Kali Yuga

The Age of Kali Yuga and the Kali Demon

By editor - 30.1 2020

Kali Yuga is the present iron age of quarrel and hypocrisy. The age of Kali is the most condemned age due to its quarrelsome features. Kali-yuga is so saturated with vicious habits that there is a great fight at the slightest misunderstanding.

What are the symptoms of the age of Kali? They are (1) illicit connection with women, (2) indulgence in meat-eating, (3) intoxication and (4) taking pleasure in gambling. The age of Kali literally means the age of quarrel, and the above mentioned four symptoms in human society are the root causes for all kinds of quarrel.

The next symptom of the age of Kali is the distressed condition of the cow. Milking the cow means drawing the principles of religion in a liquid form. The great ṛṣis and munis would live only on milk. But people in Kali Yuga are killing cows. These greatly sinful acts are responsible for all the troubles in present society. People do not know what they are doing in the name of economic development. The influence of Kali will keep them in the darkness of ignorance. Despite all endeavors for peace and prosperity, they must try to see the cows and the bulls happy in all respects. Foolish people do not know how one earns happiness by making the cows and bulls happy, but it is a fact by the law of nature. Let us take it from the authority of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and adopt the principles for the total happiness of humanity.

The Personality of Kali

Mahārāja Parīkṣit observed that a lower-caste śūdra, dressed like a king, was beating a cow and a bull with a club, as if they had no owner. The bull was as white as a white lotus flower. He was terrified of the śūdra who was beating him, and he was so afraid that he was standing on one leg, trembling and urinating.

Although the cow is beneficial because one can draw religious principles from her, she was now rendered poor and calfless. Her legs were being beaten by a śūdra. There were tears in her eyes, and she was distressed and weak. She was hankering after some grass in the field.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit spoke to the śūdra: You rogue, do you dare beat an innocent cow because Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, the carrier of the Gāṇḍīva bow, are out of sight? Since you are beating the innocent in a secluded place, you are considered a culprit and therefore deserve to be killed.

When the personality of Kali understood that the King was willing to kill him, he at once abandoned the dress of a king and, under pressure of fear, completely surrendered to him, bowing his head.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit, who was qualified to accept surrender and worthy of being sung in history, did not kill the poor surrendered and fallen Kali, but smiled compassionately, for he was kind to the poor.

The King thus said: We have inherited the fame of Arjuna; therefore since you have surrendered yourself with folded hands you need not fear for your life. But you cannot remain in my kingdom, for you are the friend of irreligion. Therefore, O friend of irreligion, you do not deserve to remain in a place where experts perform sacrifices according to truth and religious principles for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: The personality of Kali, thus being ordered by Mahārāja Parīkṣit, began to tremble in fear. Seeing the King before him like Yamarāja, ready to kill him, Kali spoke to the King as follows. O Your Majesty, though I may live anywhere and everywhere under your order, I shall but see you with bow and arrows wherever I look.

Therefore, O chief amongst the protectors of religion, please fix some place for me where I can live permanently under the protection of your government.

Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed. The personality of Kali asked for something more, and because of his begging, the King gave him permission to live where there is gold because wherever there is gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy and enmity.

Thus the personality of Kali, by the directions of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the son of Uttarā, was allowed to live in those five places. Therefore, whoever desires progressive well-being, especially kings, religionists, public leaders, brāhmaṇas and sannyāsīs, should never come in contact with the four above-mentioned irreligious principles.

Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to kill the personified Kali, who was attempting to kill a cow, the emblem of peace and religion. The symptoms of Kali are (1) wine, (2) women, (3) gambling and (4) slaughterhouses. Wise rulers of all states should take lessons from Mahārāja Parīkṣit in how to maintain peace and morality by subduing the upstarts and quarrelsome people who indulge in wine, prostitution or illicit sex with women, gambling and meat-eating supplied by regularly maintained slaughterhouses. In this age of Kali, regular license is issued for maintaining all of these different departments of quarrel. So how can they expect peace and morality in the state?

