yada -- when; karmasu -- in duties; kamyeshu -- based on selfish desire; bhaktih -- devotion; yasasi -- in honor; dehinam -- of the embodied souls; tada -- then; treta -- the age of Treta; rajah-vrittih -- predominated by activities in the mode of passion; iti -- thus; janihi -- you should understand; buddhi-man -- O intelligent King Parikshit.

O most intelligent one, when the conditioned souls are devoted to their duties but have ulterior motives and seek personal prestige, you should understand such a situation to be the age of Treta, in which the functions of passion are prominent.