Harivamsha MahA PurANam - bhaviShya Parva
    atha chaturtho.adhyAyaH
    kaliyugavarNanam
    harivamsha in the mahAbharata - bhaviShyaparva
    Chapter 3-4 - description of kaliyuga
janamejaya uvAcha
evaM vilulite loke manuShyAH kena pAlitAH |
nivatsyanti kimAchArAH kimAhAravihAriNaH ||3-4-1
janamejaya said:
In the world which is tossed like this, under whose protection, the people shall live? What will be their customs? What shall they eat and how shall they live?
ki~NkarmANaH kimIhantaH kiMpramANAH kimAyuShaH |
kAM cha kAShThAM samAsAdya prapatsyanti kR^itaM yugam ||3-4-2
What will they do? How will they behave? What will be their sizes? What will be their life span? Arriving at what limits, will they reach the kR^ita era?
vyAsa uvAcha
ata UrdhvaM chyute dharme guNahInAH prajAstataH |
shIlavyasanamAsAdya prApsyante hrAsamAyuShaH ||3-4-3
vyAsa said:
(O janamejaya!) As the decline of dharma increases, all the people will become devoid of good qualities. As they lose good habits, their lives will become short.
AyurhAnyA balaglAnirbalaglAnyA vivarNatA |
vaivarNyAdvyAdhisaMpIDA nirvedo vyAdhipIDanAt ||3-4-4
As the life span decreases, their strength will decrease. As the strength decreases, the splendor of their body will decrease. As the body splendor decreases they will suffer from diseases. Due to sufferings from diseases, the people will become indifferent to worldly objects.
nirvedAdAtmasaMbodhaH saMbodhAddharmashIlatA |
evaM gatvA parAM kAShThAM prapatsyanti kR^itaM yugam ||3-4-5
With indifference to worldly objects, they will become conscious of the soul. As they become conscious of the soul, they will have dharmic habits. In this way they will progress to the highest stage and reach the kR^ita era.
uddeshato dharmashIlAH kechinmadhyasthatAM gatAH |
vimarShashIlAH kechittu hetuvAdakutUhalAH ||3-4-6
Some may observe dharma to some extent. Others may adopt the middle path. Some others, with thinking habits, may argue logically (for dharma) due to curiosity, but may not observe the same.
pratyakShamanumAnaM cha pramANaM cheti nishchitAH |
pramANaikaM kariShyanti neti paNDitamAninaH ||3-4-7
Some with determination may accept only what is seen and inferred. Some others who consider themselves wise will accept only what is seen.
apramANaM kariShyanti vedoktamapare janAH |
tadA mukhabhagAshchaiva bhaviShyanti striyo.aparAH ||3-4-8
Others will not accept what is said in veda-s. In this era many women will do with their mouth what is done by their sexual organs.
nAstikyaparamAshchApi kechiddharmavilopakAH |
bhaviShyanti narA mUDhA mandAH paNDitamAninaH ||3-4-9
Some may also become extreme atheists. Some may destroy dharma. Men will become bewildered and the dull-witted will consider themselves as wise.
tadAtvamAtre shraddheyAH shAstraj~nAnabahiShkR^itAH |
dAmbhikAste bhaviShyanti vAdashIlakutUhalAH ||3-4-10
The people will pay attention only for the present, without having any knowledge of the scriptures. They will become hypocrites who are interested only in arguments.
tadA vichalite dharme janAH sheShapuraskR^itAH |
shubhAnyevAchariShyanti dAnasatyasamanvitAH ||3-4-11
As they deviate from dharma, the people will follow the remaining dharmas (such as devotion to viShNu - see nIlakaNtha commentary) and other auspicious ones along with the acts of giving and truth.
sarvabhakSho hyasa~Ngupto nirguNo nirapatrapaH |
bhaviShyani tadA lokastatkaShAyasya lakShaNam ||3-4-12
The people will eat everything. They will be influenced by senses (see nIlakaNTha commentary). They will not have any qualities, they will be shameless. This will be the sign of the decline of the era.
viprANAM shAshvatIM vR^ittiM yadA varNAvarA janAH |
pratipatsyanti vR^ittyarthaM tatkaShAyasya lakShaNam ||3-4-13
When people of other castes take up the work of brahmins for their livelihood, then that will be the sign of the decline of the era.