As the Age of Kali progresses, all good qualities of men diminish and all impure qualities increase. Atheistic systems of so-called religion become predominant, replacing the codes of Vedic law. The kings become just like highway bandits, the people in general become dedicated to low occupations, and all the social classes become just like śūdras. All cows become like goats, all spiritual hermitages become like materialistic homes, and family ties extend no further than the immediate relationship of marriage.

In the Kali-yuga the population is just a royal edition of the animals. They have nothing to do with spiritual knowledge or godly religious life. They are so blind that they cannot see anything beyond the jurisdiction of the subtle mind, intelligence or ego, but they are very much proud of their advancement in knowledge, science and material prosperity. They can risk their lives to become a dog or hog just after leaving the present body, for they have completely lost sight of the ultimate aim of life.

The Pāpa-Puruṣa or Sin Personified

Kali is stated to be the embodiment or personification of sin or pāpa. The Papa-Purusha is sin personified. The personification of wickedness in a human form, of which all the members are great sinners. The head is brahmanicide, the arm cow-killing, the nose woman-murder, etc.

From the description of Ekādaśī we have the following account of the Papa-Purusha:

“At the beginning of the material creation, the Supreme Lord created the moving and nonmoving living entities within this world made of five gross material elements. Simultaneously, for the purpose of punishing the humans beings, He created a personality whose form was the embodiment of sin (Papa-Purusha).

The different limbs of this personality were constructed of the various sinful activities:

1.  His head was made of the sin of murdering a brāhmaṇa
2.  His two eyes were the form of drinking intoxicants,
3.  His mouth was made from the sin of stealing gold,
4.  His ears were form of the sin of having illicit connection with spiritual master’s wife,
5.  His nose was of the sin of killing one’s wife,
6.  His arms the form of the sin of killing a cow,
7.  His neck was made of the sin of stealing accumulated wealth,
8.  His chest of the sin of abortion,
9.  His lower chest of the sin of having sex with another’s wife,
10. His stomach of the sin of killings one’s relatives,
11. His navel of the sin of killing those who are dependent on him,
12. His waist of the sin of egotistical self-appraisal,
13. His thighs of the sin of offending the guru,
14. His genitals of the sin of selling one’s daughter,
15. His buttocks of the sin of telling confidential matters,
16. His feet of the sin of killing one’s father, and
17. His hair was the form of all sorts of less severe sinful activities.
18. His bodily color is black, and his eyes are yellow.

In this way, a horrible personality embodying all the sinful activities and vices was created. He inflicts extreme misery upon sinful persons.”

The Description of Kali and his Family Descendents

The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam gives a short description of how the family of Kali propagated etc.

Another son of Lord Brahmā was Irreligion, whose wife’s name was Falsity. From their combination were born two demons named Dambha, or Bluffing, and Māyā, or Cheating. These two demons were taken by a demon named Nirṛti, who had no children. (sb/4/8/2)

Maitreya told Vidura: O great soul, from Dambha and Māyā were born Greed and Nikṛti, or Cunning. From their combination came children named Krodha (Anger) and Hiṁsā (Envy), and from their combination were born Kali and his sister Durukti (Harsh Speech). (sb/4/8/3)

O greatest of all good men, by the combination of Kali and Harsh Speech were born children named Mṛtyu (Death) and Bhīti (Fear). From the combination of Mṛtyu and Bhīti came children named Yātanā (Excessive Pain) and Niraya (Hell). (sb/4/8/4)

PURPORT: It is understood herein that Adharma, Irreligion, was also a son of Brahmā, and he married his sister Mṛṣā. This is the beginning of sex life between brother and sister. This unnatural combination of sex life can be possible in human society only where there is Adharma, or Irreligion. It is understood that in the beginning of creation Brahmā created not only saintly sons like Sanaka, Sanātana and Nārada but also demonic offspring like Nirṛti, Adharma, Dambha and Falsity. Everything was created by Brahmā in the beginning. Regarding Nārada, it is understood that because his previous life was very pious and his association very good, he was born as Nārada. Others were also born in their own capacities, according to their backgrounds. The law of karma continues birth after birth, and when there is a new creation, the same karma comes back with the living entities. They are born in different capacities according to karma even though their father is originally Brahmā, who is the exalted qualitative incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The Kalki-purana (text 14-22) elaborately describes the family descendents of Kali:

In the first chapter Śaunaka Rishi asks to know about the demon Kali from Sūta Goswami:

Who is Kali? Where was he born? How did he become the master of the world? How does he destroy Dharma, the observance of eternal religious principles?

