त्रेतायां रक्तवर्णोऽसौ चतुर्बाहुस्त्रिमेखल: । हिरण्यकेशस्त्रय्यात्मा स्रुक्स्रुवाद्युपलक्षण: ॥ २४ ॥
tretāyāṁ rakta-varṇo ’sau catur-bāhus tri-mekhalaḥ hiraṇya-keśas trayy-ātmā sruk-sruvādy-upalakṣaṇaḥ
- tretāyām
- in Tretā-yuga
- rakta-varṇaḥ
- red-complexioned
- asau
- He
- catuḥ-bāhuḥ
- four-armed
- tri-mekhalaḥ
- wearing three belts (representing three phases of Vedic initiation)
- hiraṇya-keśaḥ
- having golden hair
- trayi-ātmā
- personifying the knowledge of the three Vedas
- sruk-sruva-ādi
- the sacrificial wooden ladle, spoon and so on
- upalakṣaṇaḥ
- having as His symbols
In Tretā-yuga the Lord appears with a red complexion. He has four arms, golden hair, and wears a triple belt representing initiation into each of the three Vedas. Embodying the knowledge of worship by sacrificial performance, which is contained in the Ṛg, Sāma and Yajur Vedas, His symbols are the ladle, spoon and other implements of sacrifice.