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CHAPTER TWO

The Symptoms of Kali-yuga

This chapter relates that, when the bad qualities of the Age of Kali will increase to an intolerable level, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will descend as Kalki to destroy those who are fixed in irreligion. After that, a new Satya-yuga will begin.

As the Age of Kali progresses, all good qualities of men diminish and all impure qualities increase. Atheistic systems of so-called religion become predominant, replacing the codes of Vedic law. The kings become just like highway bandits, the people in general become dedicated to low occupations, and all the social classes become just like śūdras. All cows become like goats, all spiritual hermitages become like materialistic homes, and family ties extend no further than the immediate relationship of marriage.

When the Age of Kali has almost ended, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will incarnate. He will appear in the village Śambhala, in the home of the exalted brāhmaṇa Viṣṇuyaśā, and will take the name Kalki. He will mount His horse Devadatta and, taking His sword in hand, will roam about the earth killing millions of bandits in the guise of kings. Then the signs of the next Satya-yuga will begin to appear. When the moon, sun and the planet Bṛhaspati enter simultaneously into one constellation and conjoin in the lunar mansion Puṣyā, Satya-yuga will begin. In the order of Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali, the cycle of four ages rotates in the society of living entities in this universe.

The chapter ends with a brief description of the future dynasties of the sun and moon coming from Vaivasvata Manu in the next Satya-yuga. Even now two saintly kṣatriyas are living who at the end of this Kali-yuga will reinitiate the pious dynasties of the sun-god, Vivasvān, and the moon-god, Candra. One of these kings is Devāpi, a brother of Mahārāja Śantanu, and the other is Maru, a descendant of Ikṣvāku. They are biding their time incognito in a village named Kalāpa.

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
ततश्चानुदिनं धर्म: सत्यं शौचं क्षमा दया ।
कालेन बलिना राजन् नङ्‌क्ष्यत्यायुर्बलं स्मृति: ॥ १ ॥

Text

śrī-śuka uvāca
tataś cānu-dinaṁ dharmaḥ
satyaṁ śaucaṁ kṣamā dayā
kālena balinā rājan
naṅkṣyaty āyur balaṁ smṛtiḥ

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; tataḥ — then; ca — and; anudinam — day after day; dharmaḥ — religion; satyam — truth; śaucam — cleanliness; kṣamā — tolerance; dayā — mercy; kālena — by the force of time; balinā — strong; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; naṅkṣyati — will become ruined; āyuḥ — duration of life; balam — strength; smṛtiḥ — memory.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Then, O King, religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy, duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day because of the powerful influence of the Age of Kali.

Purport

During the present age, Kali-yuga, practically all desirable qualities will gradually diminish, as described in this verse. For example, dharma, which indicates a respect for higher authority that leads one to obey religious principles, will diminish.

In the Western world, theologians have been unable to scientifically present the laws of God or, indeed, God Himself, and thus in Western intellectual history a rigid dichotomy has arisen between theology and science. In an attempt to resolve this conflict, some theologians have agreed to modify their doctrines so that they conform not only to proven scientific facts but even to pseudoscientific speculations and hypotheses, which, though unproven, are hypocritically included within the realm of “science.” On the other hand, some fanatical theologians disregard the scientific method altogether and insist on the veracity of their antiquated, sectarian dogmas.

Thus bereft of systematic Vedic theology, material science has moved into the destructive realm of gross materialism, while speculative Western philosophy has drifted into the superficiality of relativistic ethics and inconclusive linguistic analysis. With so many of the best Western minds dedicated to materialistic analysis, naturally much of Western religious life, separated from the intellectual mainstream, is dominated by irrational fanaticism and unauthorized mystic and mystery cults. People have become so ignorant of the science of God that they often lump the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in with this odd assortment of fanciful attempts at theology and religion. Thus dharma, or true religion, which is strict and conscious obedience to God’s law, is diminishing.

Satyam, truthfulness, is also diminishing, simply because people do not know what the truth is. Without knowing the Absolute Truth, one cannot clearly understand the real significance or purpose of life merely by amassing huge quantities of relative or hypothetical truths.

Kṣamā, tolerance or forgiveness, is diminishing as well, because there is no practical method by which people can purify themselves and thus become free of envy. Unless one is purified by chanting the holy names of the Lord in an authorized program of spiritual improvement, the mind will be overwhelmed by anger, envy and all sorts of small-mindedness. Thus dayā, mercy, is also decreasing. All living beings are eternally connected by their common participation in the divine existence of God. When this existential oneness is obscured through atheism and agnosticism, people are not inclined to be merciful to one another; they cannot recognize their self-interest in promoting the welfare of other living beings. In fact, people are no longer even merciful to themselves: they systematically destroy themselves through liquor, drugs, tobacco, meat-eating, sexual promiscuity and whatever other cheap gratificatory processes are available to them.

Because of all these self-destructive practices and the powerful influence of time, the average life span (āyur) is decreasing. Modern scientists, seeking to gain credibility among the mass of people, often publish statistics supposedly showing that science has increased the average duration of life. But these statistics do not take into account the number of people killed through the cruel practice of abortion. When we figure aborted children into the life expectancy of the total population, we find that the average duration of life has not at all increased in the Age of Kali but is rather decreasing drastically.

Balam, bodily strength, is also decreasing. The Vedic literature states that five thousand years ago, in the previous age, human beings — and even animals and plants — were larger and stronger. With the progress of the Age of Kali, physical stature and strength will gradually diminish.

Certainly smṛti, memory, is weakening. In former ages human beings possessed superior memory, and they also did not encumber themselves with a terrible bureaucratic and technical society, as we have done. Thus essential information and abiding wisdom were preserved without recourse to writing. Of course, in the Age of Kali things are dramatically different.

Devanagari

वित्तमेव कलौ नृणां जन्माचारगुणोदय: ।
धर्मन्यायव्यवस्थायां कारणं बलमेव हि ॥ २ ॥

Text

vittam eva kalau nṝṇāṁ
janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ
dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāṁ
kāraṇaṁ balam eva hi

Synonyms

vittam — wealth; eva — alone; kalau — in the Age of Kali; nṝṇām — among men; janma — of good birth; ācāra — good behavior; guṇa — and good qualities; udayaḥ — the cause of manifestation; dharma — of religious duty; nyāya — and reason; vyavasthāyām — in the establishment; kāraṇam — the cause; balam — strength; eva — only; hi — indeed.

Translation

In Kali-yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man’s good birth, proper behavior and fine qualities. And law and justice will be applied only on the basis of one’s power.

Purport

In the Age of Kali, a man is considered high class, middle class or low class merely according to his financial status, regardless of his knowledge, culture and behavior. In this age there are many great industrial and commercial cities with luxurious neighborhoods reserved for the wealthy. On beautiful tree-lined roads, within apparently aristocratic homes, it is not unusual to find many perverted, dishonest and sinful activities taking place. According to Vedic criteria, a man is considered high class if his behavior is enlightened, and his behavior is considered enlightened if his activities are dedicated to promoting the happiness of all creatures. Every living being is originally happy, because in all living bodies there is an eternal spiritual spark that partakes of the divine conscious nature of God. When our original spiritual awareness is revived, we become naturally blissful and satisfied in knowledge and peace. An enlightened, or educated, man should endeavor to revive his own spiritual understanding, and he should help others experience the same sublime consciousness.