Now, the description of how Kali came into being is as follows:

After the annihilation, the secondary creator of the universe, Lord Brahmā, the grandfather of everyone, who was born on the universal lotus flower, created Sin personified, having a black complexion, from his back.

The name of Sin personified was Adharma By faithfully hearing about, chanting, and remembering the descendents of Adharma, one quickly becomes freed from all sinful reactions.

The wife of Adharma, (Irreligion), was named Mithyā, (Falsehood) She was very beautiful, and had eyes like those of a cat They had a son named Dambha, (Pride), who was always very angry and eneigetic.

Dambha had a sister named Māyā, and within her womb, he begot a son named Lobha, (Greed), and a daughter named Nikṛti, (Cunning) Lobha begot a son named Krodha, (Anger), in the womb of Nikṛti.

Hiṁsā, (Envy), was Krodha’s sister. From the womb of Hiṁsā, Krodha begot a son named Kali. Kali is always seen to be holding his genitals in his left Hand. His complexion is very black, like black ointment that has been mixed with oil.

Kali’s abdomen is like that of a crow, his face is frightening to behold, and his tongue is red and appears to be full of greed. His appearance is very fearful and a bad smell emanates from his body. Kali is very fond of playing chess, drinking wine, enjoying the company of prostitutes, and associating with gold merchants.

Kali’s family lineage always propagates through incestuous relations as is stated below. Descriptions of how Kali and his descendents will behave towards achieving the goal of destroying Dharma is also found in the passage given below:

Kali’s sister was Durukti, (Harsh Speech). From Durukti’s womb, Kali begot a son named Bhaya, (Fear), and a daughter named, Mṛtyu (Death). Bhaya begot a son named Niraya (Hell) from the womb of Mṛtyu and Niraya begot ten thousand sons in the womb of his sister, Yatana (Excessive Pain). Thus I have described the destructive progeny of Kali, who were all blasphemers of genuine religious principles.

All these relatives of Kali were the destroyers of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, and charity, because they transgressed all the Vedic principles of religion. They were reservoirs of mental distress, disease, old age, destruction of religious principles, sorrow, lamentation and fear.

These descendents of Kali are found wandering everywhere throughout the kingdom of Kali, destroying the people of the world. They are misguided by the influence of time, very restless by nature, full of lusty desires, extremely sinful, very proud, and violent even to their own father and mother Those who are known as twice-born among them are devoid of all good behavior, without any observance of proper etiquette, and always engaged in the service of śūdras.

According to Kalki Purāṇa, the demon Kali will rule the earth and bring sin and misery to the people. When the first stage of the Kali-yuga begins, the varṇāśrama system will deteriorate. The second, third, and fourth stages of Kali-yuga follow, bringing the progressive deterioration of society.

During the second and third stages, men will forget the name of God and will no longer offer yagna to the Devas. During the fourth stagen, cannibalism will be virtually universal among the humans. To solve this problem the pious Devas will gather before Brahmā for a solution. Near the end of this yuga, the Devas will then journey to Vaikunta to seek help from Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu will descend to Earth as Lord Kalki to end the Kali-yuga.

One of the main reasons Lord Viṣṇu would come to earth as Kalki is to destroy and defeat evil forces on earth. He would begin this with the battle, and eventual massacre, of the Śūnyavādīs, who have misled the people, at the city of Keekatpur. A war would later begin with the dark forces of Kali, including the demon generals Koka and Vikoka fighting against Kalki and the Devas. Koka and Vikoka would then be killed by Kalki. Thus, Kali will be defeated at the hands of Dharma, the personification of the Satya Yuga which is evil’s polar opposite. Finally, Kalki will be challenged by, and intentionally accept defeat from, Rājā Shashidhwaja, [4] and marry the Rājā’s daughter, his second wife Rāma, before the start of the Satya Yuga.