kaShAyopaplave loke j~nAnavidhyApraNAshane |
siddhiM svalpena kAlena yAsyanti nirupaskR^itAH ||3-4-14
As the knowledge of the scriptures and the self decline as the era declines, then people without any attachment will become accomplished within a short period of time.
mahAyuddhaM mahAnAdaM mahAvarShaM mahAbhayam |
bhaviShyati yuge kShINe tatkaShAyasya lakShaNam ||3-4-15
Fierce battle, loud sounds, torrential rains and terrible fears will occur as the era declines. These will be the signs of the decline of the era.
viprarUpANi rakShAMsi rAjAnaH karNavedinaH |
pR^ithivImupabhokShyanti yugAnte samupasthite ||3-4-16
As the era declines, the demons will appear in the form of brahmins. The kings will consider rumors as truth and will exploit the earth.
niHsvAdhyAyavaShaTkArA aneyAshchAbhimAninaH |
viprAH kravyAdarUpeNa sarvabhakShA vR^ithAvratAH ||3-4-17
(As the era declines), the brahmins will not recite sacred texts and the sacred word aum and will not conduct yaj~na. Losing order and becoming proud the brahmins will eat everything and observe penances in vain.
mUrkhAH svArthaparA lubdhAH kShudrAH kShudraparichChadAH |
vyavahAropavR^ittAshcha chyutA dharmAchcha shAshvatAt ||3-4-18
As the era declines, they will become foolish, selfish, miserly and mean. They will have mean habits. Deviating from the eternal dharma, they will be interested only in activities such as eating and dressing up.
hartAraH pararatnAnAM paradArApahArakAH |
kAmAtmAno durAtmanaH sopadhAH priyasAhasAH ||3-4-19
As the era declines, the people will take away other's jewels and other's wives. They will become wicked souls, with their minds obsessed with desire. They will be false, preferring bad activities.
teShu prabhavamANeShu tulyashIleShu sarvataH |
abhAvino bhaviShyanti munayo bahurUpiNaH ||3-4-20
As people having similar (wicked) nature flourish all over, then hermits of various forms, advocating the absence of soul, will appear.
utpannA ye kR^itayuge pradhAnapuruShAshrayAH |
kathAyogena tAnsarvAnpUjayiShyanti mAnavAH ||3-4-21
All those born in the era of kR^ita, who depend on the supreme person (the lord) will be worshipped by people with recital of stories (discourses).
sasyachaurA bhaviShyanti tathA chailApahAriNaH |
bhakShyabhojyApahArAshcha karaNDAnAM cha hAriNaH ||3-4-22
As the era declines, the people will steal vegetables and clothes of others. They will also steal the eatables and drinkables and also what is locked in boxes.
chaurAshchaurasya hartAro hantA harturbhaviShyati |
chauraishchaurakShaye chApi kR^ite kShemaM bhaviShyati ||3-4-23
Thieves will steal from thieves. The killers will be killed. As the thieves destroy the thieves, all will be well.
niHsAre kShubhite loke niShkriye vyantare sthite |
narAH shrayiShyanti vanam karabhAraprapIDitAH ||3-4-24
As the world becomes full of poor people who do not observe rituals without any class differences, troubled by the burden of taxes, people will go to the forests.
pitR^InAj~nApayiShyanti putrAH karmaNi sarvashaH |
snuShA shvashrUstathA chaiva yugAnte pratyupasthite ||3-4-25
(See Note 1)
(As the era declines), all over, the sons will order the fathers to do the work. The daughters in law will ask the mother in law to do the work.
vAkCharairardayiShyanti gurU~nChiShyAH samantataH |
(See Note 2)
(As the era declines), all over the students will daunt the teachers with words as sharp as arrows.
yaj~nakarmaNyuparate rakShAMsi shvApadAni cha ||3-4-26
kITamUShakasarpAshcha dharShayiShyanti mAnavAn |
As the sacrifices are discontinued, demons, dogs, worms (insects), rats and snakes will attack the human beings.
kShemaM subhikShamArogyaM sAmagryaM vApi bandhuShu |
uddeshato narashreShTha bhaviShyanti yugakShaye || 3-4-27
O the best of kings! (janamejaya! vyAsa continued) As the era declines, welfare, abundant food supplies, health and the welfare of relatives - all will decline.
svayaMpAlAH svaya~nchaurA yugasaMbhArasaMbhR^itAH |
maNDalaiH prachaliShyanti deshe deshe pR^ithakpR^ithak ||3-4-28
The people of the era, by protecting and stealing themselves, will accumulate items suitable to the era. In groups, they will roam around in region by region again and again.
