1–çré-çuka uväca
dåñövätmani jaye vyagrän
nåpän hasati bhür iyam
aho mä vijigéñanti
måtyoù kréòanakä nåpäù
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: Seeing the kings of this earth busy trying to
conquer her, the earth herself laughed. She said: “Just see how these kings, who
are actually playthings in the hands of death, are desiring to conquer me.
2–käma eña narendräëäà
moghaù syäd viduñäm api
yena phenopame piëòe
ye ‘ti-viçrambhitä nåpäù
“Great rulers of men, even those who are learned, meet frustration and
failure because of material lust. Driven by lust, these kings place great hope and
faith in the dead lump of flesh called the body, even though the material frame
is as fleeting as bubbles of foam on water.
3/4–pürvaà nirjitya ñaò-vargaà
jeñyämo räja-mantriëaù
tataù saciva-pauräptakaréndrän
asya kaëöakän
evaà krameëa jeñyämaù
påthvéà sägara-mekhaläm
ity äçä-baddha-hådayä na paçyanty antike ‘ntakam
“Kings and politicians imagine: ‘First I will conquer my senses and mind;
then I will subdue my chief ministers and rid myself of the thorn-pricks of my
advisors, citizens, friends and relatives, as well as the keepers of my elephants.
In this way I will gradually conquer the entire earth.’ Because the hearts of
these leaders are bound by great expectations, they fail to see death waiting
nearby
5–samudrävaraëäà jitvä
mäà viçanty abdhim ojasä
kiyad ätma-jayasyaitan
muktir ätma-jaye phalam
“After conquering all the land on my surface, these proud kings forcibly
enter the ocean to conquer the sea itself. What is the use of their self-control,
which is aimed at political exploitation? The actual goal of self-control is
spiritual liberation.”
6–yäà visåjyaiva manavas
tat-sutäç ca kurüdvaha
gatä yathägataà yuddhe
täà mäà jeñyanty abuddhayaù
O best of the Kurus, the earth continued as follows: “Although in the past
great men and their descendants have left me, departing from this world in the
same helpless way they came into it, even today foolish men are trying to
conquer me.
7–mat-kåte pitå-puträëäà
bhrätåëäà cäpi vigrahaù
jäyate hy asatäà räjye
mamatä-baddha-cetasäm
“For the sake of conquering me, materialistic persons fight one another.
Fathers oppose their sons, and brothers fight one another, because their hearts
are bound to possessing political power.
8–mamaiveyaà mahé kåtsnä
na te müòheti vädinaù
spardhamänä mitho ghnanti
mriyante mat-kåte nåpäù
“Political leaders challenge one another: ‘All this land is mine! It’s not
yours, you fool!’ Thus they attack one another and die.
9/10/11/12/13–påthuù purüravä gädhir
nahuño bharato ‘rjunaù
mändhätä sagaro rämaù
khaöväìgo dhundhuhä raghuù
97
tåëabindur yayätiç ca
çaryätiù çantanur gayaù
bhagérathaù kuvalayäçvaù
kakutstho naiñadho någaù
hiraëyakaçipur våtro
rävaëo loka-rävaëaù
namuciù çambaro bhaumo
hiraëyäkño ‘tha tärakaù
anye ca bahavo daityä
räjäno ye maheçvaräù
sarve sarva-vidaù çüräù
sarve sarva-jito ‘jitäù
mamatäà mayy avartanta
kåtvoccair martya-dharmiëaù
kathävaçeñäù kälena
hy akåtärthäù kåtä vibho
“Such kings as Påthu, Purüravä, Gädhi, Nahuña, Bharata, Kärtavérya
Arjuna, Mändhätä, Sagara, Räma, Khaöväìga, Dhundhuhä, Raghu, Tåëabindu,
Yayäti, Çaryäti, Çantanu, Gaya, Bhagératha, Kuvalayäçva, Kakutstha, Naiñadha,
Någa, Hiraëyakaçipu, Våtra, Rävaëa, who made the whole world lament,
Namuci, Çambara, Bhauma, Hiraëyäkña and Täraka, as well as many other
demons and kings who possessed great powers of control over others, were all
full of knowledge, heroic, all-conquering and unconquerable. Nevertheless, O
almighty Lord, although they lived their lives intensely trying to possess me,
these kings were subject to the passage of time, which reduced them all to mere
historical accounts. None of them could permanently establish their rule.”
