O best of the Bharata race, in the dark age (Kali) virtue being mixed with three parts of sin lives by the side of men. Accordingly virtue is said to wait upon men with only fourth part remaining. O Yudhishthira, know that the period of life, the energy, the intellect and the physical strength of men (gradually) decrease in every Yuga. O Yudhishthira, the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas and Shudras will practise morality and virtue with deceit and men in general will deceive their fellow men by spreading the (false) net of virtue. Men with false pride of learning by their acts will make truth concealed.
त्रिभिरंशैरधर्मस्तु लोकानाक्रम्य तिष्ठति। तामसं युगमासाद्य तदा भरतसत्तम॥ चतुर्थांशेनधर्मस्तु मनुष्यानुपतिष्ठति। आयुर्वीर्यमथो बुद्धिर्बलं तेजश्च पाण्डव॥ मनुष्याणामनुयुगं ह्रसतीति निबोध मे। राजानो ब्राह्मणा वैश्याः शूद्राश्चैव युधिष्ठिर॥ व्याजैर्धर्म चरिष्यन्तिधर्मवैतंसिका नराः। सत्यं संक्षेप्स्यते लोके नरैः पण्डितमानिभिः॥