At the end of Kali Yuga and the start of Satya-yuga, the Golden Age, Lord Kalki will divide the planet into earthly kingdoms among his generals, then perform the Aśvamedha and Rājasūya sacrifices for the Devas. His parents, Sumati and Viṣṇu-Yaśā will then travel to the holy place of Badrikashram, where they will live until their death. After fathering His sons, Meghamāl and Balāhaka, Lord Kalki will reign on earth for 1,000 years as the king of Shambhala. Concluding His mission of restoring peace, Kalki will appear in His four-armed form, then return to Vaikuṇṭha.

Kalki Avatara

Prabhupāda: The tenth avatāra is Kalki. He will appear in the district of Śambhalapur. His father’s name will be Viṣṇu-yaśā, and He will be dressed like a prince and cut all the heads of the demons.

Thereafter, at the conjunction of two yugas, the Lord of the creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son of Viṣṇu Yaśā. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers.

PURPORT: Here is another foretelling of the advent of Lord Kalki, the incarnation of Godhead. He is to appear at the conjunction of the two yugas, namely at the end of Kali-yuga and the beginning of Satya-yuga. The cycle of the four yugas, namely Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali, rotates like the calendar months. The present Kali-yuga lasts 432,000 years, out of which we have passed only 5,000 years after the Battle of Kurukṣetra and the end of the regime of King Parīkṣit. So there are 427,000 years balance yet to be finished. Therefore at the end of this period, the incarnation of Kalki will take place, as foretold in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The name of His father, Viṣṇu Yaśā, a learned brāhmaṇa, and the village Śambhala are also mentioned. As above mentioned, all these foretellings will prove to be factual in chronological order. That is the authority of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (sb/1/3/25)

Thereafter, at the end of Kali-yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen of the three higher castes, and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the lowborn śūdra class or those less than them, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.

PURPORT: The symptoms of the worst conditions of the material world, at the last stage of this age, called Kali-yuga, are stated herein. The sum and substance of such conditions is godlessness. Even the so-called saints and higher castes of the social orders, generally known as the dvija janas or the twice-born, will become atheists. As such, all of them will practically forget even the holy name of the Lord, and what to speak of His activities. The higher castes of society, namely the intelligent class of men guiding the destinies of the social orders, the administrative class of men guiding the law and order of the society, and the productive class of men guiding the economic development of the society, must all be properly well versed in knowledge of the Supreme Lord, knowing factually His name, quality, pastimes, entourage, paraphernalia and personalities. The saints and the higher castes or orders of the society are judged by their proportion of knowledge in the science of God, or tattva jñāna, and not by any kind of birthright or bodily designations. Such designations, without any knowledge of the science of God and practical knowledge of devotional service, are considered to be all decorations of dead bodies.

And when there is too much inflation of these decorated dead bodies in society, there develop so many anomalies in the progressive, peaceful life of the human being. Because of the lack of training or culture in the upper section of the social orders, they are no more to be designated as the dvija janas, or the twice-born. The significance of being twice-born has been explained in many places in these great literatures, and again one is reminded herewith that birth, executed by the sex life of the father and the mother, is called animal birth. But such animal birth and progress of life on the animal principles of eating, sleeping, fearing and mating (without any scientific culture of spiritual life) is called the śūdra life, or, to be more explicit, the uncultured life of the lower class of men. It is stated herein that the governmental power of society in the Kali-yuga will be passed over to the uncultured, godless laborer classes of men, and thus the nṛdevas (or the ministers of the government) will be the vṛṣalas, or the uncultured lower-class men of society. No one can expect any peace and prosperity in a human society full of uncultured lower classes of men. The symptoms of such uncultured social animals are already in vogue, and it is the duty of the leaders of men to take note of it and try to reform the social order by introducing the principles of twice-born men trained in the science of God consciousness. This can be done by expanding the culture of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam all over the world. In the degraded condition of human society, the Lord incarnates as the Kalki avatāra and kills all the demonic without mercy. (sb/2/7/38)