14–kathä imäs te kathitä mahéyasäà
vitäya lokeñu yaçaù pareyuñäm
vijïäna-vairägya-vivakñayä vibho
vaco-vibhütér na tu päramärthyam
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: O mighty Parékñit, I have related to you the
narrations of all these great kings, who spread their fame throughout the world
and then departed. My real purpose was to teach transcendental knowledge and
renunciation. Stories of kings lend power and opulence to these narrations but
do not in themselves constitute the ultimate aspect of knowledge.
15–yas tüttamaù-çloka-guëänuvädaù
saìgéyate ‘bhékñëam amaìgala-ghnaù
tam eva nityaà çåëuyäd abhékñëaà
kåñëe ‘maläà bhaktim abhépsamänaù
The person who desires pure devotional service to Lord Kåñëa should hear
the narrations of Lord Uttamaùçloka’s glorious qualities, the constant chanting
of which destroys everything inauspicious. The devotee should engage in such
listening in regular daily assemblies and should also continue his hearing
throughout the day
çré-räjoväca
16–kenopäyena bhagavan
kaler doñän kalau janäù
vidhamiñyanty upacitäàs
tan me brühi yathä mune
King Parékñit said: My lord, how can persons living in the age of Kali rid
themselves of the cumulative contamination of this age? O great sages please
explain this to me.
17–yugäni yuga-dharmäàç ca
mänaà pralaya-kalpayoù
kälasyeçvara-rüpasya
gatià viñëor mahätmanaù
Please explain the different ages of universal history, the special qualities of
each age, the duration of cosmic maintenance and destruction, and the
movement of time, which is the direct representation of the Supreme Soul, the
Personality of Godhead, Lord Viñëu.
18–çré-çuka uväca
kåte pravartate dharmaç
catuñ-pät taj-janair dhåtaù
satyaà dayä tapo dänam
iti pädä vibhor nåpa
çré-çukaù uväca—Çré Çukadeva Gosvämé said; kåte—in the Satya-yuga, the age
of truth; pravartate—exists; dharmaù—religion; catuù-pät—with four legs;
tat—of that age; janaiù—by the people; dhåtaù—maintained; satyam—truth;
dayä—mercy; tapaù—austerity; dänam—charity; iti—thus; pädäù—the legs;
vibhoù—of mighty religion; nåpa—O King
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: My dear King, in the beginning, during Satya-yuga,
the age of truth, religion is present with all four of its legs intact and is carefully
maintained by the people of that age. These four legs of powerful religion are
truthfulness, mercy, austerity and charity.
19–santuñöäù karuëä maiträù
çäntä däntäs titikñavaù
ätmärämäù sama-dåçaù
präyaçaù çramaëä janäù
The people of Satya-yuga are for the most part self-satisfied, merciful,
friendly to all, peaceful, sober and tolerant. They take their pleasure from
within, see all things equally and always endeavor diligently for spiritual
perfection.
20–tretäyäà dharma-pädänäà
turyäàço héyate çanaiù
adharma-pädair anåtahiàñäsantoña-
vigrahaiù
tretäyäm—in the second age; dharma-pädänäm—of the legs of religion;
turya—one fourth; aàçaù—part; héyate—is lost; çanaiù—gradually;
adharma-pädaiù—by the legs of irreligion; anåta—by falsity; hiàsä—violence;
asantoña—dissatisfaction; vigrahaiù—and quarrel.
In Tretä-yuga each leg of religion is gradually reduced by one quarter by the
influence of the four pillars of irreligion—lying, violence, dissatisfaction and
quarrel.
21–tadä kriyä-tapo-niñöhä
näti-hiàsrä na lampaöäù
trai-vargikäs trayé-våddhä
varëä brahmottarä nåpa
In the Tretä age people are devoted to ritual performances and severe
austerities. They are not excessively violent or very lusty after sensual pleasure.
