DECAY: The Symptoms of Kali-yuga Nihils’ Maw (taken from Shrimad-Bhagavatam) SB 12.2.1 sri-suka uvaca tatas canu-dinam dharmah satyam saucam ksama daya kalena balina rajan nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih SYNONYMS sri-sukah uvaca-Sukadeva Gosvami said; tatah-then; ca-and; anudinam-day after day; dharmah-religion; satyam-truth; saucam-cleanliness; ksama-tolerance; daya-mercy; kalena-by the force of time; balina-strong; rajan- O King Pariksit; nanksyati—will become ruined; ayuh-duration of life; balam-strength; smrtih-memory. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami 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. SB 12.2.2 vittam eva kalau nrnam janmacara-gunodayah dharma-nyaya-vyavasthayam karanam balam eva hi SYNONYMS vittam-wealth; eva-alone; kalau-in the age of Kali; nrnam-among men; janma-of good birth; acara-good behavior; guna-and good qualities; udayah- the cause of manifestation; dharma-of religious duty; nyaya-and reason; vyavasthayam-in the establishment; karanam-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. SB 12.2.3 dampatye ’bhirucir hetur mayaiva vyavaharike stritve pumstve ca hi ratir vipratve sutram eva hi SYNONYMS dam-patye-in the relationship of husband and wife; abhirucih-superficial attraction; hetuh- the reason; maya-deceit; eva-indeed; vyavaharike-in business; stritve- in being a woman; pumstve-in being a man; ca-and; hi-indeed; ratih-sex; vipratve-in being a brahmana; sutram-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 brahmana just by his wearing a thread. SB 12.2.4 lingam evasrama-khyatav anyonyapatti-karanam avrttya nyaya-daurbalyam panditye capalam vacah SYNONYMS lingam-the external symbol; eva-merely; asrama-khyatau-in knowing a person’s spiritual order; anyonya-mutual; apatti-of exchange; karanam-the cause; avrttya-by lack of livelihood; nyaya-in credibility; daurbalyam-the weakness; panditye-in scholarship; capalam-tricky; vacah-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. SB 12.2.5 anadhyataivasadhutve sadhutve dambha eva tu svikara eva codvahe snanam eva prasadhanam SYNONYMS anadhyata-poverty; eva-simply; asadhutve-in one’s being unholy; sadhutve-in virtue, or success; dambhah-hypocrisy; eva-alone; tu-and; svi-karah-verbal acceptance; eva-alone; ca-and; udvahe-in marriage; snanam-bathing with water; eva-alone; prasadhanam-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. SB 12.2.6 dure vary-ayanam tirtham lavanyam kesa-dharanam udaram-bharata svarthah satyatve dharstyam eva hi daksyam kutumba-bharanam yaso ’rthe dharma-sevanam SYNONYMS dure-situated far away; vari-of water; ayanam-a reservoir; tirtham-holy place; lavanyam-beauty; kesa-hair; dharanam-carrying; udaram-bharata-filling the belly; sva-arthah-the goal of life; satyatve-in so-called truth; dharstyam-audacity; eva-simply; hi-indeed; daksyam-expertise; kutumba-bharanam-maintaining a family; yasah-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. SB 12.2.7 evam prajabhir dustabhir akirne ksiti-mandale brahma-vit-ksatra-sudranam yo bali bhavita nrpah SYNONYMS evam-in this way; prajabhih-with populace; dustabhih-corrupted; akirne-being crowded; ksiti-mandale-the earth globe; brahma-among the brahmanas; vit-vaisyas; ksatra-ksatriyas; sudranam-and sudras; yah-whoever; bali-the strongest; bhavita-he will become; nrpah-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. SB 12.2.8 praja hi lubdhai rajanyair nirghrnair dasyu-dharmabhih acchinna-dara-dravina yasyanti giri-kananam SYNONYMS prajah-the citizens; hi-indeed; lubdhaih-avaricious; rajanyaih-by the royal order; nirghrnaih-merciless; dasyu-of ordinary thieves; dharmabhih-acting according to the nature; acchinna-taken away; dara-their wives; dravinah-and property; yasyanti-they will go; giri-to the mountains; kananam-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. SB 12.2.9 saka-mulamisa-ksaudra- phala-puspasti-bhojanah anavrstya vinanksyanti durbhiksa-kara-piditah SYNONYMS saka-leaves; mula-roots; amisa-meat; ksaudra-wild honey; phala-fruits; puspa-flowers; asti-and seeds; bhojanah-eating; anavrstya-because of drought; vinanksyanti-they will become ruined; durbhiksa-by famine; kara-and taxation; piditah-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. SB 12.2.10 sita-vatatapa-pravrd- himair anyonyatah prajah ksut-trdbhyam vyadhibhis caiva santapsyante ca cintaya SYNONYMS sita-by cold; vata-wind; atapa-the heat of the sun; pravrt-torrential rain; himaih-and snow; anyonyatah-by quarrel; prajah-the citizens; ksut-by hunger; trdbhyam-and thirst; vyadhibhih-by diseases; ca-also; eva-indeed; santapsyante-they will suffer great distress; ca-and; cintaya-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. SB 12.2.11 trimsad vimsati varsani paramayuh kalau nrnam SYNONYMS trimsat-thirty; vimsati-plus twenty; varsani-years; parama-ayuh-the maximum duration of life; kalau-in Kali-yuga; nrnam-of men. TRANSLATION The maximum duration of life for human beings in Kali-yuga will become fifty years. SB 12.2.12-16 ksiyamanesu dehesu dehinam kali-dosatah varnasramavatam