In the last canto of the Bhagavata Purana there is a list
of predictions and prophecies about the dark times for the present age of Kali
Yuga. The following 15 predictions, written 5,000 years ago by sage Vedavyasa,
are amazing because they appear so accurate. Despite the negative tone of these
prophecies, there is still one bright spot for all of us, which is mentioned at
the end.
Prediction 1
Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance, mercy,
duration of life, physical strength and memory will all diminish day by day
because of the powerful influence of the age of Kali. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam
12.2.1 – “sri-suka uvaca…tatas canu-dinam dharmah…satyam saucam ksama
daya…kalena balina rajan…nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih”
Prediction 2
In Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of
a man's good birth, proper behaviour and fine qualities. And law and justice
will be applied only on the basis of one's power. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam
12.2.2 – “vittam eva kalau
nṝṇāḿ…janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ…dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāḿ…kāraṇaḿ balam eva
hi”
Prediction 3
Men and women will live together merely because of
superficial attraction, and success in business will depend on deceit.
Womanliness and manliness will be judged according to one's expertise in sex,
and a man will be known as a brahmana just by his wearing a thread. Source:
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.3 – “dāmpatye 'bhirucir hetur…māyaiva
vyāvahārike…strītve puḿstve ca hi ratir…vipratve sūtram eva hi”
Prediction 4
A person's spiritual position will be ascertained merely
according to external symbols, and on that same basis people will change from
one spiritual order to the next. A person's propriety will be seriously
questioned if he does not earn a good living. And one who is very clever at
juggling words will be considered a learned scholar. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam
12.2.4 – “lińgaḿ evāśrama-khyātāv…anyonyāpatti-kāraṇam…avṛttyā
nyāya-daurbalyaḿ…pāṇḍitye cāpalaḿ vacaḥ”
Prediction 5
A person will be judged unholy if he does not have money,
and hypocrisy will be accepted as virtue. Marriage will be arranged simply by
verbal agreement, and a person will think he is fit to appear in public if he
has merely taken a bath. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.5 –
anāḍhyataivāsādhutve…sādhutve dambha eva tu…svīkāra eva codvāhe…snānam eva
prasādhanam”
Prediction 6
A sacred place will be taken to consist of no more than a
reservoir of water located at a distance, and beauty will be thought to depend
on one's hairstyle. Filling the belly will become the goal of life, and one who
is audacious will be accepted as truthful. He who can maintain a family will be
regarded as an expert man, and the principles of religion will be observed only
for the sake of reputation. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.6 – “dūre
vāry-ayanaḿ tīrthaḿ…lāvaṇyaḿ keśa-dhāraṇam…udaraḿ-bharatā svārthaḥ satyatve
dhārṣṭyam eva hi…dākṣyaḿ kuṭumba-bharaṇaḿ…yaśo 'rthe dharma-sevanam”
Prediction 7
As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt
population, whoever among any of ther social classes shows himself to be the
strongest will gain political power. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.7 – “evaḿ
prajābhir duṣṭābhir…ākīrṇe
kṣiti-maṇḍale…brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāḿ…yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ”
Prediction 8
Harassed by famine and excessive taxes, people will
resort to eating leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds.
Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined. Source: Srimad
Bhagavatam 12.2.9 –
“śāka-mūlāmiṣa-kṣaudra…phala-puṣpāṣṭi-bhojanāḥ…anāvṛṣṭyā
vinańkṣyanti…durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ”
Prediction 9
The citizens will suffer greatly from cold, wind, heat,
rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst,
disease and severe anxiety. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.10 –
“śīta-vātātapa-prāvṛḍ…himair anyonyataḥ prajāḥ…kṣut-tṛḍbhyāḿ vyādhibhiś
caiva….santapsyante ca cintayā”
Prediction 10
The maximum duration of life for human beings in Kali
Yuga will become 50 years. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.11 - triḿśad
viḿśati varṣāṇi….paramāyuḥ kalau nṛṇām”
Prediction 11
Because of the bad qualities of the age of Kali, human
beings will become shortsighted, unfortunate, gluttonous, lustful and
poverty-stricken. The women, becoming unchaste, will freely wander from one man
to the next. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam - “tasmāt kṣudra-dṛśo martyāḥ….kṣudra-bhāgyā
mahāśanāḥ…..kāmino vitta-hīnāś ca….svairiṇyaś ca striyo ‘satīḥ”
Prediction 12
In Kali-yuga men will develop hatred for each other even
over a few coins. Giving up all friendly relations, they will be ready to lose
their own lives and kill even their own relatives. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam
12.3.41 – “kalau kakinike 'py arthe….vigrihya tyakta-sauhridah….tyakshyanti ca
priyan pranan….hanishyanti svakan api”.
Prediction 13
Uncultured men will accept charity on behalf of the Lord
and will earn their livelihood by making a show of austerity and wearing a
mendicant's dress. Those who know nothing about religion will mount a high seat
and presume to speak on religious principles. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.38
– “sudrah pratigrahishyanti….tapo-veshopajivinah….dharmam vakshyanty
adharma-jna….adhiruhyottamasanam”
Prediction 14
Servants will abandon a master who has lost his wealth,
even if that master is a saintly person of exemplary character. Masters will
abandon an incapacitated servant, even if that servant has been in the family
for generations. Cows will be abandoned or killed when they stop giving milk.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.36 – “patim tyakshyanti nirdravyam….bhritya apy
akhilottamam…..bhrityam vipannam patayah…..kaulam gas capayasvinih”
Prediction 15
Cities will be dominated by thieves, the Vedas will be
contaminated by speculative interpretations of atheists, political leaders will
virtually consume the citizens, and the so-called priests and intellectuals
will be devotees of their bellies and genitals. Source: Srimad Bhagavatam
12.3.32 – “dasyutkrishta janapada….vedah pashanda-dushitah….rajanas ca
praja-bhakshah….sisnodara-para dvijah”.
Prediction 16
Men will no longer protect their elderly parents. Source:
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.42 – “na rakshishyanti manujah….sthavirau pitarav api”
The only Hope
Despite all of these dark prophecies, there is one good
quality in this age of Kali yuga: “kaler dosha-nidhe rajann….asti hy eko maha
gunah….kirtanad eva krishnasya…..mukta-sangah param vrajet.” Although Kali-yuga
is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: simply
by chanting the names of Krishna, one can become free from material bondage and
be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
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