FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.10.51

त्रेतायां वर्तमानायां काल: कृतसमोऽभवत् । रामे राजनि धर्मज्ञे सर्वभूतसुखावहे ॥ ५१ ॥
tretāyāṁ vartamānāyāṁ
[tretaayaam vartamaanaayaam]
kālaḥ kṛta-samo ’bhavat
[kaalah krita-samo ’bhavat]
rāme rājani dharma-jñe
[raame raajani dharma-jne]
sarva-bhūta-sukhāvahe
[sarva-bhoota-sukhaavahe]
tretāyām — in the Tretā-yuga vartamānāyām — although situated in that period kālaḥ — the period kṛta — with Satya-yuga samaḥ — equal abhavat — it so became rāme — because of Lord Rāmacandra’s being present rājani — as the ruling king dharma-jñe — because He was fully religious sarva-bhūta — of all living entities sukha-āvahe — giving full happiness.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tretāyāṁ vartamānāyāṁ
tretāyām
in the Tretā-yuga
vartamānāyām
although situated in that period
kālaḥ kṛta-samo ’bhavat
kālaḥ
the period
kṛta
with Satya-yuga
samaḥ
equal
rāme rājani dharma-jñe
sarva-bhūta-sukhāvahe
abhavat
it so became
rāme
because of Lord Rāmacandra’s being present
rājani
as the ruling king
dharma-jñe
because He was fully religious
sarva-bhūta
of all living entities
sukha-āvahe
giving full happiness.
Lord Rāmacandra became King during Tretā-yuga, but because of His good government, the age was like Satya-yuga. Everyone was religious and completely happy.

Among the four yugas — Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali — the Kali-yuga is the worst, but if the process of varṇāśrama-dharma is introduced, even in this Age of Kali, the situation of Satya-yuga can be invoked. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is meant for this purpose.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” ( Bhāg. 12.3.51 ) If people take to this saṅkīrtana movement of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma, they will certainly be freed from the contamination of Kali-yuga, and the people of this age will be happy, as people were in Satya-yuga, the golden age. Anyone, anywhere, can easily take to this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement; one need only chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, observe the rules and regulations, and stay free from the contamination of sinful life. Even if one is sinful and cannot give up sinful life immediately, if he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with devotion and faith he will certainly be freed from all sinful activities, and his life will be successful. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam . This is the blessing of Lord Rāmacandra, who has appeared in this Age of Kali as Lord Gaurasundara.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Rāmacandra became King during Tretā-yuga, [Note: This Tretā-yuga was in the twenty-fourth cycle of yugas of Vaivasvata Manu. The present cycle is the twenty-eighth. ] but the age was like Satya-yuga since Rāma was knowledgeable of dharma and gave happiness to all beings.
Related verses
Though it was Tretā-yuga, Rāma's rule made the time feel like Satya-yuga. The chanting of the Lord's name in Kali can similarly invoke earlier ages — the worst times are not as constraining as we think.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in my circle could deliberate chanting and devotional culture restore a 'Satya-yuga feel'?
  • What am I blaming on 'the times' that is really a function of my own inattention to bhakti?
📝 My note

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