SB 12.2.28 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

सप्तर्षीणां तु यौ पूर्वौ द‍ृश्येते उदितौ दिवि । तयोस्तु मध्ये नक्षत्रं द‍ृश्यते यत् समं निशि ॥ २७ ॥ तेनैव ऋषयो युक्तास्तिष्ठन्त्यब्दशतं नृणाम् । ते त्वदीये द्विजा: काल अधुना चाश्रिता मघा: ॥ २८ ॥

Verse text

saptarṣīṇāṁ tu yau pūrvau dṛśyete uditau divi tayos tu madhye nakṣatraṁ dṛśyate yat samaṁ niśi tenaiva ṛṣayo yuktās tiṣṭhanty abda-śataṁ 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 ; dṛśyete — are seen ; uditau — risen ; divi — in 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 ; niśi — in the night sky ; tena — with that lunar mansion ; eva — indeed ; ṛṣayaḥ — the seven sages ; yuktāḥ — are connected ; tiṣṭhanti — they remain ; abda — śatam — one hundred years ; nṛṇām — of human beings ; te — these seven sages ; tvadīye — in your ; dvijāḥ — the elevated brāhmaṇas ; kāle — in the time ; adhunā — now ; ca — and ; āśritāḥ — are situated ; maghāḥ — in 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.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

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 constellation for that time. The Seven Sages will remain connected with that particular constellation for one hundred human years. Currently, during your lifetime, they are situated in the constellation called Maghā. A precise calculation of time is given in order to define the beginning of Kali-yuga and its progress. Between the first two stars (Pulaha and Kratu) of the seven sages, shaped like a cart when seen at night, the constellations starting from Aśvini appear. Each constellation will remain for a hundred years in that position. Now, during the time of Parīkṣit, the constellation was Maghā. When Kṛṣṇa was born the constellation between those to stars was Aśleṣa. When the two stars’ positioning in Aśleṣa was finished and they entered Maghā constellation, Kali-yuga began. When the seven sages reach Purvāṣāḍha constellation Kali will be flourishing. This will be understood later in the text.