Chapter 3 - Dharma (Righteous Way of Life) in every Yuga: Efficacy of God’s Name

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. Perceiving how kings are eagerly occupied with the plans of conquering her, this earth laughs at them saying, “How stupid! These kings who themselves are but playthings of (the god of) Death aspire to conquer me!

2. Though they are aware (of the inevitability of death) these kings have reposed over-confidence in (the longevity of) their personal body which is momentary like a bubble of water. Hence the ambition or desire of these rulers of men is definitely futile.

3-4. (They plan in their minds):

“Having first conquered the group of six (Five cognitive senses+Minḍ) of our own self, we shall subjugate the counsellers, executive officers, relatives or confidants, citizens, conductors of elephants or army officers of other kings and then after removing all “thorns” (socially undesirable elements), we shall thus gradually bring under our control the earth engirdled by the seas.” These kings whose hearts are thus tied down to their hopes and desires, do not perceive the god of Death who is near (and ready to snatch them away).

5. Having conquered me as far as the sea, some of them (being more ambitious) enter the sea (for naval victory and conquest of other island-continents). “Of what importance is this conquest against our self-control? Emancipation from Saṃsāra is the proper reward of self-control.”^[1]

6. O scion of the Kuru race! These foolish kings wish to conquer me through war, when great Manus and their sons and descendants had ultimately to abandon me and to depart as they came (leaving me here behind).

7. Feuds and fights for me break out between fathers and sons, and between brothers and between those wicked Kings- whose minds are possessed with the notion of mine-ness with reference to their kingdoms.

8. “This entire earth belongs to me only and not yours, O fool. “Contending and competing thus, kings kill each other and die for my sake.”

9-12. Pṛthu, Purūravas, Gādhi, Nahuṣa, Bharata, Arjuna (of a thousand arms Sahasrārjuna), Māndhātā, Sagara, Rāma, Khaṭvāṅga, Dhundhumāra, Raghu, Tṛṇabindu, Yayāti, Śaryāti, Śantanu, Gaya, Bhagīratha, Kuvalayāśva, Kākutstha, Nala (the king of Niṣadha), Nṛga, Hiraṇya-Kaśipu, Vṛtra, Rāvaṇa, the scourge of the people (who made people to cry), Namuci, Śambara, Naraka, Hiraṇyākṣa and Tāraka, and many other Daityas and Kings who were the emperors of the world, all possessed of knowledge, valiant, vanquishers of all others but of themselves, remained unconquered.

13. Though they were mortal by nature, they cherished the strongest attachment to me as if I belonged to them. But they were frustrated in accomplishing their desires, and were reduced as names in legends, by the inexorable Time or Death, O King.

14. O King Parīkṣit! It is with the intention of elucidating (the knowledge of) the unsubstantial nature of the world and to create (a sense of) renunciation about it, that these legends of those illustrious persons who after spreading their great renown in this world, had passed away, have been narrated to you. And all this (picturesque) narration is not mere display of words but bears vital relation to the highest truth!^[2]

15. But if a person is desirous of attaining pure (selfless) devotion unto Lord Kṛṣṇa he should incessantly listen every day to the exposition of the excellent attributes and great deeds of the Lord of hallowing renown (viz, Viṣṇu) which are always glorified in songs (by his votaries and pious persons) and which destroy all evils and inauspiciousness.

King Parīkṣit enquired:

(Thinking that devotion unto the Lord cannot be engendered due to the evil influence of the Kali age, the King asks)

16. “Be pleased to explain to me (in details) the course resorting to which, people can shake off and destroy the accumulated evils of the Kali in the Kali age itself, O revered sage!

17. Kindly tell me (something) about the Yugas (the Ages or Aeons), the special course of duties prescribed for each Yuga, the duration of the life and the deluge ṭPralaya) of the universe, the course of the omnipotent Time-spirit which is the potency of the great-souled Lord Viṣṇu.”

Śrī Śuka began to narrate:

18. In the Kṛta Age, Dharma (righteous course of conduct) as adhered to by the people of that age, proceeds on all its four legs. And Truth, compassion, penance, (selfcontrol and meditation) and affording protection to all (irrespective of friendly or inimical relations) are the four legs of that Perfect Dharma, O King.