Prabhupāda: So there are some remarkable points in this verse. Dasyu-prāyeṣurājasu. Rājasu means government. Rāja, king, or government. So monarchy is now abolished practically all over the world. Now it is democratic government. So this so-called democratic government or Communist government, as they are going on, they will become rogues and thieves, dasyu-prāyeṣu. All the rogues, thieves, plunderers, they will capture. Because it is by vote. So dasyu… Just like plunderers, rogues, they on the point of revolver, they take away your money, so they will take vote on the point of revolver. Actually, it is happening. In Korea it so happened, that sometimes the Communists are coming in power, and sometimes the capitalists coming in power, America and Russia. So poor people, as soon as there is Communist government, they are under the influence: “If you don’t do this, then you’ll be shot.” By force. The people do not know what is government generally. They want to live peacefully. They want a secure place. So that is not their business, modern government. Their only business is how to collect tax and divide it amongst the government servants. That’s all.

So this is the beginning of Kali-yuga. Only we have passed five thousand years, but the duration of Kali-yuga is 432,000’s of years. So only we have passed five thousand years. In this way… This is called sandhyā, junction. I have already explained that junction means day and night. Day passing, night is coming, that is called junction. Morning passing, noon coming, that is another junction, meridian. So early in the morning and during sunset and in the middle, joining of noon, morning and noon, these are called tri-sandhyā. Tri means three. Three kinds of junction. So everyone has got this tri-sandhyāof his life. Just like in our life. When we were babies, children, that is the beginning. Say, up to fifteen years, sixteen years, that is one portion, sandhyā, junction. Then another junction, youthhood; then another junction, old age. This is the nature’s way. There must be three periods of anything material.

So this Kali-yuga has already begun. So in the beginning sandhyā, junction, Lord Buddha’s description is given already. Lord Buddha will cheat the atheist class of men. God is very kind. So sammohāya sura-dviṣām [SB 1.3.24]. Those who are atheists, just to bewilder them: “Yes, there is nothing after death, it is all zero, but you worship me,” Lord Buddha said. “Yes, sir, we shall worship you.” So the only business, God’s business is, “This rascal may some way or other worship Me.” Because they are rascals. So here Lord Buddha by policy induced them to worship Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is incarnation of God. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra. His philosophy is “No, there is no God, but you worship me.” But the policy is to worship God. But they do not know. They are thinking that “We are worshiping somebody, some great soul,” but he does not know that he is God, incarnation of God.

So similarly, when people will be so much degraded that they will not be able to understand anything about God… That time is coming gradually. Already the time is there. People are not at all interested in God’s business. In your Western world all the churches are vacant. Nobody is interested now in church. Especially in Europe, we have seen… In your country also. So people are being degraded, godlessness. Because godless means animal. What is the difference between animal and man? The animal cannot be instructed anything about God. It is not possible for them to understand. But a man, however degraded he may be, if he is trained up, he can understand about God. Just like five years ago, you did not know about Kṛṣṇa. But because you are being trained up, because you are human being, therefore you are taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Which was unknown to you five years ago, now you are taking it to very seriously. Why? Because you are being trained up.

Similarly, God consciousness is there, dormant in every living entity. But the perception varies according to the development of body. Just like child. You say something serious, say, about sex life, they do not understand. But the same child will understand sex life when the consciousness is developed. Similarly, in this material world, our consciousness is covered, God consciousness. So there are different species of life. Just like the aquatics in the ocean. There are so many living entities. But if you preach there Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not possible Their number is far greater than human being. Still, they have no capacity. Next development, plants and trees, there also, no sensation. You cut the trees, no protest, because there is no sensation. There is practically consciousness… There is consciousness, very slight. Sir Jagadish Candra Bose has proved that when you cut tree, he feels, and that is recorded in what is called, that machine? So everyone has got consciousness. Living entity means there is consciousness. But they have their consciousness only for eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. There is consciousness amongst the fish. Their consciousness is so strong, two miles away if some big fish is coming, they can understand. Immediately they can take precaution defending. These are all described.