The great Western philosopher Socrates stated that if a man is enlightened he will automatically act virtuously, and Śrīla Prabhupāda confirmed this fact. But in the Kali-yuga this obvious truth is disregarded, and the search for knowledge and virtue has been replaced by a vicious, animalistic competition for money. Those who prevail become the “top dogs” of modern society, and their consumer power grants them a reputation as most respectable, aristocratic and well educated.

This verse also states that in the Age of Kali brute strength (balam eva) will determine law and “justice.” We should keep in mind that in the progressive, Vedic culture, there was no artificial dichotomy between the spiritual and the public realms. All civilized people took it for granted that God is everywhere and that His laws are binding upon all creatures. The Sanskrit word dharma, therefore, indicates one’s social, or public, obligation as well as one’s religious duty. Thus responsibly caring for one’s family is dharma, and engaging in the loving service of God is also dharma. This verse indicates, however, that in the Age of Kali the principle of “might makes right” will hold sway.

In the First Chapter of this canto we observed how this principle infiltrated India’s past. Similarly, as the Western world achieved political, economic and technological hegemony over Asian lands, bogus propaganda was disseminated to the effect that Indian, and in general all non-Western, religion, theology and philosophy are somehow primitive and unscientific — mere mythology and superstition. Fortunately this arrogant, irrational view is now dissipating, and people all over the world are beginning to appreciate the staggering wealth of spiritual philosophy and science available in the Sanskrit literature of India. In other words, many intelligent people no longer consider traditional Western religion or empirical science, which has virtually superseded religion as the official Western dogma, necessarily authoritative merely because the West has politically and economically subdued other geographic and ethnic configurations of humanity. Thus there is now hope that spiritual issues can be contested and resolved on a philosophical level and not merely by a crude test of arms.

Next this verse points out that the rule of law will be applied unequally to the powerful and the powerless. Already in many nations justice is available only to those who can pay and fight for it. In a civilized state, every man, woman and child must have equal and rapid access to a fair system of laws. In modern times we sometimes refer to this as human rights. Certainly human rights are one of the more obvious casualties of the Age of Kali.

Devanagari

दाम्पत्येऽभिरुचिर्हेतुर्मायैव व्यावहारिके ।
स्त्रीत्वे पुंस्त्वे च हि रतिर्विप्रत्वे सूत्रमेव हि ॥ ३ ॥

Text

dāmpatye ’bhirucir hetur
māyaiva vyāvahārike
strītve puṁstve ca hi ratir
vipratve sūtram eva hi

Synonyms

dām-patye — in the relationship of husband and wife; abhiruciḥ — superficial attraction; hetuḥ — the reason; māyā — deceit; eva — indeed; vyāvahārike — in business; strītve — in being a woman; puṁstve — in being a man; ca — and; hi — indeed; ratiḥ — sex; vipratve — in being a brāhmaṇa; sūtram — the sacred thread; eva — only; hi — indeed.

Translation

Men and women will live together merely because of superficial attraction, and success in business will depend on deceit. Womanliness and manliness will be judged according to one’s expertise in sex, and a man will be known as a brāhmaṇa just by his wearing a thread.

Purport

Just as human life as a whole has a great and serious purpose — namely spiritual liberation — fundamental human institutions such as marriage and child-rearing should also be dedicated to that great objective. Unfortunately, in the present age the satisfaction of the sex impulse has become the overriding, if not the exclusive, reason for marriage.

The sexual impulse, which induces the male and female of almost every species to combine physically, and in higher species also emotionally, is ultimately not a natural urge, because it is based on the unnatural identification of the self with the body. Life itself is a spiritual phenomenon. It is the soul that lives and gives apparent life to the biological machine called the body. Consciousness is the soul’s manifest energy, and thus consciousness, awareness itself, is originally an entirely spiritual event. When life, or consciousness, is confined within a biological machine and falsely mistakes itself to be that machine, material existence occurs and sex desire arises.

God intends human life to be an opportunity for us to rectify this illusory mode of existence and return to the vast satisfaction of pure, godly existence. But because our identification with the material body is a long historical affair, it is difficult for most people to immediately break free from the demands of the materially molded mind. Therefore the Vedic scriptures prescribe sacred marriage, in which a so-called man and a so-called woman may combine in a regulated, spiritual marriage sheltered by overarching religious injunctions. In this way the candidate for self-realization who has selected family life can derive adequate satisfaction for his senses and simultaneously please the Lord within his heart by obeying religious injunctions. The Lord then purifies him of material desire.

In Kali-yuga this deep understanding has been almost lost, and, as stated in this verse, men and women combine like animals, solely on the basis of mutual attraction to bodies made of flesh, bone, membrane, blood and so on. In other words, in our modern, godless society the weak, superficial intelligence of humanity rarely penetrates beyond the gross physical covering of the eternal soul, and thus family life has in most cases lost its highest purpose and value.

A corollary point established in this verse is that in the Age of Kali a woman is considered “a good woman” if she is sexually attractive and, indeed, sexually efficient. Similarly, a sexually attractive man is “a good man.” The best example of this superficiality is the incredible attention twentieth-century people give to materialistic movie stars, music stars and other prominent figures in the entertainment industry. In fact, pursuing sexual experiences with various types of bodies is similar to drinking old wine from new bottles. But few people in the Kali-yuga can understand this.

Finally, this verse states that in the Age of Kali a man will become known as a priest, or brāhmaṇa, merely by wearing ceremonial dress. In India, brāhmaṇas wear a sacred thread, and in other parts of world members of the priestly class have other ornaments and symbols. But in the Age of Kali the symbols alone will suffice to establish a person as a religious leader, despite his ignorance of God.

Devanagari

लिङ्गमेवाश्रमख्यातावन्योन्यापत्तिकारणम् ।
अवृत्त्या न्यायदौर्बल्यं पाण्डित्ये चापलं वच: ॥ ४ ॥

Text

liṅgam evāśrama-khyātāv
anyonyāpatti-kāraṇam
avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaṁ
pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ

Synonyms

liṅgam — the external symbol; eva — merely; āśrama-khyātau — in knowing a person’s spiritual order; anyonya — mutual; āpatti — of exchange; kāraṇam — the cause; avṛttyā — by lack of livelihood; nyāya — in credibility; daurbalyam — the weakness; pāṇḍitye — in scholarship; cāpalam — tricky; vacaḥ — words.

Translation

A person’s spiritual position will be ascertained merely according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from one spiritual order to the next. A person’s propriety will be seriously questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at juggling words will be considered a learned scholar.

Purport

The previous verse stated that in the Age of Kali the priestly class will be recognized by external symbols alone, and this verse extends the same principle to the other orders of society, namely the political or military class, the business or productive class, and finally the laborer or artisan class.

