Description of the Kings of Kali-Yuga in Bhagwad Puran
The exact translation of some verses from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that describe the kings of Kali-Yuga is presented here. It should make an interesting reading for all.
The Twelfth Canto
of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins
with Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī predicting the kings of the earth who will appear
in the future during the Age of Kali. Then he gives a description of the
numerous faults of the age
The First Chapter
of this canto briefly describes the future kings of the dynasty of Magadha and
how they become degraded because of the influence of the Age of
Kali. The power in the countries of Magadha and so forth will fall
to kings who are no better than śūdras and mlecchas and
are totally absorbed in irreligion.
The Verses
SB 12.1.7-8 — King Mahānandi will father
a very powerful son in the womb of a śūdra woman. He will be known as Nanda and
will be the master of millions of soldiers and fabulous wealth. He will wreak
havoc among the kṣatriyas, and from that time onward virtually all kings will
be irreligious śūdras.
SB 12.1.9 — That lord of Mahāpadma, King
Nanda, will rule over the entire earth just like a second Paraśurāma, and no
one will challenge his authority.
SB 12.1.10 — He will have eight sons,
headed by Sumālya, who will control the earth as powerful kings for one hundred
years.
SB 12.1.11 — A certain brāhmaṇa
[Cāṇakya] will betray the trust of King Nanda and his eight sons and will
destroy their dynasty. In their absence the Mauryas will rule the world as the
Age of Kali continues.
SB 12.1.12 — This brāhmaṇa will enthrone
Candragupta, whose son will be named Vārisāra. The son of Vārisāra will be
Aśokavardhana…….
SB 12.1.14 — O best of the Kurus, these
ten Maurya kings will rule the earth for 137 years of the Kali-yuga. ………….
SB 12.1.34 — There will then appear a
king of the Māgadhas named Viśvasphūrji, who will be like another Purañjaya. He
will turn all the civilized classes into low-class, uncivilized men in the same
category as the Pulindas, Yadus and Madrakas.
SB 12.1.35 — Foolish King Viśvasphūrji
will maintain all the citizens in ungodliness and will use his power to
completely disrupt the kṣatriya order. From his capital of Padmavatī he will
rule that part of the earth extending from the source of the Gaṅgā to Prayāga.
SB 12.1.36 — At that time the brāhmaṇas
of such provinces as Śaurāṣṭra, Avantī, Ābhīra, Śūra, Arbuda and Mālava will
forget all their regulative principles, and the members of the royal order in
these places will become no better than śūdras.
SB 12.1.37 — The land along the Sindhu
River, as well as the districts of Candrabhāgā, Kauntī and Kāśmīra, will be
ruled by śūdras, fallen brāhmaṇas and meat-eaters. Having given up the path of
Vedic civilization, they will have lost all spiritual strength.
SB 12.1.38 — There will be many such
uncivilized kings ruling at the same time, O King Parīkṣit, and they will all
be uncharitable, possessed of fierce tempers, and great devotees of irreligion
and falsity.
SB 12.1.39-40 — These barbarians in the
guise of kings will devour the citizenry, murdering innocent women, children,
cows and brāhmaṇas and coveting the wives and property of other men. They will
be erratic in their moods, have little strength of character and be very short-lived.
Indeed, not purified by any Vedic rituals and lacking in the practice of
regulative principles, they will be completely covered by the modes of passion
and ignorance.
SB 12.1.41 — The citizens governed by
these low-class kings will imitate the character, behavior and speech of their
rulers. Harassed by their leaders and by each other, they will all suffer
ruination.
* To see predictions on qualities of Kali-Yuga visit Bhagwat Puran Predicts Qualities of Kaliyuga .
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