So different animals in different species of life, they have got one type of consciousness very strong. Just like you can see the vultures. It is a low-graded animal. But it goes four miles above the earth and it can see where is a dead body. You cannot do that. You cannot see even twenty yards after. But the animal, another animal, the vulture, he can see… From four miles away he can find out where there is a dead body. So this consciousness of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is common. In one animal or, it is very strong. In another man, animal, it is not so strong. But this consciousness is there. But this God consciousness is not there except in human being.

So the human society is becoming so degraded that they are trying to forget God. That is their advancement of civilization. The more you deny existence of God and become a so-called rascal scientist, then you are advanced. This is the position. So this position will degrade so much after, say, 400,000’s of years, gradually degrading, that at time, Kṛṣṇawill come in His incarnation as Kalki. At that time the Kalki’s business will be simply to kill. That’s all. No more. No more preaching of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply kill them. That is Kalki avatāra. That Kalki avatāra is given the father’s name. This is called śāstra. This is called scripture. Four hundred thousand’s after, 400,000’s of years after, Kalki will come. Now, His father’s name is given there. Just like Lord Buddha’s mother’s name is there. So you cannot imitate that “I am Kalki avatāra.” You have to give evidence, what is your father’s name. Just see. This is called śāstra. Any rascal comes, “Oh, I am Kṛṣṇa. I am this avatāra and that avatāra,” but where is the evidence from the śāstra? We cannot accept. Just like any gentleman comes, we want to see the credential. Just like in politics, when some ambassador comes to a new country, then he has to officially present his credential so that he will be accepted that “This gentleman is representative of such and such country.” That is nice. Unless you give credentials, identity, how I can accept you? So… But people have become rascal. Anyone comes, he says that “I am incarnation of God,” because the people are rascals, they accept another rascal. But if you follow the śāstras and scriptures, then there you will find all the avatāras, their credentials are there—What is the father’s name, what is the name of the place he takes birth or appears, what is his business. So… What is the time. Everything is given there. So why should you be misled?

So we accept incarnation of God when all the descriptions are corroborated in terms of the authorized śāstra. Otherwise we reject. That is our business. So in this verse… Why we accept Vedic scripture as solid truth? Because there is no mistake. Otherwise, how it is predicting that yuga-sandhyāyām, “In the last conjunction of the yugas, there will appear the Lord”? Kalkir nāmnā, nāmnā kalkiḥ. “His name will be Kalki. But He is not ordinary person.” Nāmnā kalkir jagat-patiḥ. “He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not ordinary man. And His father’s name is…” Janitā viṣṇu-yaśasaḥ.“His father’s name will be Viṣṇu Yaśā.” The Yaśā title are there in India still. One Mr. Yaśi (Joshi) corresponds with us. So the Josha, or Joshi, this title is already there. So they are brāhmaṇas. Here, all the descriptions are not there, but in other place, all the descriptions are there. Not only his father’s name, name, His village or the place, Sambhal. There is still a place Sambhalpur in India. So everything is there. We should not be misled that “Here is another avatāra, here is another avatāra, here is… So many avatāras.” No. So this is called śāstra: what will happen after 400,000’s of years, that is mentioned. Future. Just like Lord Buddha’s name was there. Bhaviṣyati yuga-sandhyāyām. Bhaviṣyati. Bhaviṣyati means “He will come.” He was not visible. This is śāstra. Śāstra means tri-kāla-jña. The writer of śāstra should be a full cognizant of past, present, and future. That is called unmistakable. Past, present, and future. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that “I know past, present, and future.”