Modern sociologists have demonstrated that in those societies chiefly governed by the Protestant ethic, poverty is considered a sign of indolence, dirtiness, stupidity, immorality and worthlessness. In a God-conscious society, however, many persons voluntarily decide to dedicate their lives not to material acquisition but rather to the pursuit of knowledge and spirituality. Thus a preference for the simple and the austere may indicate intelligence, self-control and sensitivity to the higher purpose of life. Of course, in itself poverty does not establish these virtues, but it may sometimes be the result of them. In the Kali-yuga, however, this possibility is often forgotten.

Intellectuality is another casualty of the bewildering Age of Kali. Modern so-called philosophers and scientists have created a technical, esoteric terminology for each branch of learning, and when they give lectures people consider them learned simply because of their ability to speak that which no one else can understand. In Western culture, the Greek Sophists were among the first to systematically argue for rhetoric and “efficiency” above wisdom and purity, and sophistry certainly flourishes in the twentieth century. Modern universities have very little wisdom, though they do possess a virtual infinity of technical data. Although many modern thinkers are fundamentally ignorant of the higher, spiritual reality, they are, so to speak, “good talkers,” and most people simply don’t notice their ignorance.

Devanagari

अनाढ्यतैवासाधुत्वे साधुत्वे दम्भ एव तु ।
स्वीकार एव चोद्वाहे स्न‍ानमेव प्रसाधनम् ॥ ५ ॥

Text

anāḍhyataivāsādhutve
sādhutve dambha eva tu
svīkāra eva codvāhe
snānam eva prasādhanam

Synonyms

anāḍhyatā — poverty; eva — simply; asādhutve — in one’s being unholy; sādhutve — in virtue, or success; dambhaḥ — hypocrisy; eva — alone; tu — and; svī-kāraḥ — verbal acceptance; eva — alone; ca — and; udvāhe — in marriage; snānam — bathing with water; eva — alone; prasādhanam — cleaning and decorating of the body.

Translation

A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money, and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue. Marriage will be arranged simply by verbal agreement, and a person will think he is fit to appear in public if he has merely taken a bath.

Purport

The word dambha indicates a self-righteous hypocrite — someone not so much concerned with being saintly as with appearing saintly. In the Age of Kali there is a rather large number of self-righteous, hypocritical religious fanatics claiming to have the only way, the only truth and the only light. In many Muslim countries this mentality has resulted in brutal repression of religious freedom and thus destroyed the opportunity for enlightened spiritual dialectic. Fortunately, in much of the Western world there is a system of free religious expression. Even in the West, however, self-righteous hypocrites consider sincere and saintly followers of other disciplines to be heathens and devils.

Western religious fanatics are usually addicted to many bad habits, such as smoking, drinking, sex, gambling and animal slaughter. Although the followers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement strictly avoid illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and animal killing, and although they dedicate their lives to the constant glorification of God, self-righteous hypocrites claim that such strict austerity and devotion to God are “tricks of the devil.” Thus the sinful are promoted as religious, and the saintly are decried as demonic. This pathetic incapacity to grasp the most rudimentary criteria of spirituality is a prominent symptom of Kali-yuga.

In this age, the institution of marriage will degenerate. Indeed, already a marriage certificate is sometimes cynically rejected as “a mere piece of paper.” Forgetting the spiritual purpose of marriage and misunderstanding sex to be the goal of family life, lusty men and women directly engage in sexual affairs without the troublesome formalities and responsibilities of a legal relationship. Such foolish people argue that “sex is natural.” But if sex is natural, pregnancy and childbirth are equally natural. And for the child it is certainly natural to be raised by a loving father and mother and in fact to have the same father and mother throughout his life. Psychological studies confirm that a child needs to be cared for by both his father and his mother, and thus it is obviously natural for sex to be accompanied by a permanent marriage arrangement. Hypocritical people justify unrestricted sex by saying “it is natural,” but to avoid the natural consequence of sex — pregnancy — they use contraceptives, which certainly do not grow on trees. Indeed, contraceptives are not at all natural. Thus hypocrisy and foolishness abound in the Age of Kali.

The verse concludes by saying that people will neglect to ornament their bodies properly in the present age. A human being should decorate his body with various religious ornaments. Vaiṣṇavas mark their bodies with tilaka blessed with the holy name of God. But in the Age of Kali, religious and even material formalities are thoughtlessly discarded.

Devanagari

दूरे वार्ययनं तीर्थं लावण्यं केशधारणम् ।
उदरंभरता स्वार्थ: सत्यत्वे धार्ष्ट्यमेव हि ।
दाक्ष्यं कुटुम्बभरणं यशोऽर्थे धर्मसेवनम् ॥ ६ ॥

Text

dūre vāry-ayanaṁ tīrthaṁ
lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam
udaraṁ-bharatā svārthaḥ
satyatve dhārṣṭyam eva hi
dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇaṁ
yaśo ’rthe dharma-sevanam

Synonyms

dūre — situated far away; vāri — of water; ayanam — a reservoir; tīrtham — holy place; lāvaṇyam — beauty; keśa — hair; dhāraṇam — carrying; udaram-bharatā — filling the belly; sva-arthaḥ — the goal of life; satyatve — in so-called truth; dhārṣṭyam — audacity; eva — simply; hi — indeed; dākṣyam — expertise; kuṭumba-bharaṇam — maintaining a family; yaśaḥ — fame; arthe — for the sake of; dharma-sevanam — observance of religious principles.

Translation

A sacred place will be taken to consist of no more than a reservoir of water located at a distance, and beauty will be thought to depend on one’s hairstyle. Filling the belly will become the goal of life, and one who is audacious will be accepted as truthful. He who can maintain a family will be regarded as an expert man, and the principles of religion will be observed only for the sake of reputation.

Purport

In India there are many sacred places through which holy rivers flow. Foolish persons eagerly seek redemption from their sins by bathing in these rivers but do not take instruction from learned devotees of the Lord who reside in such places. One should go to a holy place seeking spiritual enlightenment and not just for ritualistic bathing.

In this age, people tirelessly arrange their hair in different styles, trying to enhance their facial beauty and sexuality. They do not know that actual beauty comes from within the heart, from the soul, and that only a person who is pure is truly attractive. As the difficulties of this age increase, filling one’s belly will be the mark of success, and one who can maintain his own family will be considered brilliant in economic affairs. Religion will be practiced, if at all, only for the sake of reputation and without any essential understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Devanagari

एवं प्रजाभिर्दुष्टाभिराकीर्णे क्षितिमण्डले ।
ब्रह्मविट्‍क्षत्रशूद्राणां यो बली भविता नृप: ॥ ७ ॥

Text

evaṁ prajābhir duṣṭābhir
ākīrṇe kṣiti-maṇḍale
brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāṁ
yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ

Synonyms

evam — in this way; prajābhiḥ — with populace; duṣṭābhiḥ — corrupted; ākīrṇe — being crowded; kṣiti-maṇḍale — the earth globe; brahma — among the brāhmaṇas; viṭvaiśyas; kṣatrakṣatriyas; śūdrāṇām — and śūdras; yaḥ — whoever; balī — the strongest; bhavitā — he will become; nṛpaḥ — the king.

Translation

As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power.

