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Kali-yuga

Kali-yuga

कलियुग

Also known as कलिः · Kali (the age)

People in it: short-lived, dull, misguided, unlucky, troubled

'Prayenalpayushah... mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah' (SB 1.1.10).

Robs men of their vitality

'Kalim sattva-haram pumsam' (SB 1.1.22).

Recognized as already arrived

The sages, 'knowing Kali has come', sat for the long sacrifice: 'kalim agatam ajnaya' (SB 1.1.21).

The time to come mostly drains men of their virtues

'ito 'rvak prayashah kalah pumsam guna-vikarshanah' (SB 1.13.28, Vidura to Dhritarashtra).

Reversal of the seasons' order and men given to anger, greed and untruth

'kalasya ca gatim raudram viparyastartu-dharminah papiyasim nrinam vartam' (SB 1.14.3); dealings crooked, friendship mixed with deceit, strife among parents, brothers and couples (SB 1.14.4).

Set in from the very day the Lord left the earth

'yada mukundo bhagavan imam mahim jahau sva-tanva... tadaharevapratibuddha-cetasam adharma-hetuh kalir anvavartata' (SB 1.15.36) — the pivot of the Bhagavata's reckoning of the age.

Swollen by falsehood, it seeks to seize even the last foot, truth

'tam jighrikshaty adharmo 'yam anritenaidhitah kalih' (SB 1.17.25).

Five dwellings: gambling, drink, women, slaughter and gold

'dyutam panam striyah suna yatradharmash caturvidhah' (SB 1.17.38); on further entreaty gold too was given, whence falsehood, intoxication, lust, passion and enmity (SB 1.17.39).

Dwelling in the bodies of kings it brings greed, falsehood, theft and hypocrisy

'lobho 'nritam cauryam anaryam amho jyeshtha ca maya kalahash ca dambhah' (SB 1.17.32).

Moves like a wolf among the heedless, but fears the steady

'kim nu baleshu shurena kalina dhira-bhiruna apramattah pramatteshu yo vriko nrishu vartate' (SB 1.18.8); though he had entered, he could not prevail while Parikshit ruled (SB 1.18.5).