyanti narāḥ kṣudbhayapīḍitāḥ

Verse 29

प्रचरिष्यन्ति दुर्भिक्ष+ +व्याधिभिः परिपीडिताः अङ्गान् वङ्गान् कलिङ्गांश् च काश्मीरान् अथ मेकलान् ऋषिकान्तगिरिद्रोणीः संश्रयिष्यन्ति मानवाः

pracariṣyanti durbhikṣa+ +vyādhibhiḥ paripīḍitāḥ aṅgān vaṅgān kaliṅgāṃś ca kāśmīrān atha mekalān ṛṣikāntagiridroṇīḥ saṃśrayiṣyanti mānavāḥ

Verse 30

कृत्स्नं च हिमवत्पार्श्वं कूलं च लवणाम्भसः अरण्यानि च वत्स्यन्ति नरा म्लेच्छगणैः सह

kṛtsnaṃ ca himavatpārśvaṃ kūlaṃ ca lavaṇāmbhasaḥ araṇyāni ca vatsyanti narā mlecchagaṇaiḥ saha

Verse 31

नैव शून्या न चाशून्या भविष्यति वसुंधरा गोप्तारश् चाप्य् अगोप्तारः प्रभविष्यन्ति शासिनः

naiva śūnyā na cāśūnyā bhaviṣyati vasuṃdharā goptāraś cāpy agoptāraḥ prabhaviṣyanti śāsinaḥ

Verse 32

मृगैर् मत्स्यैर् विहंगैश् च श्वापदैः सर्वकीटकैः मृगमत्स्यविहंगैश् च कीटश्वापदवंगमैः (?) मधुशाकफलैर् मूलैर् वर्तयिष्यन्ति मानवाः

mṛgair matsyair vihaṃgaiś ca śvāpadaiḥ sarvakīṭakaiḥ mṛgamatsyavihaṃgaiś ca kīṭaśvāpadavaṃgamaiḥ (?) madhuśākaphalair mūlair vartayiṣyanti mānavāḥ

Verse 33

चीरं पर्णं च विविधं वल्कलान्य् अजिनानि च स्वयं कृत्वा निवत्स्यन्ति यथा मुनिजनास् तथा

cīraṃ parṇaṃ ca vividhaṃ valkalāny ajināni ca svayaṃ kṛtvā nivatsyanti yathā munijanās tathā

Verse 34

बीजानाम् आकृतिं निम्नेष्व् ईहन्ते काष्ठशङ्कुभिः अजैडकं खरोष्ट्रं च पालयिष्यन्ति यत्नतः

bījānām ākṛtiṃ nimneṣv īhante kāṣṭhaśaṅkubhiḥ ajaiḍakaṃ kharoṣṭraṃ ca pālayiṣyanti yatnataḥ

Verse 35

नदीस्रोतांसि रोत्स्यन्ति तोयार्थं कूलम् आश्रिताः पक्वान्नव्यवहारेण विपणन्तः परस्परम्

nadīsrotāṃsi rotsyanti toyārthaṃ kūlam āśritāḥ pakvānnavyavahāreṇa vipaṇantaḥ parasparam

Verse 36

तनूरुहैर् यथाजातैः समलान्तरसंवृतैः बह्वपत्याः प्रजाहीनाः क्रूरा लक्षणवर्जिताः

tanūruhair yathājātaiḥ samalāntarasaṃvṛtaiḥ bahvapatyāḥ prajāhīnāḥ krūrā lakṣaṇavarjitāḥ

Verse 37

एवं भविष्यन्ति तदा मनुष्याः कालकारिताः हीनाद्द् हीनं तदा धर्मं प्रजा समनुवर्त्स्यति

evaṃ bhaviṣyanti tadā manuṣyāḥ kālakāritāḥ hīnādd hīnaṃ tadā dharmaṃ prajā samanuvartsyati

Verse 38

आयुस् तत्र च मर्त्यानां परं त्रिंशद् भविष्यति दुर्बला विषयग्लाना रजसा समभिप्लुताः