Devanagari

प्रजा हि लुब्धै राजन्यैर्निर्घृणैर्दस्युधर्मभि: ।
आच्छिन्नदारद्रविणा यास्यन्ति गिरिकाननम् ॥ ८ ॥

Text

prajā hi lubdhai rājanyair
nirghṛṇair dasyu-dharmabhiḥ
ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā
yāsyanti giri-kānanam

Synonyms

prajāḥ — the citizens; hi — indeed; lubdhaiḥ — avaricious; rājanyaiḥ — by the royal order; nirghṛṇaiḥ — merciless; dasyu — of ordinary thieves; dharmabhiḥ — acting according to the nature; ācchinna — taken away; dāra — their wives; draviṇāḥ — and property; yāsyanti — they will go; giri — to the mountains; kānanam — and forests.

Translation

Losing their wives and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers, who will behave no better than ordinary thieves, the citizens will flee to the mountains and forests.

Devanagari

शाकमूलामिषक्षौद्रफलपुष्पाष्टिभोजना: ।
अनावृष्टय‍ा विनङ्‌क्ष्यन्ति दुर्भिक्षकरपीडिता: ॥ ९ ॥

Text

śāka-mūlāmiṣa-kṣaudra-
phala-puṣpāṣṭi-bhojanāḥ
anāvṛṣṭyā vinaṅkṣyanti
durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ

Synonyms

śāka — leaves; mūla — roots; āmiṣa — meat; kṣaudra — wild honey; phala — fruits; puṣpa — flowers; aṣṭi — and seeds; bhojanāḥ — eating; anāvṛṣṭyā — because of drought; vinaṅkṣyanti — they will become ruined; durbhikṣa — by famine; kara — and taxation; pīḍitāḥ — tormented.

Translation

Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds. Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined.

Purport

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam authoritatively describes the future of our planet. Just as a leaf disconnected from a plant or tree dries up, withers and disintegrates, when human society is disconnected from the Supreme Lord it withers up and disintegrates in violence and chaos. Despite our computers and rockets, if the Supreme Lord does not send rain we shall all starve.

Devanagari

शीतवातातपप्रावृड्‌‌हिमैरन्योन्यत: प्रजा: ।
क्षुत्तृड्भ्यां व्याधिभिश्चैव सन्तप्स्यन्ते च चिन्तया ॥ १० ॥

Text

śīta-vātātapa-prāvṛḍ-
himair anyonyataḥ prajāḥ
kṣut-tṛḍbhyāṁ vyādhibhiś caiva
santapsyante ca cintayā

Synonyms

śīta — by cold; vāta — wind; ātapa — the heat of the sun; prāvṛt — torrential rain; himaiḥ — and snow; anyonyataḥ — by quarrel; prajāḥ — the citizens; kṣut — by hunger; tṛḍbhyām — and thirst; vyādhibhiḥ — by diseases; ca — also; eva — indeed; santapsyante — they will suffer great distress; ca — and; cintayā — by anxiety.

Translation

The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease and severe anxiety.

Devanagari

त्रिंशद्विंशतिवर्षाणि परमायु: कलौ नृणाम् ॥ ११ ॥

Text

triṁśad viṁśati varṣāṇi
paramāyuḥ kalau nṛṇām

Synonyms

triṁśat — thirty; viṁśati — plus twenty; varṣāṇi — years; parama-āyuḥ — the maximum duration of life; kalau — in Kali-yuga; nṛṇām — of men.

Translation

The maximum duration of life for human beings in Kali-yuga will become fifty years.

Devanagari

क्षीयमाणेषु देहेषु देहिनां कलिदोषत: ।
वर्णाश्रमवतां धर्मे नष्टे वेदपथे नृणाम् ॥ १२ ॥
पाषण्डप्रचुरे धर्मे दस्युप्रायेषु राजसु ।
चौर्यानृतवृथाहिंसानानावृत्तिषु वै नृषु ॥ १३ ॥
शूद्रप्रायेषु वर्णेषुच्छागप्रायासु धेनुषु ।
गृहप्रायेष्वाश्रमेषु यौनप्रायेषु बन्धुषु ॥ १४ ॥
अणुप्रायास्वोषधीषु शमीप्रायेषु स्थास्नुषु ।
विद्युत्प्रायेषु मेघेषु शून्यप्रायेषु सद्मसु ॥ १५ ॥
इत्थं कलौ गतप्राये जनेषु खरधर्मिषु ।
धर्मत्राणाय सत्त्वेन भगवानवतरिष्यति ॥ १६ ॥

Text

kṣīyamāṇeṣu deheṣu
dehināṁ kali-doṣataḥ
varṇāśramavatāṁ dharme
naṣṭe veda-pathe nṛṇām
pāṣaṇḍa-pracure dharme
dasyu-prāyeṣu rājasu
cauryānṛta-vṛthā-hiṁsā-
nānā-vṛttiṣu vai nṛṣu
śūdra-prāyeṣu varṇeṣu
cchāga-prāyāsu dhenuṣu
gṛha-prāyeṣv āśrameṣu
yauna-prāyeṣu bandhuṣu
aṇu-prāyāsv oṣadhīṣu
śamī-prāyeṣu sthāsnuṣu
vidyut-prāyeṣu megheṣu
śūnya-prāyeṣu sadmasu
itthaṁ kalau gata-prāye
janeṣu khara-dharmiṣu
dharma-trāṇāya sattvena
bhagavān avatariṣyati

Synonyms

kṣīyamāṇeṣu — having become smaller; deheṣu — the bodies; dehinām — of all living entities; kali-doṣataḥ — by the contamination of the Age of Kali; varṇa-āśrama-vatām — of the members of varṇāśrama society; dharme — when their religious principles; naṣṭe — have been destroyed; veda-pathe — the path of the Vedas; nṛṇām — for all men; pāṣaṇḍa-pracure — mostly atheism; dharme — religion; dasyu-prāyeṣu — mostly thieves; rājasu — the kings; caurya — banditry; anṛta — lying; vṛthā-hiṁsā — useless slaughter; nānā — various; vṛttiṣu — their occupations; vai — indeed; nṛṣu — when men; śūdra-prāyeṣu — mostly low-class śūdras; varṇeṣu — the so-called social orders; chāga-prāyāsu — no better than goats; dhenuṣu — the cows; gṛha-prāyeṣu — just like materialistic homes; āśrameṣu — the spiritual hermitages; yauna-prāyeṣu — extending no further than marriage; bandhuṣu — family ties; aṇu-prāyāsu — mostly very small; oṣadhīṣu — plants and herbs; śamī-prāyeṣu — just like śamī trees; sthāsnuṣu — all the trees; vidyut-prāyeṣu — always manifesting lightning; megheṣu — the clouds; śūnya-prāyeṣu — devoid of religious life; sadmasu — the homes; ittham — thus; kalau — when the Age of Kali; gata-prāye — is almost finished; janeṣu — the people; khara-dharmiṣu — when they have assumed the characteristics of asses; dharma-trāṇāya — for the deliverance of religion; sattvena — in the pure mode of goodness; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avatariṣyati — will descend.

