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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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.

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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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 [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.