dharme naste veda-pathe nrnam pasanda-pracure dharme dasyu-prayesu rajasu cauryanrta-vrtha-himsa- nana-vrttisu vai nrsu sudra-prayesu varnesu cchaga-prayasu dhenusu grha-prayesv asramesu yauna-prayesu bandhusu anu-prayasv osadhisu sami-prayesu sthasnusu vidyut-prayesu meghesu sunya-prayesu sadmasu ittham kalau gata-praye janesu khara-dharmisu dharma-tranaya sattvena bhagavan avatarisyati SYNONYMS ksiyamanesu-having become smaller; dehesu-the bodies; dehinam-of all living entities; kali-dosatah-by the contamination of the age of Kali; varna-asrama-vatam-of the members of varnasrama society; dharme-when their religious principles; naste-have been destroyed; veda-pathe-the path of the Vedas; nrnam-for all men; pasanda-pracure-mostly atheism; dharme-religion; dasyu-prayesu-mostly thieves; rajasu-the kings; caurya-banditry; anrta-lying; vrtha-himsa-useless slaughter; nana-various; vrttisu-their occupations; vai-indeed; nrsu-when men; sudra-prayesu-mostly low-class sudras; varnesu-the so-called social orders; chaga-prayasu-no better than goats; dhenusu-the cows; grha-prayesu-just like materialistic homes; asramesu-the spiritual hermitages; yauna-prayesu-extending no further than marriage; bandhusu-family ties; anu-prayasu-mostly very small; osadhisu-plants and herbs; sami-prayesu-just like sami trees; sthasnusu-all the trees; vidyut-prayesu-always manifesting lightning; meghesu-the clouds; sunya-prayesu-devoid of religious life; sadmasu-the homes; ittham-thus; kalau-when the age of Kali; gata-praye-is almost finished; janesu-the people; khara-dharmisu-when they have assumed the characteristics of asses; dharma-tranaya-for the deliverance of religion; sattvena-in the pure mode of goodness; bhagavan-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; avatarisyati-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 varnasrama 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 sudras. 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 sami 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. SB 12.2.17 caracara-guror visnor isvarasyakhilatmanah dharma-tranaya sadhunam janma karmapanuttaye SYNONYMS cara-acara-of all moving and nonmoving living beings; guroh-of the spiritual master; visnoh-the Supreme Lord, Visnu; isvarasya-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akhila-of all; atmanah-of the Supreme Soul; dharma-tranaya-for the protection of religion; sadhunam-of saintly men; janma-the birth; karma-of their fruitive activities; apanuttaye-for the cessation. TRANSLATION Lord Visnu-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. SB 12.2.18 sambhala-grama-mukhyasya brahmanasya mahatmanah bhavane visnuyasasah kalkih pradurbhavisyati SYNONYMS sambhala-grama-in the village Sambhala; mukhyasya-of the chief citizen; brahmanasya-of the brahmana; maha-atmanah-the great soul; bhavane-in the home; visnuyasasah-of Visnuyasa; kalkih-Lord Kalki; pradurbhavisyati-will appear. TRANSLATION Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of Sambhala village, the great soul Visnuyasa. SB 12.2.19-20 asvam asu-gam aruhya devadattam jagat-patih asinasadhu-damanam astaisvarya-gunanvitah vicarann asuna ksaunyam hayenapratima-dyutih nrpa-linga-cchado dasyun kotiso nihanisyati SYNONYMS asvam-His horse; asu-gam-swift-traveling; aruhya-mounting; devadattam-named Devadatta; jagat-patih-the Lord of the universe; asina-with His sword; asadhu-damanam-(the horse who) subdues the unholy; asta-with eight; aisvarya-mystic opulences; guna-and transcendental qualities of the Personality of Godhead; anvitah-endowed; vicaran-traveling about; asuna-swift; ksaunyam-upon the earth; hayena-by His horse; apratima-unrivaled; dyutih-whose effulgence; nrpa-linga-with the dress of kings; chadah-disguising themselves; dasyun-thieves; kotisah-by the millions; nihanisyati-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. SB 12.2.21 atha tesam bhavisyanti manamsi visadani vai vasudevanga-ragati- punya-gandhanila-sprsam paura-janapadanam vai hatesv akhila-dasyusu SYNONYMS atha-then; tesam-of them; bhavisyanti-will become; manamsi-the minds; visadani-clear; vai-indeed; vasudeva-of Lord Vasudeva; anga-of the body; raga-from the cosmetic decorations; ati-punya-most sacred; gandha-having the fragrance; anila-by the wind; sprsam-of those who have been touched; paura-of the city-dwellers; jana-padanam-and the residents of the smaller towns and villages; vai-indeed; hatesu-when they have been killed; akhila-all; dasyusu-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 Vasudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. SB 12.2.22 tesam praja-visargas ca sthavisthah sambhavisyati vasudeve bhagavati sattva-murtau hrdi sthite SYNONYMS tesam-of them; praja-of progeny; visargah-the creation; ca-and; sthavisthah-abundant; sambhavisyati-will be; vasudeve-Lord Vasudeva; bhagavati-the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sattva-murtau-in His transcendental form of pure goodness; hrdi-in their hearts; sthite-when He is situated. TRANSLATION When Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth.