30 - The Nature of Kali Yuga

Vyasa said:

1. In Kali age,1 men who are always agitated by the attribute of Tamas, commit delusion, malice and destruction of saintly men and ascetics. 

1. A pessimistic picture of Kaliyuga is another feature of Purāņic predictions. Cf. Mbh. Vana Chs. 188, 190; Br. P. Chs 229-30; Mt. P. 144. 32-47; Bh. P. xii-1-2; VP. VI. 1; probably those must be the social conditions when Puranas came to be written.

2. Epidemics of fatal disease, perpetual fear of hunger and starvation, fear of droughts and destruction of countries prevail in Kali Age. 

3. Utterly bad subjects born in Kali Yuga are impious, deficient in food and highly furious but lacking in brilliance, liars and greedy. 

4. The fear of subjects is heightened due to ill performance of Yajñas, faulty study of the Vedas, evil conducts and misleading heretical scriptures and defects in the rites of Brahmaņas. 

5. In this age, twice-born persons do not study the Vedas or perform sacrifices (or worship). People of low intellectual capacity will perforin sacrifices and study the Vedas. 

6. In Kaliyuga, the Shūdras will have close association with the Brähmaņas by the use of spells and incantations as well as through the sharing of beds, seats and food. 

7. The kings who will be mostly Shūdras will harass the Brāhmaṇas. Killing of the foetus and heroes will be of common practice among kings. 

8. The twice-born people will not perform ablutions, Homas, Japas, offer of charitable gifts, worship of deities and other holy rites. 

9. In Kali age, the people censure Mahadeva, Purushottama, Brahmanas, Vedas, Dharmaśhāstras and Puranas. 

10. People perform various rites not found in the Vedas. The Brāhmaṇas would not have any interest in their prescribed pious rites and duties. 

11. People will have evil activities and conduct of life. They will be surrounded by useless dissembling heretics; they will be begging one another on many occasions. 

12. In Kali age, common people will begin to sell cooked food. The Vedas will be sold on the cross-roads, and youthful maidens will sell their bodies. 

13. When the close of Yuga is imminent, Shūdras calling themselves Jinas (subduers of sense organs) will perform holy rites by shaving off their heads, wearing ochre robes and black-antelope skins and keeping their teeth white.1 

1. This refers to Buddhist Bhikshus. The term ‘jina’ means the subduer of sense organs’ and is applied to the Buddha. Jainas (especially Digambaras) are mentioned in V. 16 below. 

14. People will be plunderers of crops of others and deprivers of other people’s) clothes. Thieves will be robbers of other thieves and there will be another killer of such snatchers. 

15. It is stated in Smrutis that in the Kali age there will be prevalence of extreme misery, shortness of life-span, exhaustion of physical bodies, spread of sickness, sinful activities arising from attachment to Adharma. 

16. There will be some people wearing ochre-coloured robes, some going naked (Jainas), some bearing skulls(Kåpālikas), some will sell Vedas while others will sell sacred places. 

17. Seeing the Brāhmaṇas seated, people of petty intellect will make them move; Shūdras depending upon kings may even strike the leading Brahmaņas. 

18. O tormentor of enemies, Shūdras will be occupying lofty seats in the middle of Brāhmaṇas. In Kali age, as a result of the influence of times, the king will dishonour the Brahmins. 

19. Brāhmaṇas, of insufficient learning, possessing ill-luck and no great strength will begin to serve Shūdras with flowers, ornaments and other auspicious articles. 

20. O king, Śhūdras will not cast a glance at the Brāhmaṇas, worthy of respect and worship. It is the Brāhmaṇas who would stand at their threshold awaiting an opportunity for service. 

21. In Kaliyuga, the Brāhmaṇas, dependent on the Shūdras, hover round and serve the Shūdras seated in their vehicles and eulogise them by songs of praise and prayer. 

22. Dependent on Shūdras, they teach them Vedas. Due to the calamity of appeasing those without Vedas, they resort to terrible atheism. 

23. Even the excellent ones among Brahmaņas will sell the merit of penance, sacrifices and arts. As to Sannyasins, there will be hundreds and thousands. 

24. O ruler of men; destroying their own pious rites, they do not attain that region. They sing about deities with worldly songs. 

25. In Kali age, there will be Brahmanas as well as  Kşhattriyas who follow the course of conduct prescribed for Väma Tantrikas, Pashupatas and Pañcharătrikas.1 

1. Although the doctrine of four Vyuhas repeatedly occurs in the KP., the sect was not much respected and is grouped herein with the Vama ("left-handed’ practitioners of Tantrism) and Pāśhupatas. 

26. When perfect knowledge and the holy rites are lost. when the whole world has become inactive, insects, mice, and serpents will harass human beings. 

27. Those Brahmanas who had been burnt completely in the fire of the curse of goddess Satī formerly during Dakşha’s sacrifice, will be reborn in the families of Brahmanas. 

28. In the Kaliyuga, towards the close of that age, they with their mind overwhelmed by Tamas, will censure Mahadeva. Theirs will be a futile pursuit of Dharma. 

29-30. The Brāhmaṇas and others will be considered heroes in their own communities. Those who had been cursed by the noble Gautama, will incarnate in those wombs (families) and they will revile god Hruşhīkeśha, Brāhmaṇas and expounders of Brahman (or the Vedas). 

31-32a. Persons practising vows not sanctioned by the Vedas, of wicked behaviour and of futile efforts, will be deluding all other people by exhibiting the fruits thereof. Their minds are enveloped and vitiated with ignorance and these base people follow feline tricks. 