Translation

By the time the Age of Kali ends, the bodies of all creatures will be greatly reduced in size, and the religious principles of followers of varṇāśrama will be ruined. The path of the Vedas will be completely forgotten in human society, and so-called religion will be mostly atheistic. The kings will mostly be thieves, the occupations of men will be stealing, lying and needless violence, and all the social classes will be reduced to the lowest level of śūdras. Cows will be like goats, spiritual hermitages will be no different from mundane houses, and family ties will extend no further than the immediate bonds of marriage. Most plants and herbs will be tiny, and all trees will appear like dwarf śamī trees. Clouds will be full of lightning, homes will be devoid of piety, and all human beings will have become like asses. At that time, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear on the earth. Acting with the power of pure spiritual goodness, He will rescue eternal religion.

Purport

Significantly, these verses point out that most so-called religions in this age will be atheistic (pāsaṇḍa-pracure dharme). In confirmation of the Bhāgavatam’s prediction, the United States Supreme Court has recently ruled that to be considered a religion a system of belief need not recognize a supreme being. Also, many atheistic, voidistic belief systems, often imported from the Orient, have attracted the attention of modern atheistic scientists, who expound on the similarities between Eastern and Western voidism in fashionable, esoteric books.

These verses vividly describe many unsavory symptoms of the Age of Kali. Ultimately, at the end of this age, Lord Kṛṣṇa will descend as Kalki and remove the thoroughly demonic persons from the face of the earth.

Devanagari

चराचरगुरोर्विष्णोरीश्वरस्याखिलात्मन: ।
धर्मत्राणाय साधूनां जन्म कर्मापनुत्तये ॥ १७ ॥

Text

carācara-guror viṣṇor
īśvarasyākhilātmanaḥ
dharma-trāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
janma karmāpanuttaye

Synonyms

cara-acara — of all moving and nonmoving living beings; guroḥ — of the spiritual master; viṣṇoḥ — the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu; īśvarasya — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akhila — of all; ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Soul; dharma-trāṇāya — for the protection of religion; sādhūnām — of saintly men; janma — the birth; karma — of their fruitive activities; apanuttaye — for the cessation.

Translation

Lord Viṣṇu — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving living beings, and the Supreme Soul of all — takes birth to protect the principles of religion and to relieve His saintly devotees from the reactions of material work.

Devanagari

शम्भलग्राममुख्यस्य ब्राह्मणस्य महात्मन: ।
भवने विष्णुयशस: कल्कि: प्रादुर्भविष्यति ॥ १८ ॥

Text

śambhala-grāma-mukhyasya
brāhmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ
bhavane viṣṇuyaśasaḥ
kalkiḥ prādurbhaviṣyati

Synonyms

śambhala-grāma — in the village Śambhala; mukhyasya — of the chief citizen; brāhmaṇasya — of the brāhmaṇa; mahā-ātmanaḥ — the great soul; bhavane — in the home; viṣṇuyaśasaḥ — of Viṣṇuyaśā; kalkiḥ — Lord Kalki; prādurbhaviṣyati — will appear.

Translation

Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brāhmaṇa of Śambhala village, the great soul Viṣṇuyaśā.

Devanagari

अश्वमाशुगमारुह्य देवदत्तं जगत्पति: ।
असिनासाधुदमनमष्टैश्वर्यगुणान्वित: ॥ १९ ॥
विचरन्नाशुना क्षौण्यां हयेनाप्रतिमद्युति: ।
नृपलिङ्गच्छदो दस्यून्कोटिशो निहनिष्यति ॥ २० ॥

Text

aśvam āśu-gam āruhya
devadattaṁ jagat-patiḥ
asināsādhu-damanam
aṣṭaiśvarya-guṇānvitaḥ
vicarann āśunā kṣauṇyāṁ
hayenāpratima-dyutiḥ
nṛpa-liṅga-cchado dasyūn
koṭiśo nihaniṣyati

Synonyms

aśvam — His horse; āśu-gam — swift-traveling; āruhya — mounting; devadattam — named Devadatta; jagat-patiḥ — the Lord of the universe; asinā — with His sword; asādhu-damanam — (the horse who) subdues the unholy; aṣṭa — with eight; aiśvarya — mystic opulences; guṇa — and transcendental qualities of the Personality of Godhead; anvitaḥ — endowed; vicaran — traveling about; āśunā — swift; kṣauṇyām — upon the earth; hayena — by His horse; apratima — unrivaled; dyutiḥ — whose effulgence; nṛpa-liṅga — with the dress of kings; chadaḥ — disguising themselves; dasyūn — thieves; koṭiśaḥ — by the millions; nihaniṣyati — He will slaughter.

Translation

Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift horse Devadatta and, sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special qualities of Godhead. Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings.

Purport

These verses describe the thrilling pastimes of Lord Kalki. Anyone would be attracted by the sight of a powerful, beautiful man riding on a wonderful horse at lightning speed, chastising and devastating cruel, demonic people with the sword in His hand.

Of course, fanatical materialists may argue that this picture of Lord Kalki is a mere anthropomorphic creation of the human mind — a mythological deity created by people who need to believe in some superior being. But this argument is not logical, nor does it prove anything. It is merely the opinion of certain people. We need water, but that does not mean man creates water. We also need food, oxygen and many other things that we do not create. Since our general experience is that our needs correspond to available objects existing in the external world, that we appear to need a Supreme Lord would tend to indicate that in fact there is a Supreme Lord. In other words, nature endows us with a sense of need for things that actually exist and that are in fact necessary for our well-being. Similarly, we experience a need for God because we are in fact part of God and cannot live without Him. At the end of Kali-yuga this same God will appear as the mighty Kalki avatāra and beat the pollution out of the demons.

Devanagari

अथ तेषां भविष्यन्ति मनांसि विशदानि वै ।
वासुदेवाङ्गरागातिपुण्यगन्धानिलस्पृशाम् ।
पौरजानपदानां वै हतेष्वखिलदस्युषु ॥ २१ ॥

Text

atha teṣāṁ bhaviṣyanti
manāṁsi viśadāni vai
vāsudevāṅga-rāgāti-
puṇya-gandhānila-spṛśām
paura-jānapadānāṁ vai
hateṣv akhila-dasyuṣu

Synonyms

atha — then; teṣām — of them; bhaviṣyanti — will become; manāṁsi — the minds; viśadāni — clear; vai — indeed; vāsudeva — of Lord Vāsudeva; aṅga — of the body; rāga — from the cosmetic decorations; ati-puṇya — most sacred; gandha — having the fragrance; anila — by the wind; spṛśām — of those who have been touched; paura — of the city-dwellers; jāna-padānām — and the residents of the smaller towns and villages; vai — indeed; hateṣu — when they have been killed; akhila — all; dasyuṣu — the rascal kings.

Translation

After all the impostor kings have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other decorations of Lord Vāsudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure.

Purport

Nothing can surpass the sublime experience of being dramatically rescued by a great hero who happens to be the Supreme Lord. The death of the demons at the end of Kali-yuga is accompanied by fragrant spiritual breezes, and thus the atmosphere becomes most enchanting.

