Chapter 1 - The decline of virtue in the age of Kali

Maitreya

You’ve described in detail the creation of the world, great sage, the lineages of patriarchs, the duration of the Manvantaras and the deeds of the dynasties. 1

Now I wish to hear about the destruction of the world, known as the ‘great dissolution’, and annihilation at the end of every era, foremost sage. 2

Parāśara

I’ll now describe precisely how dissolution happens at the era’s end, Maitreya, and explain how primal nature is absorbed. 3

One day and night for ancestors are a month for mortals. One year for mortals is a day and night for gods. Two sets of a thousand cycles of four ages are a day and night for Brahmā, best of brahmins. 4

Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali are the ages, and each fourfold cycle takes twelve thousand years of gods. 5

Every cycle is the same, Maitreya, as they start with Kṛta and end with Kali. 6

In the beginning, Brahmā creates the world in the Kṛta age, and he brings about its dissolution in the age of Kali. 7

Maitreya:

Please describe in detail the nature of this age of Kali, master, during which fourfold virtue is corrupted. 8

Parāśara:

You want to ask about the nature of the Kali age, Maitreya, so listen, sage, because that age is now upon us. 9

At this time, folk no longer follow the provisions for their orders or stage of life, nor do they perform the rites determined by the Sāma, Ṛg and Yajur Vedas. 10

Marriage in the Kali age is no longer moral, nor do students live in their gurus’ homes. The customs governing husbands and their wives will be ignored, as will rituals for the sacred fires and deities. 11

In this age, a powerful lord, irrespective of his natal clan, will feel entitled to procure a woman of any order. 12

In the age of Kali, a twice-born man may be initiated into any spiritual tradition, but, irrespective of his choice, Maitreya, it will merely be atonement. 13

Anything said to be a scripture will be thus regarded in the Kali age, brahmin; anything may be worshipped as a god and anyone may follow each stage of life. 14

Fasting, austerities and donations made by those who feel the need will amount to virtue at this time. 15

Pride in small amounts of wealth will count as riches in the age of Kali, and women will be proud of their appearance, merely thinking of their hair. 16

In the Kali age, when garments have no gold or gems, jewels or other ornaments, women’s only source of beauty will be coiffure. 17

Wives will abandon husbands when they lose their wealth, but will marry any man with money in this age. 18

One who pays the biggest bribes gains mastery over men, and positions of nobility will derive from one’s connections, not one’s birth. 19

One’s concerns will be limited to one’s home, one’s wealth and chattels, and money will be squandered on amusements in the age of Kali. 20

Women will be free and yoked to pleasure, while men will hanker after ill-gotten gains. 21

Even when requested by a friend, a person will not give up one-eighth part of a farthing, brahmin.^[1] 22

Commoners regard themselves as equal to the brahmins in this age, and cows are only valued for their milk. 23

All will live in fear of drought—the cause of famine—always looking at the sky. 24

Wracked by drought and other troubles, they will starve themselves to death, eating roots and leaves and berries like ascetics. 25

Always hungry, troubled and unprotected, they’ll find no ease or pleasure in the age of Kali. 26

They’ll eat before they wash; sacred fires and gods and guests will not be tended; nor will they offer water to the ancestors when this age arrives. 27

Women will be greedy, short and gluttonous, having few resources but many mouths to feed. 28

Scratching their heads with both their hands, surly women will ignore the orders of their elders and their husbands. 29

They’ll be selfish, sullen, slovenly, abusive and untruthful in the Kali age. 30

Even well-born women, drawn to wicked men, will be vulgar and depraved. 31

Boys and the uninitiated will receive instruction in the Vedas, and householders will neither sacrifice nor make suitable donations. 32

Ascetics in the forests will take the food of villagers, and mendicants will be bound by bonds of sentiment to family and friends. 33

Kings will not protect their subjects, but, under the pretext of levying taxes, will plunder them like bandits when the age of Kali comes. 34

Anyone rich in horses, chariots and elephants will be a monarch, and the weak will be their subjects at this time. 35

Vaiśyas will leave their natural occupations in trade and farming and will take on roles of śūdras and live as artisans. 36

The lowliest śūdras will take the vows of mendicants and, bearing outward signs of wandering monkhood, will lead a life of heresy, being unordained. 37

Miserable people, gravely oppressed by the weight of tax and famine, will flee to lands still rich in wheat and barley. 38

When the Vedic path has been abandoned and folk devote themselves to heresy, with the spread of vice, the people’s lifespan will decrease. 39

Folk will practise awesome penance not sanctioned by the scriptures, and infants will perish on account of the sovereign’s sins. 40

Girls will bear children at the age of five or six or seven with boys aged eight or nine or ten in the Kali age. 41

The hair of youths will turn grey at twelve, and none will live past twenty. 42

Since men are foolish, false and mean, they’ll all die young in the age of Kali. 43

Whenever a rise in heresy is noted, Maitreya, the wise infer the spread of Kali. 44

Whenever pious men on the Vedic path grow fewer, the wise perceive the growth of Kali. 45

When the endeavours of men who practise virtue vanish, then the rise of the age of Kali is inferred by the learned. 46

When the lord of sacrifice, foremost being, is no longer honoured by men with offerings, the influence of this age can be discerned. 47

When people find no joy in Vedic recitation but delight in heresy, best of brahmins, the wise infer the spread of Kali. 48

During this period, Maitreya, people are seduced by heresies and no longer worship Viṣṇu, the universal lord, the master and creator of the world. 49

Brahmin, those seduced by heresies exclaim, ‘What do we care for gods or brahmins, the Vedas or ritual baths!’ 50

Parjanya will release few showers, brahmin, the crops will yield but little grain and fruit will have no substance when the Kali age begins. 51

Most clothes will be made of flax, most trees will be śamīs and the people mostly śūdras. 52

Most grain will be millet, most milk will come from goats when the age of Kali comes and massage oil will be made from uśīra-grass. 53

One’s in-laws will be honoured in preference to one’s parents in the age of Kali, best of sages. One will befriend the brothers of one’s wife, her kin and men with pretty wives. 54

‘What’s a mother and what’s a father, when one’s role is shown by actions?’ Such will be the view of those who regard their parents-in-law as their own. 55

Constantly beset by sins of body, voice and mind, foolish folk will err each day. 56

All that causes pain to false, impure and shameless men will flourish in the age of Kali. 57

When Vedic recitation ceases and the cries of vaṣaṭ, svadhā and svāhā are heard no more, the world will be as if alone. 58

In that world, one may, with little effort, earn a peerless store of merit, which, in the Kṛta age, would require much more austerity. 59

So ends Chapter One in Book Six of the glorious Viṣṇu Purāṇa.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Paṇa, or farthing, is the copper coin of least value.

Other Purana Concepts:

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Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘The decline of virtue in the age of Kali’. Further sources in the context of Purana might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Scripture, Vedic path, Virtue, Life-span, Sacred fire, King's duty, Krita age, Twice-born man, Kali Age, Lower caste, Great Dissolution, Primal nature, Moral decline, Abandonment of parents, Ascetics and mendicants, Fear of drought.