32b-33a. In Kali age, Rudra, Mahadeva is the greatest lord of the worlds. He is the deity of deities and he shall achieve the welfare of all men, 

33b-34. Shankara, Nilalohita, will take up incarnations for the purpose of establishing the Shrauta (Vedic) and Smārta (belonging to the Smrutis) rites, with a desire for the welfare of his devotees. He will teach his disciples the knowledge pertaining to the Brahman. 

35-36. Those who resort to the essence of Vedāntas (Upanisads) and follow the holy rites indicated in the Vedas and such of those holy rites as are pointed out with special reference to the people of all castes, serve him in whatever manner they can. They overcome defects or sins of Kali Age and attain the greatest region. 

37. Although the Kali age is defective in many respects, there is one great good point in it viz. a man derives very great merit without any great strain. 

38. Hence, after reaching the Yuga belonging to Maheshvara, a Brāhmaṇa shall, by all means and with special care, seek refuge in Rudra, Iśhhāna. 

39. Those who bow down to Iśhāna of three eyes and wearing the elephant's hide, shall become delighted in their minds and attain to Rudra and his greatest region. 

40. Just as the obeisance paid to Rudra certainly yields all desired fruits, one shall not derive that benefit by making salutations to other deities. 

41. In the Kali Yuga of such a nature, the only means of purifying defects is the obeisance rendered to Mahadeva, meditating on him and offering charitable gifts—So says the Shruti. 

42. Hence, if one wishes to attain the highest beatitude one should eschew all gods other than god Shiva and resort to the three-eyed Maheśhvara. 

43. Futile indeed is the very life, the charitable gifts, the penance and the performance of sacrifice of those people who do not worship Rudra, Shiva, who is saluted by Devas. 

44. Obeisance to Rudra the great God of gods, Mahadeva, to the trident-bearing Tryambaka, Trinetra (the three-eyed god). Salutations to the preceptor of Yogins. 

45. Hail to the lord of Devas, to Mahadeva, to Vedhas (creator), to Shambhu. Obeisance forever to Sthāņu, to Shiva the Parameşhthin. 

46. Salutations to Rudra accompanied by Umā, to Mahāgrāsa (devouring all in a mouthful), the cause of the universe. I resort to the three-eyed celibate worthy of being a refuge. 

47-51. I bow down to Mahadeva, Mahayoga (the great Yogin) Iśhāna, the consort of Ambikā, the bestower of Yoga to Yogins, to one enveloped by Yogamaya, the preceptor and the venerable teacher of Yogins, to one who is accessible to the Yogins, the Pinaka-bearing lord, one who enables people to cross the ocean of worldly existence, to Rudra, to Brahmā, to the overlord of Brahma, to the eternal, omnipresent, quiescent one, identical with Brahma, to one fond of Brāhmaṇas, to one of matted hair, the embodiment of Käla, the formless one, Supreme Ruler, to one who though multiform appears as of one form, to one knowable through the Vedas, to the Lord of heaven, the bluethroated embodiment of the Universe and the pervader of all, the seed of the universe, the fire (destroying the universe at the time) of world annihilation, the fire of death, to the bestower of desires and destroyer of Kāma, to Lord Girisha whose forehead is decked with a digit of the moon. 

52. I bow to the extremely red god, who puts forth his tongue, to the sungod, Paramesthin, the fierce Pashupati, to the terrible deity, to the refulgent sun, to the Supreme penance (v.l. beyond darkness). 

53. Thus the characteristics of the Yugas have been succinctly recounted as also of the Yugas that have gone by and that are yet to come until the end of the Manvantara. 

54. There is no doubt in this that all the Manvantaras are explained when one Manvantara is explained; all the Kalpas are explained through the explanation of one. 

55. In the Manvantaras, both past and the future, all people are of identical names and forms and they identify themselves with the same.1 

1. VV. 54-55 constitute an explanatory paraphrase of dhata yathăpurvam akalpayat | 

56. Thus advised by the holy sage, Shvetavāhana (Arjuna) cherished in himself the greatest and unswerving devotion to Iśhāna. 

57. He made obeisance to the holy sage Krishnadvaipayana who was omniscient, the creator of all, who was established as Vişhņu himself.

58. Stroking Partha, the conqueror of enemies' cities who bowed to him, by means of his splendid hands, sage Vyasa spoke to him again. 

59. "You are blessed, favourite with the Lord. In all the three worlds there is certainly no other person like you who is a devotee of Shankara, and the conqueror of enemies' cities. 

60. You have directly perceived that lord Rudra who has universal vision, has faces all round, who is the very embodiment of the universe. 

61. That divine lordly knowledge has been precisely understood by you. The eternal Hruşhīkeśha (Vyāsa, his incarnation) himself has recounted it to you, out of delight. 

62. Do you go to your own abode. It does not behove you to grieve over it. With the greatest devotion seek refuge in Shiva worthy of being the refuge." 

63. After saying this and having blessed Arjuna, the holy sage went to Shankara's city in order to propitiate Shiva. 

64. At his instance, Pandu's son Arjuna sought refuge in Shiva. He eschewed all karmas. He became devoted to him through spiritual knowledge. 

65. Excepting the son of Satyavati (Vyāsa) and Krishna, the son of Devakī, neither anyone has been, nor will be born who is equal to Arjuna in the matter of devotion to Shambhu. 

66. Obeisance forever, to the holy sage Vyasa son of Parāśhara, who is quiescent, intelligent and of unmeasured splendour. 

67. Krişhnadvaipāyana is the eternal Vişhnu incarnate. Who else can know in reality Rudra Parameśhvara (the Supreme Lord). 

68. "Pay obeisance to that sage Krişhnadvaipāyana (Vyāsa), the son of Satyavati and of Parāśhara, who was a Yogin of noble soul, the immutable Vişhnu himself." 

69. Thus addressed, the sages bowed to the noble Vyāsa, the son of Satyavati, with the concentration of mind.