Their interest lies primarily in religiosity, economic development and regulated
sense gratification, and they achieve prosperity by following the prescriptions of
the three Vedas. Although in this age society evolves into four separate classes,
O King, most people are brähmaëas.
22–tapaù-satya-dayä-däneñv
ardhaà hrasvati dväpare
hiàsätuñöy-anåta-dveñair
dharmasyädharma-lakñaëaiù
In Dväpara-yuga the religious qualities of austerity, truth, mercy and charity
are reduced to one half by their irreligious counterparts—dissatisfaction,
untruth, violence and enmity.
23–yaçasvino mahä-çéläù
svädhyäyädhyayane ratäù
ädhyäù kuöumbino håñöä
varëäù kñatra-dvijottaräù
In the Dväpara age people are interested in glory and are very noble. They
devote themselves to the study of the Vedas, possess great opulence, support
large families and enjoy life with vigor. Of the four classes, the kñatriyas and
brähmaëas are most numerous
24–kalau tu dharma-pädänäà
turyäàço ‘dharma-hetubhiù
edhamänaiù kñéyamäëo
hy ante so ‘pi vinaìkñyati
kalau—in the age of Kali; tu—and; dharma-pädänäm—of the legs of religion;
turya-aàçaù—one fourth; adharma—of irreligion; hetubhiù—by the principles;
edhamänaiù—which are increasing; kñéyamäëaù—decreasing; hi—indeed;
ante—in the end; saù—that one quarter; api—also; vinaìkñyati—will be
destroyed.
In the age of Kali only one fourth of the religious principles remains. That
last remnant will continuously be decreased by the ever-increasing principles of
irreligion and will finally be destroyed.
25–tasmin lubdhä duräcärä
nirdayäù çuñka-vairiëaù
durbhagä bhüri-tarñäç ca
çüdra-däsottaräù prajäù
In the Kali age people tend to be greedy, ill-behaved and merciless, and they
fight one another without good reason. Unfortunate and obsessed with material
desires, the people of Kali-yuga are almost all çüdras and barbarians.
26–sattvaà rajas tama iti
dåçyante puruñe guëäù
käla-saïcoditäs te vai
parivartanta ätmani
The material modes—goodness, passion and ignorance—whose permutations
are observed within a person’s mind, are set into motion by the power of time
27–prabhavanti yadä sattve
mano-buddhéndriyäëi ca
tadä kåta-yugaà vidyäj
jïäne tapasi yad ruciù
When the mind, intelligence and senses are solidly fixed in the mode of
goodness, that time should be understood as Satya-yuga, the age of truth. People
then take pleasure in knowledge and austerity.
28–yadä karmasu kämyeñu
bhaktir yaçasi dehinäm
tadä tretä rajo-våttir
iti jänéhi buddhiman
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 Tretä, in which the functions of
passion are prominent.
29–yadä lobhas tv asantoño
mäno dambho ‘tha matsaraù
karmaëäà cäpi kämyänäà
dväparaà tad rajas-tamaù
When greed, dissatisfaction, false pride, hypocrisy and envy become
prominent, along with attraction for selfish activities, such a time is the age of
Dväpara, dominated by the mixed modes of passion and ignorance.
30–yadä mäyänåtaà tandrä
nidrä hiàsä viñädanam
çoka-mohau bhayaà dainyaà
sa kalis tämasaù småtaù
When there is a predominance of cheating, lying, sloth, sleepiness, violence,
depression, lamentation, bewilderment, fear and poverty, that age is Kali, the
age of the mode of ignorance
31–tasmät kñudra-dåço martyäù
kñudra-bhägyä mahäçanäù
kämino vitta-hénäç ca
svairiëyaç ca striyo ‘satéù
Because of the bad qualities of the age of Kali, human beings will become
shortsighted, unfortunate, gluttonous, lustful and poverty-stricken. The
women, becoming unchaste, will freely wander from one man to the next.