Devanagari

तेषां प्रजाविसर्गश्च स्थविष्ठ: सम्भविष्यति ।
वासुदेवे भगवति सत्त्वमूर्तौ हृदि स्थिते ॥ २२ ॥

Text

teṣāṁ prajā-visargaś ca
sthaviṣṭhaḥ sambhaviṣyati
vāsudeve bhagavati
sattva-mūrtau hṛdi sthite

Synonyms

teṣām — of them; prajā — of progeny; visargaḥ — the creation; ca — and; sthaviṣṭhaḥ — abundant; sambhaviṣyati — will be; vāsudeve — Lord Vāsudeva; bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sattva-mūrtau — in His transcendental form of pure goodness; hṛdi — in their hearts; sthite — when He is situated.

Translation

When Lord Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth.

Devanagari

यदावतीर्णो भगवान् कल्किर्धर्मपतिर्हरि: ।
कृतं भविष्यति तदा प्रजासूतिश्च सात्त्विकी ॥ २३ ॥

Text

yadāvatīrṇo bhagavān
kalkir dharma-patir hariḥ
kṛtaṁ bhaviṣyati tadā
prajā-sūtiś ca sāttvikī

Synonyms

yadā — when; avatīrṇaḥ — incarnates; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; kalkiḥ — Kalki; dharma-patiḥ — the master of religion; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛtam — Satya-yuga; bhaviṣyati — will begin; tadā — then; prajā-sūtiḥ — the creation of progeny; ca — and; sāttvikī — in the mode of goodness.

Translation

When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Satya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness.

Devanagari

यदा चन्द्रश्च सूर्यश्च तथा तिष्यबृहस्पती ।
एकराशौ समेष्यन्ति भविष्यति तदा कृतम् ॥ २४ ॥

Text

yadā candraś ca sūryaś ca
tathā tiṣya-bṛhaspatī
eka-rāśau sameṣyanti
bhaviṣyati tadā kṛtam

Synonyms

yadā — when; candraḥ — the moon; ca — and; sūryaḥ — the sun; ca — and; tathā — also; tiṣya — the asterism Tiṣyā (more commonly known as Puṣyā, extending from 3° 20´ to 16° 40´ Cancer); bṛhaspatī — and the planet Jupiter; eka-rāśau — in the same constellation (Cancer); sameṣyanti — will enter simultaneously; bhaviṣyati — will be; tadā — then; kṛtam — Satya-yuga.

Translation

When the moon, the sun and Bṛhaspatī are together in the constellation Karkaṭa, and all three enter simultaneously into the lunar mansion Puṣyā — at that exact moment the age of Satya, or Kṛta, will begin.

Devanagari

येऽतीता वर्तमाना ये भविष्यन्ति च पार्थिवा: ।
ते त उद्देशत: प्रोक्ता वंशीया: सोमसूर्ययो: ॥ २५ ॥

Text

ye ’tītā vartamānā ye
bhaviṣyanti ca pārthivāḥ
te ta uddeśataḥ proktā
vaṁśīyāḥ soma-sūryayoḥ

Synonyms

ye — those who; atītāḥ — past; vartamānāḥ — present; ye — who; bhaviṣyanti — will be in the future; ca — and; pārthivāḥ — kings of the earth; te te — all of them; uddeśataḥ — by brief mention; proktāḥ — described; vaṁśīyāḥ — the members of the dynasties; soma-sūryayoḥ — of the sun-god and the moon-god.

Translation

Thus I have described all the kings — past, present and future — who belong to the dynasties of the sun and the moon.

Devanagari

आरभ्य भवतो जन्म यावन्नन्दाभिषेचनम् ।
एतद् वर्षसहस्रं तु शतं पञ्चदशोत्तरम् ॥ २६ ॥

Text

ārabhya bhavato janma
yāvan nandābhiṣecanam
etad varṣa-sahasraṁ tu
śataṁ pañcadaśottaram

Synonyms

ārabhya — beginning from; bhavataḥ — of your good self (Parīkṣit); janma — the birth; yāvat — up until; nanda — of King Nanda, the son of Mahānandi; abhiṣecanam — the coronation; etat — this; varṣa — years; sahasram — one thousand; tu — and; śatam — one hundred; pañca-daśa-uttaram — plus fifty.

Translation

From your birth up to the coronation of King Nanda, 1,150 years will pass.

Purport

Although Śukadeva Gosvāmī previously described approximately fifteen hundred years of royal dynasties, it is understood that some overlapping occurred between kings. Therefore the present chronological calculation should be taken as authoritative.

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 ॥

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.

Devanagari

विष्णोर्भगवतो भानु: कृष्णाख्योऽसौ दिवं गत: ।
तदाविशत् कलिर्लोकं पापे यद् रमते जन: ॥ २९ ॥

Text

viṣṇor bhagavato bhānuḥ
kṛṣṇākhyo ’sau divaṁ gataḥ
tadāviśat kalir lokaṁ
pāpe yad ramate janaḥ

Synonyms

viṣṇoḥ — of Viṣṇu; bhagavataḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhānuḥ — the sun; kṛṣṇa-ākhyaḥ — known as Kṛṣṇa; asau — He; divam — to the spiritual sky; gataḥ — having returned; tadā — then; aviśat — entered; kaliḥ — the Age of Kali; lokam — this world; pāpe — in sin; yat — in which age; ramate — take pleasure; janaḥ — the people.

Translation

The Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu, is brilliant like the sun and is known as Kṛṣṇa. When He returned to the spiritual sky, Kali entered this world, and people then began to take pleasure in sinful activities.

Devanagari

यावत् स पादपद्माभ्यां स्पृशनास्ते रमापति: ।
तावत् कलिर्वै पृथिवीं पराक्रन्तुं न चाशकत् ॥ ३० ॥

Text

yāvat sa pāda-padmābhyāṁ
spṛśan āste ramā-patiḥ
tāvat kalir vai pṛthivīṁ
parākrantuṁ na cāśakat

Synonyms

yāvat — as long as; saḥ — He, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; pāda-padmābhyām — with His lotus feet; spṛśan — touching; āste — remained; ramā-patiḥ — the husband of the goddess of fortune; tāvat — for that long; kaliḥ — the Age of Kali; vai — indeed; pṛthivīm — the earth; parākrantum — to overcome; na — not; ca — and; aśakat — was able.

Translation

As long as Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the husband of the goddess of fortune, touched the earth with His lotus feet, Kali was powerless to subdue this planet.

Purport

Although even during the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s presence on earth Kali had entered the earth to a slight extent through the impious activities of Duryodhana and his allies, Lord Kṛṣṇa consistently suppressed Kali’s influence. Kali could not flourish until Lord Kṛṣṇa had left the earth.

Devanagari

यदा देवर्षय: सप्त मघासु विचरन्ति हि ।
तदा प्रवृत्तस्तु कलिर्द्वादशाब्दशतात्मक: ॥ ३१ ॥

Text

yadā devarṣayaḥ sapta
maghāsu vicaranti hi
tadā pravṛttas tu kalir
dvādaśābda-śatātmakaḥ

Synonyms

yadā — when; deva-ṛṣayaḥ sapta — the seven sages among the demigods; maghāsu — in the lunar mansion Maghā; vicaranti — are traveling; hi — indeed; tadā — then; pravṛttaḥ — begins; tu — and; kaliḥ — the Age of Kali; dvādaśa — twelve; abda-śata — centuries [These twelve hundred years of the demigods equal 432,000 earth years]; ātmakaḥ — consisting of.

