Vaisampayana continued, “Thus addressed, the powerful Bhimasena of mighty
arms, affectionately, and with a cheerful heart, bowed unto his brother,
Hanuman, the monkey-chief, and said in mild words, ‘None is more
fortunate than I am; now have I seen my elder brother. It is a great
favour shown unto me; and I have been well pleased with thee. Now I wish
that thou mayst fulfil this desire of mine. I desire to behold. O hero,
that incomparable form of thine, which thou at that time hadst had, in
bounding over the main, that abode of sharks and crocodiles. Thereby I
shall be satisfied, and also believe in thy words.’ Thus addressed, that
mighty monkey said with a smile, ‘That form of mine neither thou, not any
one else can behold. At that age, the state of things was different, and
doth not exist at present. In the Krita age, the state of things was one;
and in the Treta, another; and in the Dwapara, still another. Diminution
is going on this age; and I have not that form now. The ground, rivers,
plants, and rocks, and siddhas, gods, and celestial sages conform to
Time, in harmony with the state of things in the different yugas.
Therefore, do not desire to see my former shape, O perpetuator of the
Kuru race. I am conforming to the tendency of the age. Verily, Time is
irresistible’ Bhimasena said, ‘Tell me of the duration of the different
yugas, and of the different manners and customs and of virtue, pleasure
and profit, and of acts, and energy, and of life and death in the
different yugas.’ Thereupon Hanuman said, ‘O child, that yuga is called
Krita when the one eternal religion was extant. And in that best of
yugas, every one had religious perfection, and, therefore, there was no
need of religious acts. And then virtue knew no deterioration; nor did
people decrease. It is for this that this age is called Krita (perfect).
But in time the yuga had come to be considered as an inferior one. And, O
child, in the Krita age, there were neither gods, nor demons, nor
Gandharvas, nor Yakshas, nor Rakshasas, nor Nagas. And there was no
buying and selling. And the Sama, the Rich, and the Yajus did not exist.
And there was no manual labour. And then the necessaries of life were
obtained only by being thought of. And the only merit was in renouncing
the world. And during that yuga, there was neither disease, nor decay of
the senses. And there was neither malice, nor pride, nor hypocrisy, nor
discord, nor ill-will, nor cunning, nor fear, nor misery, nor envy, nor
covetousness. And for this, that prime refuge of Yogis, even the Supreme
Brahma, was attainable to all. And Narayana wearing a white hue was the
soul of all creatures. And in the Krita Yuga, the distinctive
characteristics of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras were
natural and these ever stuck to their respective duties. And then Brahma
was the sole refuge, and their manners and customs were naturally adapted
to the attainment of Brahma and the objects of their knowledge was the
sole Brahma, and all their acts also had reference to Brahma. In this way
all the orders attained merit. And one uniform Soul was the object of
their meditation; and there was only one mantra (the Om), and there was
one ordinance. And although of different characteristics, all of them
followed a single Veda; and they had one religion. And according to the
divisions of time, they led the four modes of life, without aiming at any
object, and so they attained emancipation. The religion consisting in the
identification of self with Brahma indicates the Krita Yuga. And in the
Krita Yuga, the virtue of the four orders is throughout entire in
four-fold measure. Such is the Krita Yuga devoid of the three qualities.
Do thou also hear from me of the character of the Treta Yuga. In this
age, sacrifices are introduced, and virtue decreaseth by a quarter. And
Narayana (who is the Soul of all creatures) assumeth a red colour. And
men practise truth, and devote themselves to religion and religious
rites. And thence sacrifices and various religious observances come into
existence. And in the Treta Yuga people begin to devise means for the
attainment of an object; and they attain it through acts and gifts. And
they never deviate from virtue. And they are devoted to asceticism and to
the bestowal of gifts. And the four orders adhere to their respective
duties; and perform rites. Such are the men of the Treta Yuga. In the
Dwapara Yuga, religion decreaseth by one half. And Narayana weareth a
yellow hue. And the Veda becometh divided into four parts. And then some
men retain (the knowledge of) the four Vedas, and some of three Vedas,
and some of one Veda, while others do not know even the Richs. And on the
Shastras becoming thus divided, acts become multiplied. And largely
influenced by passion, people engage in asceticism and gifts. And from
their incapacity to study the entire Veda, it becomes divided into
several parts. And in consequence of intellect having decreased, few are
established in truth. And when people fall off from truth, they become
subject to various diseases; and then lust, and natural calamities ensue.
And afflicted with these, people betake themselves to penances. And some
celebrate sacrifices, desiring to enjoy the good things of life, or
attain heaven. On the coming of the Dwapara Yuga, men become degenerate,
in consequence of impiety. O son of Kunti, in the Kali Yuga a quarter
only of virtue abideth. And in the beginning of this iron age, Narayana
weareth a black hue. And the Vedas and the institutes, and virtue, and
sacrifices, and religious observances, fall into disuse. And (then) reign
iti[41], and disease, and lassitude, and anger and other deformities, and
natural calamities, and anguish, and fear of scarcity. And as the yugas
wane, virtue dwindles. And as virtue dwindles away, creatures degenerate.
And as creatures degenerate, their natures undergo deterioration. And the
religious acts performed at the waning of the yugas, produce contrary
effects. And even those that live for several yugas, conform to these
changes. O represser of foes, as regards thy curiosity to know me, I say
this,--Why should a wise person be eager to know a superfluous matter?
(Thus), O long-armed one, have I narrated in full what thou hadst asked
me regarding the characteristics of the different yugas. Good happen to
thee! Do thou return.’”