āyus tatra ca martyānāṃ paraṃ triṃśad bhaviṣyati durbalā viṣayaglānā rajasā samabhiplutāḥ

Verse 39

भविष्यति तदा तेषां रोगैर् इन्द्रियसंक्षयः आयुःप्रक्षयसंरोधाद्द् हिंसा चोपरमिष्यति

bhaviṣyati tadā teṣāṃ rogair indriyasaṃkṣayaḥ āyuḥprakṣayasaṃrodhādd hiṃsā coparamiṣyati

Verse 40

एवं विप्लाविते लोके पीडिताः संक्षये काले ज्ञानिनस् ते भविष्यन्ति पीडया विफलोद्यमाः शुश्रूषवो भविष्यन्ति साधूनां दर्शने रताः सत्यं चापि प्रपत्स्यन्ति व्यवहारापशङ्कया

evaṃ viplāvite loke pīḍitāḥ saṃkṣaye kāle jñāninas te bhaviṣyanti pīḍayā viphalodyamāḥ śuśrūṣavo bhaviṣyanti sādhūnāṃ darśane ratāḥ satyaṃ cāpi prapatsyanti vyavahārāpaśaṅkayā

Verse 41

भविष्यन्ति च कामानाम् अलाभाद् धर्मशीलिनः करिष्यन्ति च संकोचं स्वपक्षक्षयपीडिताः

bhaviṣyanti ca kāmānām alābhād dharmaśīlinaḥ kariṣyanti ca saṃkocaṃ svapakṣakṣayapīḍitāḥ

Verse 42

एवं शुश्रूषवो दाने सत्ये प्राणाभिरक्षणे चतुष्पादप्रवृत्तं च धर्मम् आप्स्यन्ति मानवाः

evaṃ śuśrūṣavo dāne satye prāṇābhirakṣaṇe catuṣpādapravṛttaṃ ca dharmam āpsyanti mānavāḥ

Verse 43

तेसां धर्माभिमानानां गुणेषु परिवर्तताम् स्वादु किं न्व् इति विज्ञाय धर्म एव स्वदिष्यति

tesāṃ dharmābhimānānāṃ guṇeṣu parivartatām svādu kiṃ nv iti vijñāya dharma eva svadiṣyati

Verse 44

यथा हानिः क्रमप्राप्ता तथा वृद्धिः क्रमागता यदा हानिर् भविष्यति कलेः सर्वाणि भूपते प्रगृहीते ततो धर्मे प्रपत्स्यन्ति कृतं पुनः

yathā hāniḥ kramaprāptā tathā vṛddhiḥ kramāgatā yadā hānir bhaviṣyati kaleḥ sarvāṇi bhūpate pragṛhīte tato dharme prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ punaḥ

Verse 45

साधुवृत्तिः कृतयुगे कषाये हानिर् उच्यते एक एव तु कालः स हीनवर्णो यथा शशी

sādhuvṛttiḥ kṛtayuge kaṣāye hānir ucyate eka eva tu kālaḥ sa hīnavarṇo yathā śaśī

Verse 46

छन्नो हि तमसा सोमो यथा कलियुगे तथा पूर्णश् च तपसा हीनो यथा कलियुगे तथा

channo hi tamasā somo yathā kaliyuge tathā pūrṇaś ca tapasā hīno yathā kaliyuge tathā

Verse 47

अर्थवादपरो धर्मो वेदार्थ इति तु विदुः अनिर्णिक्तम् अविज्ञातं दायाद्यम् इव धार्यते

arthavādaparo dharmo vedārtha iti tu viduḥ anirṇiktam avijñātaṃ dāyādyam iva dhāryate

Verse 48

इष्टं दानं तपो नाम ब्रह्मचर्यं सुपूजितम् गुणैः कर्माभिनिर्वृत्तिर् गुणास् तथ्येन कर्मणा

iṣṭaṃ dānaṃ tapo nāma brahmacaryaṃ supūjitam guṇaiḥ karmābhinirvṛttir guṇās tathyena karmaṇā

