sa cavatirnam tri-yugam

 ajñaya vibudharsabham

vivikta upasangamya

 pranamya samabhasata

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

When Kardama Muni understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the chief of all the demigods, Visnu, had descended, Kardama approached Him in a secluded place, offered obeisances and spoke as follows.

 

Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

Lord Visnu is called tri-yuga. He appears in three yugas — Satya, Treta and Dvapara — but in Kali-yuga He does not appear. From the prayers of Prahlada Maharaja, however, we understand that He appears garbed as a devotee in Kali-yuga. Lord Caitanya is that devotee. Krsna appeared in the form of a devotee, but although He never disclosed Himself, Rupa Gosvami could understand His identity, for the Lord cannot hide Himself from a pure devotee. Rupa Gosvami detected Him when he offered his first obeisances to Lord Caitanya. He knew that Lord Caitanya was Krsna Himself and therefore offered his obeisances with the following words: “I offer my respects to Krsna, who has now appeared as Lord Caitanya.” This is also confirmed in the prayers of Prahlada Maharaja: in Kali-yuga He does not directly appear, but He appears as a devotee. Visnu is therefore known as tri-yuga. Another explanation of tri-yuga is that He has three pairs of divine attributes, namely power and affluence, piety and renown, and wisdom and dispassion. According to Sridhara Svami, His three pairs of opulences are complete riches and complete strength, complete fame and complete beauty, and complete wisdom and complete renunciation. There are different interpretations of tri-yuga, but it is accepted by all learned scholars that tri-yuga means Visnu. When Kardama Muni understood that his son, Kapila, was Visnu Himself, he wanted to offer his obeisances. Therefore, when Kapila was alone he offered his respects and expressed his mind as follows.