So that is God or God’s scripture. Past, present, and future. This Bhāgavata was written by God Himself, Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. That we have described, eleventh or some avatāra. So the Kalki will appear. The śāstra is giving indication that after such and such year. And another point is this dasyu-prāyeṣu rājasu.The…, more and more the government will be just like thieves and rogues. We are already experiencing. Now a new law has been passed in India that nobody can keep property more than five to seven lakhs of rupees. So people’s incentive to earn money is now being cut down. Formerly it was freedom that you can earn your money as much as you like. Now if you think that “I will earn money, hundreds and thousands of money,” but what is the use? The government will take away. That means you will be lazy. The economic development will be checked. Because one who works so hard for economic development because he is under the inspiration that “The more I earn, I will be able to enjoy more.” But when this impression is given that “More we earn, it will be taken by government, and I will not be able to enjoy it,” naturally he will not work.

So there are so many difficulties. But these difficulties will increase. It will not decrease. They are making so many plans to minimize the difficulties. But actually, because they are fools and rogues, they cannot make anything improvement. They have become involved in more difficulties. That Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung, sat-saṅgachāḍi’ kainu asate vilāsa te-kāraṇe lāgila ye karma-bandha-phāṅsa. We do not consult the śāstra or the unmistakable way of improvement. We manufacture our own concoction. And therefore we are becoming more and more entangled. We do not take right direction. That is our folly in this age. We do not accept authority. We want to become authority ourself: “I am authority.” Everyone wants to become authority. And that is being supported by so-called swamis, “Yes, you can manufacture your own religion.”

But that is not the process. You cannot manufacture your own religion. Religion is given by God. Religion means the law of God. That’s all. So how you can manufacture your law? That is not possible. Even if you do manufacture, what is the benefit? It will not be accepted. It will not work. Suppose if you manufacture some law at home, will it be accepted by the public? No. Nobody will accept. So similarly, this Kali-yuga is so dangerous that gradually we are becoming involved in more difficulties. That is the way of Kali-yuga. The symptom of Kali-yuga is disagreement, fight, quarrel. Kali means this quarreling, fighting, unnecessarily fighting. Just like recently in India we have seen. Formerly there was Hindu-Muslim riot, sporadic riot in some village. Say, some fifty men this side, some fifty men that side, they fought, say, for two hours, and it is finished. Again they are friendly. Now, since India has become independent, the Muslims have become Pakistan and the other part… They are not all Hindus. Suppose Hindus, they have become Hindustan. They organizedly fight. Now recently, last year, they fought and spent millions of dollars unnecessarily. This is going on. This is called Kali-yuga. Unnecessarily they will disagree, unnecessarily they will fight and spoil energy, spoil money. This is called Kali-yuga. The brain is so crazy that they do not consider that “Why you are fighting? Why you are spending money?”

Just like in your country and Russia, they are spending millions of dollars for one crazy thing, going to the moon planet. Just see. Simply wasting time and money. That’s a fact. Three or four years ago, some press representative asked me, “What is your opinion,” in, I think, San Francisco, “about this moon expedition?” So I asked the reporter, “Shall I flatter you or shall I tell the truth?” So he said, “Tell the truth.” “Simply wasting time and money, that’s all.” This is the truth. Now I think they have realized, and your senate is denying any money for moon expedition. Is it not? Somebody was telling me.

So anyway, actually, human life is meant for some other purpose—God realization. Because this is not possible in other lower animals. And we get this chance by evolutionary process. We come to this human form of life, civilized form of life. Now we should know what is God, who is the supreme controller, who is the supreme source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the life for inquiring about Brahman, the Supreme, the great. But we are neglectful. This is called Kali-yuga. And we are so much degraded… Gradually, we are becoming degraded. So 427,000’s of years, if we again come and go, come and go… Because after… Dehāntara-prāptiḥ, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. If you continue transmigration from one body to another, then you will have to meet that age. But before meeting that age, try to understand Kṛṣṇa. This is our movement. Then, in this life in this very life, after giving up this body, you haven’t got to come here again. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. No more coming to this rascal world. Go back to home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much. (Class 30/1972)