Verse 49

आशीस् तु पुरुषं दृष्ट्वा देशकालानुवर्तिनी युगे युगे यथाकालम् ऋषिभिः समुदाहृता

āśīs tu puruṣaṃ dṛṣṭvā deśakālānuvartinī yuge yuge yathākālam ṛṣibhiḥ samudāhṛtā

Verse 50

इह धर्मार्थकामानां वेदानां च प्रतिक्रिया आशिषश् च शुभाः पुण्यास् तथैवायुर् युगे युगे

iha dharmārthakāmānāṃ vedānāṃ ca pratikriyā āśiṣaś ca śubhāḥ puṇyās tathaivāyur yuge yuge

Verse 51

भविष्यन्ति महाराज नरा बह्वायुषस् तदा यथा युगानां परिवर्तनानि चिरप्रवृत्तानि विधिस्वभावात् क्षणं न संतिष्ठति जीवलोकः क्षयोदयाभ्यां परिवर्तमानः

bhaviṣyanti mahārāja narā bahvāyuṣas tadā yathā yugānāṃ parivartanāni cirapravṛttāni vidhisvabhāvāt kṣaṇaṃ na saṃtiṣṭhati jīvalokaḥ kṣayodayābhyāṃ parivartamānaḥ

'Then, great king, men will have long lifespans — as the turnings of the ages have long been, by the nature of their law. The living world stands still not for an instant, turning by decline and rise.'

Verse commentary

From the Yuga's End to the Return of Kṛta

युगान्तात् कृतयुगपुनरागमनम्

Verses 3, 5, 14, 23, 40, 44, 46: the decline through loss-of-guṇa, the great cascade from disillusion to self-awareness to dharma-nature that brings Kṛta-yuga back, great war and rain and fear as signs of the age's end, people fleeing to the forest from tax-burden, the afflicted listening to sādhus and turning to truth, the insight that growth returns step by step just as decline came step by step, and the image of the Soma covered by darkness in the Kali-age. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 117 is the Harivaṃśa's most hopeful chapter. Where HV 116 diagnosed the symptoms of the Kali-age, HV 117 traces the path out. Vaiśaṃpāyana names an extraordinary interior sequence — *nirvedād ātma-saṃbodhaḥ, saṃbodhād dharma-śīlatā* — 'from disillusionment, self-awareness; from self-awareness, dharma-nature' — by which a person moves through the age's decay back into *kṛta-yuga*. The chapter acknowledges the worst (great war, great rain, great fear, people forced to the forest by taxation, the Soma obscured by darkness) and then, with patience, describes the healing: the afflicted listen to sādhus, take up truth, and — step by step — the Kṛta returns. The chapter ends with the calm image of *jīvaloka*, the world of beings, never at rest, always turning between decline and rise.

HV 117.3

अत ऊर्ध्वं च्युते धर्मे गुणहीनाः प्रजास् ततः । शीलव्यसनम् आसाद्य प्राप्स्यन्ते ह्रासम् आयुषः ॥

ata ūrdhvaṃ cyute dharme guṇa-hīnāḥ prajās tataḥ | śīla-vyasanam āsādya prāpsyante hrāsam āyuṣaḥ

'From this point on, dharma being fallen, and the guṇas being lost, the people, taking to the ruin of śīla, shall suffer the decrease of life-span.'

The Living Words

*Cyute dharme*, 'dharma being fallen'. *Guṇa-hīnāḥ*, 'devoid of guṇas'. *Śīla-vyasanam āsādya*, 'taking to the ruin of śīla (character)'. *Prāpsyante hrāsam āyuṣaḥ*, 'shall obtain the decrease of life-span'.