Translation

When the constellation of the seven sages is passing through the lunar mansion Maghā, the Age of Kali begins. It comprises twelve hundred years of the demigods.

Devanagari

यदा मघाभ्यो यास्यन्ति पूर्वाषाढां महर्षय: ।
तदा नन्दात् प्रभृत्येष कलिर्वृद्धिं गमिष्यति ॥ ३२ ॥

Text

yadā maghābhyo yāsyanti
pūrvāṣāḍhāṁ maharṣayaḥ
tadā nandāt prabhṛty eṣa
kalir vṛddhiṁ gamiṣyati

Synonyms

yadā — when; maghābhyaḥ — from Maghā; yāsyanti — they will go; pūrva-āṣāḍhām — to the next lunar mansion, Pūrvāṣāḍhā; mahā-ṛṣayaḥ — the seven great sages; tadā — then; nandāt — beginning from Nanda; prabhṛti — and his descendants; eṣaḥ — this; kaliḥ — Age of Kali; vṛddhim — maturity; gamiṣyati — will attain.

Translation

When the great sages of the Saptarṣi constellation pass from Maghā to Pūrvāsāḍhā, Kali will have his full strength, beginning from King Nanda and his dynasty.

Devanagari

यस्मिन् कृष्णो दिवं यातस्तस्मिन्नेव तदाहनि ।
प्रतिपन्नं कलियुगमिति प्राहु: पुराविद: ॥ ३३ ॥

Text

yasmin kṛṣṇo divaṁ yātas
tasminn eva tadāhani
pratipannaṁ kali-yugam
iti prāhuḥ purā-vidaḥ

Synonyms

yasmin — on which; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa; divam — to the spiritual world; yātaḥ — gone; tasmin — on that; eva — same; tadā — then; ahani — day; pratipannam — obtained; kali-yugam — the Age of Kali; iti — thus; prāhuḥ — they say; purā — of the past; vidaḥ — the experts.

Translation

Those who scientifically understand the past declare that on the very day that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa departed for the spiritual world, the influence of the Age of Kali began.

Purport

Although technically Kali-yuga was to begin during the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s presence on earth, this fallen age had to wait meekly for the departure of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Devanagari

दिव्याब्दानां सहस्रान्ते चतुर्थे तु पुन: कृतम् ।
भविष्यति तदा नृणां मन आत्मप्रकाशकम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Text

divyābdānāṁ sahasrānte
caturthe tu punaḥ kṛtam
bhaviṣyati tadā nṝṇāṁ
mana ātma-prakāśakam

Synonyms

divya — of the demigods; abdānām — years; sahasra — of one thousand; ante — at the end; caturthe — in the fourth age, Kali; tu — and; punaḥ — again; kṛtam — the Satya-yuga; bhaviṣyati — will be; tadā — then; nṝṇām — of men; manaḥ — the minds; ātma-prakāśakam — self-luminous.

Translation

After the one thousand celestial years of Kali-yuga, the Satya-yuga will manifest again. At that time the minds of all men will become self-effulgent.

Devanagari

इत्येष मानवो वंशो यथा सङ्ख्यायते भुवि ।
तथा विट्‌शूद्रविप्राणां तास्ता ज्ञेया युगे युगे ॥ ३५ ॥

Text

ity eṣa mānavo vaṁśo
yathā saṅkhyāyate bhuvi
tathā viṭ-śūdra-viprāṇāṁ
tās tā jñeyā yuge yuge

Synonyms

iti — thus (in the cantos of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam); eṣaḥ — this; mānavaḥ — descending from Vaivasvata Manu; vaṁśaḥ — the dynasty; yathā — as; saṅkhyāyate — it is enumerated; bhuvi — upon the earth; tathā — in the same way; viṭ — of the vaiśyas; śūdraśūdras; viprāṇām — and brāhmaṇas; tāḥ tāḥ — the situations of each; jñeyāḥ — are to be understood; yuge yuge — in each age.

Translation

Thus I have described the royal dynasty of Manu, as it is known on this earth. One can similarly study the history of the vaiśyas, śūdras and brāhmaṇas living in the various ages.

Purport

Just as the dynasty of kings includes exalted and insignificant, virtuous and wicked monarchs, varieties of human character are found in the intellectual, commercial and laboring orders of society.

Devanagari

एतेषां नामलिङ्गानां पुरुषाणां महात्मनाम् ।
कथामात्रावशिष्टानां कीर्तिरेव स्थिता भुवि ॥ ३६ ॥

Text

eteṣāṁ nāma-liṅgānāṁ
puruṣāṇāṁ mahātmanām
kathā-mātrāvaśiṣṭānāṁ
kīrtir eva sthitā bhuvi

Synonyms

eteṣām — of these; nāma — their names; liṅgānām — which are the only means of remembering them; puruṣāṇām — of the personalities; mahā-ātmanām — who were great souls; kathā — the stories; mātra — merely; avaśiṣṭānām — whose remaining portion; kīrtiḥ — the glories; eva — only; sthitā — are present; bhuvi — on the earth.

Translation

These personalities, who were great souls, are now known only by their names. They exist only in accounts from the past, and only their fame remains on the earth.

Purport

Although one may consider oneself to be a great, powerful leader, he will ultimately end up as a name in a long list of names. In other words, it is useless to be attached to power and position in the material world.

Devanagari

देवापि: शान्तनोर्भ्राता मरुश्चेक्ष्वाकुवंशज: ।
कलापग्राम आसाते महायोगबलान्वितौ ॥ ३७ ॥

Text

devāpiḥ śāntanor bhrātā
maruś cekṣvāku-vaṁśa-jaḥ
kalāpa-grāma āsāte
mahā-yoga-balānvitau

Synonyms

devāpiḥ — Devāpi; śāntanoḥ — of Mahārāja Śāntanu; bhrātā — the brother; maruḥ — Maru; ca — and; ikṣvāku-vaṁśa-jaḥ — born in the dynasty of Ikṣvāku; kalāpa-grāme — in the village Kalāpa; āsāte — the two of them are living; mahā — great; yoga-bala — with mystic power; anvitau — endowed.

Translation

Devāpi, the brother of Mahārāja Śāntanu, and Maru, the descendant of Ikṣvāku, both possess great mystic strength and are living even now in the village of Kalāpa.

Devanagari

ताविहैत्य कलेरन्ते वासुदेवानुशिक्षितौ ।
वर्णाश्रमयुतं धर्मं पूर्ववत् प्रथयिष्यत: ॥ ३८ ॥

Text

tāv ihaitya kaler ante
vāsudevānuśikṣitau
varṇāśrama-yutaṁ dharmaṁ
pūrva-vat prathayiṣyataḥ

Synonyms

tau — they (Maru and Devāpi); iha — to human society; etya — returning; kaleḥ — of the Age of Kali; ante — at the end; vāsudeva — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva; anuśikṣitau — instructed; varṇa-āśrama — the divine system of occupational and spiritual orders of society; yutam — comprising; dharmam — the code of eternal religion; pūrva-vat — just as previously; prathayiṣyataḥ — they will promulgate.

Translation

At the end of the Age of Kali, these two kings, having received instruction directly from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, will return to human society and reestablish the eternal religion of man, characterized by the divisions of varṇa and āśrama, just as it was before.

