Canto 12: The Age of DeteriorationChapter 2: The Symptoms of Kali-yuga

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.2.27-28

saptarṣīṇāḿ tu yau pūrvau

dṛśyete uditau divi

tayos tu madhye nakṣatraḿ

dṛśyate yat samaḿ niśi

tenaiva ṛṣayo yuktās

tiṣṭhanty abda-śataḿ nṛṇām

te tvadīye dvijāḥ kāla

adhunā cāśritā maghāḥ

SYNONYMS

sapta-ṛṣīṇām — of the constellation of the seven sages (the constellation known to Westerners as Ursa Major); tu — and; yau — which two stars; pūrvau — first; dṛśyeteare seen; uditau — risen; diviin the sky; tayoḥ — of the two (named Pulaha and Kratu); tu — and; madhye — between; nakṣatram — the lunar mansion; dṛśyate — is seen; yat — which; samam — on the same line of celestial longitude, as their midpoint; niśiin the night sky; tena — with that lunar mansion; eva — indeed; ṛṣayaḥ — the seven sages; yuktāḥare connected; tiṣṭhanti — they remain; abda-śatam — one hundred years; nṛṇām — of human beings; te — these seven sages; tvadīyein your; dvijāḥ — the elevated brāhmaṇas; kālein the time; adhunā — now; ca — and; āśritāḥare situated; maghāḥin the asterism Maghā.

TRANSLATION

Of the seven stars forming the constellation of the seven sages, Pulaha and Kratu are the first to rise in the night sky. If a line running north and south were drawn through their midpoint, whichever of the lunar mansions this line passes through is said to be the ruling asterism of the constellation for that time. The Seven Sages will remain connected with that particular lunar mansion for one hundred human years. Currently, during your lifetime, they are situated in the nakṣatra called Maghā.

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