The Heart of It

The verse names the mechanism. *Śīla-vyasanam āsādya... hrāsam āyuṣaḥ* — 'the ruin of character brings the shortening of life'. The Harivaṃśa is not making a miracle-claim; it is making an observation: a people who lose *śīla* live shorter. The Varkari tradition's long teaching that *dīrgha-āyus*, long life, depends on *śīla-rakṣaṇā*, the protection of character — that the Name extends life by holding character — is in this verse. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh works on exactly this axis: *śīla* is the body's root, and the Name is *śīla*'s root.

HV 117.5

निर्वेदाद् आत्मसंबोधः संबोधाद् धर्मशीलता । एवं गत्वा परां काष्ठां प्रपत्स्यन्ति कृतं युगम् ॥

nirvedād ātma-saṃbodhaḥ saṃbodhād dharma-śīlatā | evaṃ gatvā parāṃ kāṣṭhāṃ prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ yugam

'From disillusion comes self-awakening; from self-awakening, dharma-nature. Going thus to the furthest limit, they will attain the Kṛta-yuga.'

The Living Words

*Nirvedāt*, 'from disillusion / disenchantment / satiety-with-vanity'. *Ātma-saṃbodhaḥ*, 'self-awakening'. *Saṃbodhād dharma-śīlatā*, 'from awakening, dharma-nature'. *Parāṃ kāṣṭhāṃ*, 'the furthest limit'. *Prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ yugam*, 'they will attain the Kṛta-yuga'.

The Heart of It

The verse is one of the Harivaṃśa's greatest. It names the sequence that reverses the Kali: *nirveda → ātma-saṃbodha → dharma-śīlatā → kṛta-yuga*. Disillusion is not the end; it is the beginning. The Varkari tradition's reading: *nirveda* — the turning-away from the age's seductions — is bhakti's very entry-point. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is meant for the *nirvinna*, the one who has seen through the age; the Name offers *ātma-saṃbodha*, self-knowing, and from that, *dharma-śīlatā*, living-by-dharma, follows. And *prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ yugam* — they *will* attain the Kṛta-yuga — is the scripture's most audacious claim: the age can return.

HV 117.14

महायुद्धं महानादं महावर्षं महाभयम् । भविष्यति युगे क्षीणे तत् कषायस्य लक्षणम् ॥

mahā-yuddhaṃ mahā-nādaṃ mahā-varṣaṃ mahā-bhayam | bhaviṣyati yuge kṣīṇe tat kaṣāyasya lakṣaṇam

'Great war, great roar, great rain, great fear — these will be when the age has waned; that is the sign of the kaṣāya (dross-age).'

The Living Words

*Mahā-yuddhaṃ*, 'great war'. *Mahā-nādam*, 'great roar'. *Mahā-varṣam*, 'great rain'. *Mahā-bhayam*, 'great fear'. *Yuge kṣīṇe*, 'when the age has waned'. *Kaṣāyasya lakṣaṇam*, 'the sign of the kaṣāya'.

The Heart of It

The verse names four mahā-things that mark the age's end: war, noise, rain, fear. *Kaṣāya* — 'dross, residue, the dregs' — is the Harivaṃśa's other name for the terminal phase of the Kali-yuga. The Varkari tradition has read this verse not as a date-prediction but as a diagnostic for any *kaṣāya-kāla*, any dregs-time the bhakta might meet: when the noise is great, the fear is great, the storms are great, these are signs to turn inward. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh does not flee the mahā-bhaya; it sings into it.

HV 117.23

निःसारे क्षुभिते लोके निष्क्रिये व्यन्तरे स्थिते । नराः श्रयिष्यन्ति वनं करभारप्रपीडिताः ॥

niḥsāre kṣubhite loke niṣkriye vyantare sthite | narāḥ śrayiṣyanti vanaṃ kara-bhāra-prapīḍitāḥ

'When the world is without substance, agitated, idle, turned-between — men will take refuge in the forest, oppressed by the weight of taxes.'