svadeshebhyaH paribhraShTA niHsArAH saha bandhubhiH |
narAH sarve bhaviShyanti tadA kAlaparikShayAt ||3-4-29
As the era declines, all the people will be expelled from their native places, losing their wealth along with their relatives.
tadA skandhe samAdhAya kumArAnvidrutA bhayAt |
kaushikIM pratariShyanti narAH kShudbhayapIDitAH ||3-4-30
In those days, terrified by hunger, carrying their children on the shoulders, people will cross the river kaushikI (the borders of their lands).
a~NgAnva~NgAnkali~NgAMshcha kAshmIrAnatha mekalAn |
R^iShikAntagiridroNIH saMshrayiShyanti mAnavAH ||3-4-31
People will live in the lands of a~Nga, va~Nga, kali~Nga as also kAshmIra and mekala and R^iShIka and also in the valleys of mountains, depending on their livelihood.
kR^itsnaM vA himavatpArshvaM kUlaM cha lavaNAmbhasaH |
araNyeShu cha vatsyanti narA mlechChagaNaiH sahaH ||3-4-32
In those days, people will live on the sides of the mountain himvat, as also on the shores of the salt sea and the forests along with barbarians.
naiva shUnyA na chAshUnyA bhaviShyati vasuMdharA |
goptArashchApyagoptAraH prabhaviShyanti shastriNaH ||3-4-33
The earth will neither be empty nor will be full with men. The men who are supposed to protect men will not be able protect any one even if they are armed.
mR^igairmatsyairviha~Ngaishcha shvApadaiH sarpakITakaiH |
madhushAkaphalairmUlairvartayiShyanti mAnavAH ||3-4-34
In that era, the people will live eating deer, fish, birds, canines, snakes, insects, honey, fruits and roots.
chIraM parNaM cha bahulaM valkalAnyajinAni cha |
svaya~NkR^itAni vatsyanti yathA munijanAstathA ||3-4-35
In that era, people will wear barks, large tree leaves, bark made garments, animal skins and other dresses made by themselves like the sages.
bIjAnAmAkR^itiM nimneshvIhaMtaH kAShThasha~NkubhiH |
ajaiDakaM kharoShTraM cha pAlayiShyanti yatnataH ||3-4-36
People living in the caves of mountains, desiring the rural and wild grains will make effort to breed and maintain goats, sheep, donkeys and camels.
nadIMsrotAMsi rotsyanti toyArthe kUlamAshritAH |
pakvAnnavyavahAreNa vipaNantaH parasparam ||3-4-37
In that era, people who live on the river banks will stop the flow of river for water. They will engage in buying and selling cooked food among themselves.
tanUruhairyathA jAtaiH sumUlAntarasaMvR^itaiH |
bahvapatyAH prajAhInAH kulalakShaNavarjitAH ||3-4-38
In the same way as people fight among each other due to the children born from them, the people will conduct the business of giving and taking among themselves concealing the capital and interests. In those days, some will have many children and some others will be childless, not having the signs of the race.
evaM bhaviShyanti tadA manuShyAH kAlakAritAH |
hInAddhInaM tadA dharmaM prajAH samanuvartsyati ||3-4-39
Due to the influence of time, people will become like this. The people of that era will follow the lowest of the lowest dharmas.
Ayustatra cha martyAnAM paraM triMshadbhaviShyati |
durbalA viShayaglAnA rajasA samabhiplutAH ||3-4-40
In that era, the life span of human beings will be at the most thirty years. Devoid of strength, the people will be thin and weak due to passions and emotions.
bhaviShyati tadA teShAM rogairindriyasa~NkShayaH |
AyuHprakShayasaMrodhAdviShAdaH prabhaviShyati ||3-4-41
In that era, due to diseases, their senses will become weak. The people will become sad due to decline of their life span.
shushrUShavo bhaviShyanti sAdhUnAM darshane ratAH |
satyaM cha pratipatsyanti vyavahAropasa~NkShayAt ||3-4-42
The people (due to ill health) will have to be taken care of and attended. They will be interested in seeing good people. Due to the decline of their activities, they will adopt truth.
bhaviShyanti cha kAmAnAmalAbhAddharmashIlinaH |
kariShyanti cha sa~NkochaM svapakShakShayapIDitAH ||3-4-43
When their desires are not fulfilled they will adopt dharmic habits. Distressed by self decline, the people will restrict their wicked deeds.