Purport

According to this and the previous verse, the two great kings who will reestablish human culture after the end of Kali-yuga have already descended to the earth, where they are patiently waiting to render their devotional service to Lord Viṣṇu.

Devanagari

कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च कलिश्चेति चतुर्युगम् ।
अनेन क्रमयोगेन भुवि प्राणिषु वर्तते ॥ ३९ ॥

Text

kṛtaṁ tretā dvāparaṁ ca
kaliś ceti catur-yugam
anena krama-yogena
bhuvi prāṇiṣu vartate

Synonyms

kṛtam — Satya-yuga; tretā — Tretā-yuga; dvāparam — Dvāpara-yuga; ca — and; kaliḥ — Kali-yuga; ca — and; iti — thus; catuḥ-yugam — the cycle of four ages; anena — by this; krama — sequential; yogena — pattern; bhuvi — in this world; prāṇiṣu — among living beings; vartate — goes on continuously.

Translation

The cycle of four ages — Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali — continues perpetually among living beings on this earth, repeating the same general sequence of events.

Devanagari

राजन्नेते मया प्रोक्ता नरदेवास्तथापरे ।
भूमौ ममत्वं कृत्वान्ते हित्वेमां निधनं गता: ॥ ४० ॥

Text

rājann ete mayā proktā
nara-devās tathāpare
bhūmau mamatvaṁ kṛtvānte
hitvemāṁ nidhanaṁ gatāḥ

Synonyms

rājan — O King Parīkṣit; ete — these; mayā — by me; proktāḥ — described; nara-devāḥ — kings; tathā — and; apare — other human beings; bhūmau — upon the earth; mamatvam — possessiveness; kṛtvā — exerting; ante — in the end; hitvā — giving up; imām — this world; nidhanam — destruction; gatāḥ — met.

Translation

My dear King Parīkṣit, all these kings I have described, as well as all other human beings, come to this earth and stake their claims, but ultimately they all must give up this world and meet their destruction.

Devanagari

कृमिविड्भस्मसंज्ञान्ते राजनाम्नोऽपि यस्य च ।
भूतध्रुक् तत्कृते स्वार्थं किं वेद निरयो यत: ॥ ४१ ॥

Text

kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-saṁjñānte
rāja-nāmno ’pi yasya ca
bhūta-dhruk tat-kṛte svārthaṁ
kiṁ veda nirayo yataḥ

Synonyms

kṛmi — of worms; viṭ — stool; bhasma — and ashes; saṁjñā — the designation; ante — in the end; rāja-nāmnaḥ — going by the name “king”; api — even though; yasya — of which (body); ca — and; bhūta — of living beings; dhruk — an enemy; tat-kṛte — for the sake of that body; sva-artham — his own best interest; kim — what; veda — does he know; nirayaḥ — punishment in hell; yataḥ — because of which.

Translation

Even though a person’s body may now have the designation “king,” in the end its name will be “worms,” “stool” or “ashes.” What can a person who injures other living beings for the sake of his body know about his own self-interest, since his activities are simply leading him to hell?

Purport

After death, the body may be buried and eaten by worms, or it may be thrown in the street or forest to be eaten by animals who will pass out its remnants as stool, or it may be burned and converted into ashes. Therefore one should not pave his way to hell by using his temporary body to injure the bodies of other living beings. In this verse the word bhūta includes nonhuman life forms, who are also creatures of God. One should give up all envious violence and learn to see God in everything by the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Devanagari

कथं सेयमखण्डा भू: पूर्वैर्मे पुरुषैर्धृता ।
मत्पुत्रस्य च पौत्रस्य मत्पूर्वा वंशजस्य वा ॥ ४२ ॥

Text

kathaṁ seyam akhaṇḍā bhūḥ
pūrvair me puruṣair dhṛtā
mat-putrasya ca pautrasya
mat-pūrvā vaṁśa-jasya vā

Synonyms

katham — how; iyam — this same; akhaṇḍā — unbounded; bhūḥ — earth; pūrvaiḥ — by the predecessors; me — my; puruṣaiḥ — by the personalities; dhṛtā — held in control; mat-putrasya — of my son; ca — and; pautrasya — of the grandson; mat-pūrvā — now under my sway; vaṁśa-jasya — of the descendant; — or.

Translation

[The materialistic king thinks:] “This unbounded earth was held by my predecessors and is now under my sovereignty. How can I arrange for it to remain in the hands of my sons, grandsons and other descendants?”

Purport

This is an example of foolish possessiveness.

Devanagari

तेजोऽबन्नमयं कायं गृहीत्वात्मतयाबुधा: ।
महीं ममतया चोभौ हित्वान्तेऽदर्शनं गता: ॥ ४३ ॥

Text

tejo-’b-anna-mayaṁ kāyaṁ
gṛhītvātmatayābudhāḥ
mahīṁ mamatayā cobhau
hitvānte ’darśanaṁ gatāḥ

Synonyms

tejaḥ — fire; ap — water; anna — and earth; mayam — composed of; kāyam — this body; gṛhītvā — accepting; ātmatayā — with the sense of “I”; abudhāḥ — the unintelligent; mahīm — this earth; mamatayā — with the sense of “my”; ca — and; ubhau — both; hitvā — giving up; ante — ultimately; adarśanam — disappearance; gatāḥ — they have obtained.

Translation

Although the foolish accept the body made of earth, water and fire as “me” and this earth as “mine,” in every case they have ultimately abandoned both their body and the earth and passed away into oblivion.

Purport

Although the soul is eternal, our so-called family tradition and earthly fame will certainly pass into oblivion.

Devanagari

ये ये भूपतयो राजन् भुञ्जते भुवमोजसा ।
कालेन ते कृता: सर्वे कथामात्रा: कथासु च ॥ ४४ ॥

Text

ye ye bhū-patayo rājan
bhuñjate bhuvam ojasā
kālena te kṛtāḥ sarve
kathā-mātrāḥ kathāsu ca

Synonyms

ye ye — whatever; bhū-patayaḥ — kings; rājan — O King Parīkṣit; bhuñjate — enjoy; bhuvam — the world; ojasā — with their power; kālena — by the force of time; te — they; kṛtāḥ — have been made; sarve — all; kathā-mātrāḥ — mere accounts; kathāsu — in various histories; ca — and.

Translation

My dear King Parīkṣit, all these kings who tried to enjoy the earth by their strength were reduced by the force of time to nothing more than historical accounts.

Purport

The word rājan, “O King,” is significant in this verse. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was preparing to give up his body and go back home, back to Godhead, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, his most merciful spiritual master, devastated any possible attachment that he might have to the position of king by showing the ultimate insignificance of such a position. By the causeless mercy of the spiritual master one is prepared to go back home, back to Godhead. The spiritual master teaches one to relax one’s strong grip on material illusion and leave the kingdom of māyā behind. Although Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks very bluntly within this chapter about the so-called glory of the material world, he is exhibiting the causeless mercy of the spiritual master, who takes his surrendered disciple back to the kingdom of Godhead, Vaikuṇṭha.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Twelfth Canto, Second Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Symptoms of Kali-yuga.”