19. The people of that age were generally full of contentment and compassion, friendly to all beings, serene and peaceful, self-controlled, forebearing, finding spiritual bliss in their souls, looking upon all as equals (and practising no discrimination between their people and others) and engaging themselves in spiritual exercises such as meditation, etc.

20. In the Tretā Age, one-fourth part of each of the leg of Dharma gets gradually disabled by each of the four legs of Adharma (unrighteousness) viz., falsehood violence, discontent and discords respectively.

21. In that age, people were keen on performance of Vedic rites and were devoted to austere penance. (The five sins—pañca-śūnās—in the life of a house-holder are inevitable but people were not given to too much of violence. Nor were they lewd or addicted to the pleasure of senses. They used to exert for the first three purposes of human life, viz. Dharma (religious merit), Artha (wealth) and Kama (worldly pleasures, enjoyment). They were sincerely devoted to and advanced in Vedic studies, and Brāhmaṇas were regarded to be the highest Varṇa (class of society).

22. In the Dvāpara age, the four feet of the Dharma, viz. Penance, Truthfulness, Compassion and Protective and charitable attitude to all diminish by half with (the growing influence of) the four characteristics of unrighteousness (adharma) viz. violence, discontent or covetiousness, falsehood and hatred.

23. In that age, people hankered after fame or glory, were prone to the performance of great sacrifices, indulging in the teaching and the study of the Vedas, endowed with great affluence, maintaining big families, joyous by nature. Brāhmaṇas and Kṣattriyas were then the most important classes of society.

24. In the Kali age, only one quarter of each of the four feet of Dharma remains. And that too goes on diminishing day by day by the powerfully increasing ‘feet’ of Adharma (unrighteousness) to such an extent that ultimately it becomes extinct.

25. In that (Kali) age, people will be greedy, take to wicked behaviour, will be merciless, indulge in hostilities without any cause, unfortunate, extremely covetous for wealth and women (or worldly desires) and higher social status will be attained by Śūdras, fishermen and such other (former backward) classes.

26. The attributes viz. Sattva, rajas and tamas become manifest in men. And being impelled by the force of the Timespirit, their influence varies (waxes or wanes).

27. When the mind, intellect and sense-organs are dominated by Sattva and when there is genuine liking for (spiritual) wisdom and knowledge and performance of asceticism, one should know that it is the Kṛta age.

28. O intelligent king! When embodied beings (people) show devotion and liking for the first three purposes of human life, viz, dharma, artha and Kāma and the attribute called rajas controls the attitude of people, note that that is the Tretā Age.

29. When the time (i.e. the attitude of people) is controlled by a mixture of rajas and tamas, and when greed, discontent, pride, hypocrisy, jealousy predominate and men like to perform religious acts for achieving desirable ends, it is the Dvāpara Age.

30. When deceit, falsehood, lethargy, sleepiness, violence, despondency, grief, delusion, fear, poverty-stricken-ness prevail, that is the Kali Age which is characterised by tamas.

31. As a result of Kali’s influence, mortal beings become dull-witted, unlucky, voracious, destitute of wealth yet voluptuous, and women, wanton and unchaste.

32. Countries will be ravaged by robbers and miscreants; the Vedas will be condemned by heretics; kings will exploit the subjects (lit. Rulers will be men-eaters), and twice-borns like Brāhmaṇas will be given to the gratification of their sexual ḍesires and other appetites (lit. filling the belly).

33. Celibates (belonging to the Brahmacarya stage of life) will cease to observe their prescribed vows of study, purity and celibacy; householders (in stead of helping others by alms-giving) will take to begging; hermits (of the Vānaprastha stage will leave forests where they retire for penance), will resort to villages (and towns) and Sannyāsins will be extremely greedy of money.

34. Women will be short-statured but voracious, noted for fecundity and shameless. They will be harsh-speakers, given to theft, fraud and dare-devilry.

35. Petty-minded people (with no moral values) conduct business transactions and merchants will be fraudulent. Even when there is no emergency or imminent danger people will follow trades or pursuits censured by the righteous.

36. Servants will resign their services of the masters who are excellent in all respects but have become penniless. Masters will dismiss even their hereditary servants when they are in distress (through physical disability, etc.) and people will not maintain cows when they cease to yield milk.

37. In the Kali age, men will abandon their parents, brothers, friends and relatives and establish their friendliness on sexual basis. Their affection being centred on their relation with women, they will seek consultations from their wives’ relatives (such as sisters and brothers-in-laws) and will be miserable.