32–dasyütkåñöä janapadä
vedäù päñaëòa-düñitäù
räjänaç ca prajä-bhakñäù
çiçnodara-parä dvijäù
Cities will be dominated by thieves, the Vedas will be contaminated by
speculative interpretations of atheists, political leaders will virtually consume
the citizens, and the so-called priests and intellectuals will be devotees of their
bellies and genitals.
33–avratä baöavo ‘çaucä
bhikñavaç ca kuöumbinaù
tapasvino gräma-väsä
nyäsino ‘tyartha-lolupäù
The brahmacärés will fail to execute their vows and become generally
unclean, the householders will become beggars, the vänaprasthas will live in the
villages, and the sannyäsés will become greedy for wealth.
34–hrasva-käyä mahähärä
bhüry-apatyä gata-hriyaù
çaçvat kaöuka-bhäñiëyaç
caurya-mäyoru-sähasäù
Women will become much smaller in size, and they will eat too much, have
more children than they can properly take care of, and lose all shyness. They
will always speak harshly and will exhibit qualities of thievery, deceit and
unrestrained audacity.
35–paëayiñyanti vai kñudräù
kiräöäù küöa-käriëaù
anäpady api maàsyante
värtäà sädhu jugupsitäm
Businessmen will engage in petty commerce and earn their money by
cheating. Even when there is no emergency, people will consider any degraded
occupation quite acceptable.
36–patià tyakñyanti nirdravyaà
bhåtyä apy akhilottamam
bhåtyaà vipannaà patayaù
kaulaà gäç cäpayasvinéù
Servants will abandon a master who has lost his wealth, even if that master
is a saintly person of exemplary character. Masters will abandon an
incapacitated servant, even if that servant has been in the family for
generations. Cows will be abandoned or killed when they stop giving milk.
37–pitå-bhrätå-suhåj-jïätén
hitvä saurata-sauhådäù
nanändå-çyäla-saàvädä
dénäù straiëäù kalau naräù
In Kali-yuga men will be wretched and controlled by women. They will
reject their fathers, brothers, other relatives and friends and will instead
associate with the sisters and brothers of their wives. Thus their conception of
friendship will be based exclusively on sexual ties.
38–çüdräù pratigrahéñyanti
tapo-veñopajévinaù
dharmaà vakñyanty adharma-jïä
adhiruhyottamäsanam
Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord and will earn their
livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a mendicant’s dress.
Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat and presume to
speak on religious principles.
39/40–nityaà udvigna-manaso
durbhikña-kara-karçitäù
niranne bhü-tale räjan
anävåñöi-bhayäturäù
väso-‘nna-päna-çayanavyaväya-
snäna-bhüñaëaiù
hénäù piçäca-sandarçä
bhaviñyanti kalau prajäù
In the age of Kali, people’s minds will always be agitated. They will become
emaciated by famine and taxation, my dear King, and will always be disturbed
by fear of drought. They will lack adequate clothing, food and drink, will be
unable to properly rest, have sex or bathe themselves, and will have no
ornaments to decorate their bodies. In fact, the people of Kali-yuga will
gradually come to appear like ghostly, haunted creatures.
41–kalau käkiëike ‘py arthe
vigåhya tyakta-sauhådäù
tyakñyanti ca priyän präëän
haniñyanti svakän api
In Kali-yuga men will develop hatred for each other even over a few coins.
Giving up all friendly relations, they will be ready to lose their own lives and
kill even their own relatives
42–na rakñiñyanti manujäù
sthavirau pitaräv api
puträn bhäryäà ca kula-jäà
kñudräù çiçnodaraà-bharäù
Men will no longer protect their elderly parents, their children or their
respectable wives. Thoroughly degraded, they will care only to satisfy their own
bellies and genitals.
43–kalau na räjan jagatäà paraà guruà
tri-loka-näthänata-päda-paìkajam
präyeëa martyä bhagavantam acyutaà
yakñyanti päñaëòa-vibhinna-cetasaù
O King, in the age of Kali people’s intelligence will be diverted by atheism,
and they will almost never offer sacrifice to the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the supreme spiritual master of the universe. Although the
great personalities who control the three worlds all bow down to the lotus feet
of the Supreme Lord, the petty and miserable human beings of this age will not
do so.