evaM shushrUShavo dAne satye prANAbhirakShaNe |
chatuShpAdaH pravR^ittashcha dharmaH shreyo.abhipatsyate ||3-4-44
In this way, dharma, having the four feet of serving, act of giving, truth and saving of soul, will achieve progress.
teShAM labdhAnumAnAnAM guNeShu parivartatAM |
svAdu kiM nviti vij~nAya dharma evaM vadiShyati ||3-4-45
Those who achieved progress by guessing about the fruits (of dharma) and know which is tasty (preferable) will speak about the nature of dharma.
yathA hAniH kramAtprAptA tathA vR^iddhiH kramAdgatA |
pragR^ihIte yato dharme prapatsyanti kR^itaM yugam ||3-4-46
As the era declines in sequence and progress is achieved gradually by taking up dharma, the era of kR^ita will arrive.
sAdhu vR^ittaM kR^itayuge kaShAye hAniruchyate |
eka eva tu kAlaH sa hInavarNo yathA shashI ||3-4-47
All doing good deeds will be well off in the era of kR^ita. As the (dvApara) era declines, they will suffer destruction. The same time is manifested (in both eras) differently, like the moon loses is brightness at different times.
Channo hi tamasA somo yathA kaliyuge tathA |
pUrNashcha tamasA hIno yathA kR^itayuge tathA ||3-4-48
The era of kali will be like moon, covered by darkness (on the new moon day). The era of kR^ita will be like the full moon, not affected by darkness (on the full moon day).
arthavAdaH paraM brahma vedArtha iti taM viduH |
anirNiktamavij~nAtaM dAyAdyamiva dhAryate ||3-4-49
The true meaning of veda is manifested in the form of brahma. The wise recognize this as the true meaning of veda. Till the dirt is cleaned from it, a piece of gold is considered as having no value.
iShTavAdastapo nAma tapo hi sthAvaraM kR^itam |
guNaiH karmAbhinirvR^ittirguNAstathyena karmaNA ||3-4-50
Penance provides all results. Penance realizes invaluable fruits. Actions are achieved by qualities and truthful actions achieve good qualities.
AshIstu puruShaM dR^iShTvA deshakAlAnuvartinI |
yuge yuge yathAkAlamR^iShibhiH samudAhR^itA ||3-4-51
Considering the qualities of people, the sages provide appropriate blessings, since they follow the requirements of time and place.
iha dharmArthakAmAnAM devatAnAM pratikriyA |
AshiShashcha shubhAH pUNyAstathaivAyuryuge yuge ||3-4-52
In the human world, dharma, artha and the fruits of desires, the fruits of worship of deva-s, auspicious and holy blessings as well as the life span occur based on the attention of human beings.
    yathA yugAnAM parivartanAni
        chiraM pravR^ittAni vidhisvabhAvAt |
    kShaNaM na saMtiShThati jIvalokaH
        kShayodayAbhyAM parivartamAnaH ||3-4-53
As the eras change always based on their nature ascribed by the creator, in the same way, the living world, with its decline and progress, do not remain constant even for a moment.
iti shrImahAbhArate khileShu harivaMshe bhaviShyaparvaNi kaliyugavarNane chaturtho.adhyAyaH
Thus this is the fourth chapter of bhaviShyaparva, harivaMsha, khila of mahAbhArata, description of Kaliyuga
Note 1
pitR^InputrA niyokShyanti vadhvaH shvashrUshcha karmasu | ||3-3-39(1)
The sons will ask fathers to do work. The daughters in law will ask the mothers in law to do work.
Note 2
vAkCharaistarjayiShyanti gurU~nChiShyAstathaiva cha | ||3-3-40(1)
(As the era ends) the students will daunt the teachers with words as sharp as arrows.
    nIlakaNTha commentary
iti shrIharivaMshe TIkAyAM chaturtho.adhyAyaH ||
Itranslated by G. Schaufelberger, schaufel @ wanadoo.fr, August 19, 2008
Proof-read by K S Rmachandran, ramachandran_ksr @ yahoo.ca.
If you find any errors compared to Chitrashala Press edition, send corrections to A. Harindranath, harindranath_a @ yahoo.com
Translated to English by A. Purushothaman [purushothaman_avaroth @ yahoo.com] and A. Harindranath
October 30, 2011