38. Earning their livelihood under the guise (and makeup) of recluses and sages, Śūdras will accept charities. People ignorant of religion, will occupy high seats (and pulpits) and will (pose to) preach religion.

39. People will have their minds weighed down with constant anxiety and fear, due to devastating famines and heavy taxation. The land being devoid of food-crops, people will be always afflicted with the impending fear of droughts.

40. Being destitute of clothing, food, drink, bed, sexual satisfaction, bath and adornments, people in the Kali age, will appear like ghosts.

41. In the Kali age, even for a paltry amount of a Kākiṇikā (20 cowries), people will fight, throwing to winds all friendliness and good will. They will even kill their own relatives or give up their dear lives (commit suicide for such a petty amount).

42. People will not protect even their aged parents. Low- minded persons bent on satisfying their sex and filling the belly will not care for their sons even though they may be clever and skilful in all respects.

43. O King! During the Kali age, the minds of the human beings being perverted by heretic doctrines^[3] will not generally worship Lord Acyuta, the supreme Father and Preceptor of the worlds, the lotus-feet of whom are bowed by the lords of the three worlds.

44. During the Kali age, people will not worship the Lord by uttering unawares whose name even unconsciously, a dying man or a person afflicted (with care or disease), falling or trembling, becomes absolved and free from all the impediments of Karmas and attains to the highest goal (viz. mokṣa- emancipation from saṃsāra).

45. The Supreme Person, the glorious Lord Viṣṇu abides in the hearts of all and dispels all the evils of men arising out of the influence of Kali from substances, place and mind.

46. If the Lord enthroned in the heart (of all) is listened to or glorified (by chanting his name or singing his glory) or meditated upon, worshipped or even paid respect to (by some other way), he shakes off (and thus absolves man of) his sins committed and accumulated in thousands of births.

47. Even as the fire applied to gold burns off and thus destroys all the impurities or metallic alloys mixed with gold. Lord Viṣṇu who is abiding in the heart (or Soul) destroys all evil thoughts (or sins) in the hearts of Yogins.

48. The inner heart of a man does not attain that much absolute purity by means of (Vedic or Śāstric) learning, penance, breath-control (prāṇāyāma), sense of friendliness to all beings, ablutions in sacred waters, observance of vows, giving of (munificent) charitable gifts and muttering silently (His prayer), as it does by (meditating upon) the infinite Lord who is enthroned in the heart.

49. Hence, O King Parīkṣit, with all your power of concentration, enthrone Lord Keśava in your heart. Meditating upon him with full concentration at the time of death, you will attain the highest goal (viz. Mokṣa).

50. This glorious Lord who is the supreme Ruler of the universe should be meditated upon with full concentration, by persons who are about to die. Dear Parīkṣit! He is the Soul and supporter of all. He leads them to the state of being one with him.

51. Kali is certainly the Store-house of all evils. But O king, there is one very great virtue and a good point in that age, inasmuch as by singing the name and the glory of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that person is freed from all attachments and attains to the highest region (Vaikuṇṭha ).

52. What one achieves by meditating upon Lord Viṣṇu in the Kṛta age, by performance of sacrifices in the Tretā age, by worship and service of the Lord in the Dvāpara Age, a person attains that in the Kali age by chanting the name of Hari.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā: Extremely dull-witted are they who desire to attain sovereignty by practising control over senses.

Anvitārthaprakāśikā: Sovereignty being transitory is an insignificant gain as a result of self-control; emancipation from the misery of Saṃsāra is the real recompense, for it is eternal.

[2]:

Although respectable annotators like Bhāvāratha Dīpikā Bhāgavata Candrikā interpret quite to the contrary, viz. ‘The non-relation of these legends to the highest or real purpose’, I feel that the explanation of Anvitārthaprakāśikā, suits the context better, despite the next verse which contrasts the difference between the glory of these kings and that of the incarnations of Viṣṇu and exhorts one to listen to the glory of Lord Kṛṣṇa constantly.

[3]:

Padaratnāvalī takes this opportunity to hit at the advaitins and explains Pākhaṇḍa-Vibhinna-Cetasaḥ as those whose minds are deluded by the heretical doctrine known as advaita-śāstra.