The Living Words

*Niḥsāre loke*, 'in a world without substance'. *Kṣubhite*, 'agitated'. *Niṣkriye*, 'idle, inactive'. *Narāḥ śrayiṣyanti vanam*, 'men will take refuge in the forest'. *Kara-bhāra-prapīḍitāḥ*, 'oppressed by the weight of taxes'.

The Heart of It

The verse is startlingly specific. *Kara-bhāra-prapīḍitāḥ* — 'oppressed by the weight of taxes' — is a phrase the Harivaṃśa does not shrink from applying to the kaṣāya-kāla. The Varkari tradition has always read it with a kind of shock of recognition: the forest-flight of the tax-burdened is an ancient recurrence. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's tenderness for those fled-to-forest — the saints themselves often had to flee — is in this verse. And the counter-gesture the saints offered: *śrayiṣyanti vanam* — even the forest-flight is a kind of *śrayaṇa*, a taking-refuge — and the bhakta finds in the forest not exile but the Name.

HV 117.40

एवं विप्लाविते लोके पीडिताः संक्षये काले । ज्ञानिनस् ते भविष्यन्ति पीडया विफलोद्यमाः । शुश्रूषवो भविष्यन्ति साधूनां दर्शने रताः । सत्यं चापि प्रपत्स्यन्ति व्यवहारापशङ्कया ॥

evaṃ viplāvite loke pīḍitāḥ saṃkṣaye kāle | jñāninas te bhaviṣyanti pīḍayā viphalodyamāḥ | śuśrūṣavo bhaviṣyanti sādhūnāṃ darśane ratāḥ | satyaṃ cāpi prapatsyanti vyavahārāpaśaṅkayā

'Thus, in a world overwhelmed, afflicted in the time of exhaustion, the afflicted will become knowers — their efforts fruitless through suffering; they will become listeners, devoted to the sight of sādhus; and they will take up truth, from apprehension about [worldly] transaction.'

The Living Words

*Viplāvite loke*, 'in a world overwhelmed'. *Pīḍitāḥ saṃkṣaye kāle*, 'afflicted in the time of exhaustion'. *Jñāninas te bhaviṣyanti pīḍayā*, 'they will become knowers by suffering'. *Śuśrūṣavo sādhūnāṃ darśane*, 'listeners, at the sight of sādhus'. *Satyaṃ prapatsyanti*, 'will take up truth'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's theology of suffering as teacher. *Jñāninas te bhaviṣyanti pīḍayā* — 'they will become knowers through pīḍā, affliction'. The mechanism the age provides for awakening is its own pain. And the resulting posture is *śuśrūṣu*, listener — the bhakta posture par excellence. *Sādhūnāṃ darśane ratāḥ* — 'devoted to the sight of sādhus'. The Varkari tradition's entire practice, including the *vari*-walk to see the saints at Paṇḍharpūr, is this verse made liturgy. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is for *śuśrūṣus* returning from the *vyavahāra*, the world's transaction, to truth.

HV 117.44

यथा हानिः क्रमप्राप्ता तथा वृद्धिः क्रमागता । यदा हानिर् भविष्यति कलेः सर्वाणि भूपते । प्रगृहीते ततो धर्मे प्रपत्स्यन्ति कृतं पुनः ॥

yathā hāniḥ krama-prāptā tathā vṛddhiḥ kramāgatā | yadā hānir bhaviṣyati kaleḥ sarvāṇi bhūpate | pragṛhīte tato dharme prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ punaḥ

'As decline came step by step, so growth comes step by step. When Kali has, in all its modes, declined, O king — with dharma thus taken up — they will attain the Kṛta-yuga again.'

The Living Words

*Yathā hāniḥ krama-prāptā*, 'as decline came step-by-step'. *Tathā vṛddhiḥ kramāgatā*, 'so growth comes step-by-step'. *Pragṛhīte tato dharme*, 'dharma thus taken up'. *Prapatsyanti kṛtaṃ punaḥ*, 'they will attain the Kṛta-yuga again'.

