FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.4.16

परावरज्ञ: स ऋषि: कालेनाव्यक्तरंहसा । युगधर्मव्यतिकरं प्राप्तं भुवि युगे युगे ॥ १६ ॥
parāvara-jñaḥ sa ṛṣiḥ
[paraavara-jnah sa rishih]
kālenāvyakta-raṁhasā
[kaalenaavyakta-ramhasaa]
yuga-dharma-vyatikaraṁ
[yuga-dharma-vyatikaram]
prāptaṁ bhuvi yuge yuge
[praaptam bhuvi yuge yuge]
Word-for-word
para-avara — past and future jñaḥ — one who knows saḥ — he ṛṣiḥ — Vyāsadeva kālena — by time avyakta — unmanifested raṁhasā — by great force yuga-dharma — acts in terms of the millennium vyatikaram — anomalies prāptam — having accrued bhuvi — on the earth yuge yuge — different ages.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
parāvara-jñaḥ sa ṛṣiḥ
para-avara
past and future
jñaḥ
one who knows
saḥ
he
ṛṣiḥ
Vyāsadeva
kālenāvyakta-raṁhasā
kālena
by time
avyakta
unmanifested
raṁhasā
by great force
yuga-dharma-vyatikaraṁ
yuga-dharma
acts in terms of the millennium
vyatikaram
anomalies
prāptaṁ bhuvi yuge yuge
prāptam
having accrued
bhuvi
on the earth
yuge yuge
different ages.
The great sage Vyāsadeva saw anomalies in the duties of the millennium. This happens on the earth in different ages, due to the unseen force of time.
Purport

The great sages like Vyāsadeva are liberated souls, and therefore they can see clearly past and future. Thus he could see the future anomalies in the Kali age, and accordingly he made arrangement for the people in general so that they can execute a progressive life in this age, which is full of darkness. The people in general in this Age of Kali are too much interested in matter, which is temporary. Because of ignorance they are unable to evaluate the assets of life and be enlightened in spiritual knowledge.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Vyāsa, who could see the past and the future, having pure vision, observed by his spiritual eye that the dharmas for the yugas had been destroyed on the earth, yuga after yuga, by the invisible force of time; that the bodies had decreased in ability; and that the people were devoid of faith, dominated by rajas and tamas, dull-witted, short-lived, and filled with misfortunes. He began to contemplate on what would be beneficial for all the varṇas and āśramas.
Commentary

He knows the past and the future (parāvara-jñaḥ). He saw that there was destruction of the dharmas of the yugas with time (yuga-dharma-vyatikaram). There was decrease in strength of the body conditions (bhautikānām bhāvānām), caused by time (tat-kṛtam). The people were filled with rajas and tamas (niḥsattvān).

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Vyāsa saw 'anomalies in the duties of the millennium' — the wear of time on dharma. A clear-sighted person notices when prevailing norms are quietly drifting from truth. We need this kind of vision too.
Reflection Questions
  • What 'anomaly' in current culture have I noticed but stopped naming?
  • How do I sharpen my sense of when a norm is drifting?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 4