44–yan-nämadheyaà mriyamäëa äturaù
patan skhalan vä vivaço gåëan pumän
vimukta-karmärgala uttamäà gatià
präpnoti yakñyanti na taà kalau janäù
Terrified, about to die, a man collapses on his bed. Although his voice is
faltering and he is hardly conscious of what he is saying, if he utters the holy
name of the Supreme Lord he can be freed from the reaction of his fruitive
work and achieve the supreme destination. But still people in the age of Kali
will not worship the Supreme Lord.
45–puàsäà kali-kåtän doñän
dravya-deçätma-sambhavän
sarvän harati citta-stho
bhagavän puruñottamaù
In the Kali-yuga, objects, places and even individual personalities are all
polluted. The almighty Personality of Godhead, however, can remove all such
contamination from the life of one who fixes the Lord within his mind.
46–çrutaù saìkértito dhyätaù
püjitaç cädåto ‘pi vä
nåëäà dhunoti bhagavän
håt-stho janmäyutäçubham
If a person hears about, glorifies, meditates upon, worships or simply offers
great respect to the Supreme Lord, who is situated within the heart, the Lord
will remove from his mind the contamination accumulated during many
thousands of lifetimes.
47–yathä hemni sthito vahnir
durvarëaà hanti dhätu-jam
evam ätma-gato viñëur
yoginäm açubhäçayam
yathä—just as; hemni—in gold; sthitaù—situated; vahniù—fire;
durvarëam—the discoloration; hanti—destroys; dhätu-jam—due to the taint of
other metals; evam—in the same way; ätma-gataù—having entered the soul;
viñëuù—Lord Viñëu; yoginäm—of the yogés; açubha-äçayam—the dirty mind.
Just as fire applied to gold removes any discoloration caused by traces of
other metals, Lord Viñëu within the heart purifies the minds of the yogés.
48–vidyä-tapaù-präëa-nirodha-maitrétérthäbhiñeka-
vrata-däna-japyaiù
nätyanta-çuddhià labhate ‘ntarätmä
yathä hådi-sthe bhagavaty anante
By one’s engaging in the processes of demigod worship, austerities, breath
control, compassion, bathing in holy places, strict vows, charity and chanting of
various mantras, one’s mind cannot attain the same absolute purification as that
achieved when the unlimited Personality of Godhead appears within one’s
heart.
49–tasmät sarvätmanä räjan
hådi-sthaà kuru keçavam
mriyamäëo hy avahitas
tato yäsi paräà gatim
tasmät—therefore; sarva-ätmanä—with all endeavor; räjan—O King;
hådi-stham—within your heart; kuru—make; keçavam—Lord Keçava;
mriyamäëaù—dying; hi—indeed; avahitaù—concentrated; tataù—then;
yäsi—you will go; param—to the supreme; gatim—destination.
Therefore, O King, endeavor with all your might to fix the Supreme Lord
Keçava within your heart. Maintain this concentration upon the Lord, and at
the time of death you will certainly attain the supreme destination.
50–mriyamäëair abhidhyeyo
bhagavän parameçvaraù
ätma-bhävaà nayaty aìga
sarvätmä sarva-saàçrayaù
My dear King, the Personality of Godhead is the ultimate controller. He is
the Supreme Soul and the supreme shelter of all beings. When meditated upon
by those about to die, He reveals to them their own eternal spiritual identity
51–kaler doña-nidhe räjann
asti hy eko mahän guëaù
kértanäd eva kåñëasya
mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet
kaleù—of the age of Kali; doña-nidheù—in the ocean of faults; räjan—O King;
asti—there is; hi—certainly; ekaù—one; mahän—very great; guëaù—good
quality; kértanät—by chanting; eva—certainly; kåñëasya—of the holy name of
Kåñëa; mukta-saìgaù—liberated from material bondage; param—to the
transcendental spiritual kingdom; vrajet—one can go.
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one
good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
52–kåte yad dhyäyato viñëuà
tretäyäà yajato makhaiù
dväpare paricaryäyäà
kalau tad dhari-kértanät
Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viñëu, in
Tretä-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dväpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s
lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kåñëa
mahä-mantra.
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