The Heart of It

The verse is one of the Harivaṃśa's deepest philosophical consolations. *Yathā hāniḥ krama-prāptā tathā vṛddhiḥ kramāgatā* — 'as decline came step by step, so increase comes step by step'. No leap, no miracle — only the patient symmetry of the yuga-turning. The Varkari tradition's teaching that bhakti's work is *krama*, step-wise, daily, never spectacular — is the ethical translation of this cosmological verse. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is structured exactly this way: *krama-pravṛtta*, step-wise proceeding, ninety-five hymns walked through one at a time. The Kṛta does not come because history jumps; it comes because the bhakta walks.

HV 117.46

छन्नो हि तमसा सोमो यथा कलियुगे तथा । पूर्णश् च तपसा हीनो यथा कलियुगे तथा ॥

channo hi tamasā somo yathā kali-yuge tathā | pūrṇaś ca tapasā hīno yathā kali-yuge tathā

'As the Soma is hidden by tamas in the Kali-age, so it is. And, though full, being empty of tapas — so it is in the Kali-age.'

The Living Words

*Channaḥ tamasā somaḥ*, 'the Soma hidden by darkness'. *Yathā kali-yuge tathā*, 'as in the Kali-age, so'. *Pūrṇaḥ ca tapasā hīnaḥ*, 'full, and empty of tapas'. The double-image of eclipse.

The Heart of It

The verse is a profound image. The Soma — the moon, but also *soma-rasa*, the nectar of the Vedic sacrifice — is *pūrṇa* (full) but *tapasā hīna*, empty of tapas. Externally present, internally evacuated. The Varkari tradition's critique of Kali-yuga religiosity — that the temples are full but the *tapas* is absent, that the hymns are pronounced but the *śīla* is eclipsed — is in this verse. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh is the direct answer: to refill the Soma with *tapas*, to make the fullness full again, through the Name sung with character intact.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's arc from diagnosis to return: the decline of guṇa and life-span (117.3), the extraordinary cascade *nirveda → ātma-saṃbodha → dharma-śīlatā → kṛta-yuga* (117.5), the four mahā-signs of the age's end (117.14), the tax-burdened fleeing to the forest (117.23), the afflicted becoming knowers and listeners of sādhus (117.40), the patient symmetry of step-wise decline and step-wise growth (117.44), and the image of the eclipsed Soma that names the Kali's inner emptiness (117.46). The Harivaṃśa's most hopeful chapter: the Kṛta does return.

Echo in the saints

HV 117.5 — *nirvedād ātma-saṃbodhaḥ, saṃbodhād dharma-śīlatā* — is a verse Warkari commentators have treated as one of the Harivaṃśa's richest gifts. The sequence *nirveda → ātma-saṃbodha → dharma-śīlatā* maps almost exactly onto the path Jñāneśvar describes in the Amṛtānubhava: disenchantment with the world is the bhakta's entry; the Name's knowledge of the self is the middle; living-by-dharma is the fruit. And HV 117.44's *yathā hāniḥ krama-prāptā tathā vṛddhiḥ kramāgatā* is invoked by Tukaram's abhaṅgas that counsel patience in the face of the age's slow work. The saints do not promise the Kṛta tomorrow. They promise that the *krama*, the step-wise walk, is enough.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 2.15

Faith is born in suffering; knowing arises through pain.

यं हि न व्यथयन्त्येते पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभ । समदुःखसुखं धीरं सोऽमृतत्वाय कल्पते ॥

yaṃ hi na vyathayanty ete puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha | sama-duḥkha-sukhaṃ dhīraṃ so'mṛtatvāya kalpate

The man whom these do not afflict, the bull-among-men, steady in pleasure and pain — he is fit for immortality.

HV 117.40 — 'the afflicted will become knowers through pīḍā' — is the Harivaṃśa's narrative enactment of the Gītā's principle. Suffering that would break the attached makes the unattached a knower. The two verses read together teach a pedagogy of pain.

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BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.