Q: What is so special about the current Kali Yuga we are in?
Nothing good. It’s like the winter of the ages – dharma just finishes falling apart and going dormant, and as a result, all sorts of things fall apart.
BUT: We are in an unusual kali-yuga.
The duration of the material universe is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahmā, and one day of Brahmā consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas:
- Satya(1,728,000 years.)
- Tretā (1,296,000 years)
- Dvāpara (864,000 years)
- Kali (432,000 years).
These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day (12 hours) of Brahmā.
Therefore a day of Brahmā adds up to 1000 x [Satya + Tretā +Dvāpara + Kali] or 1000 x 4,320,000 = 4 Billion 320 million years. Similar are the duration of his night so a full day of Brahmā is (Day + Night) = 8 billion 640 million years.
Brahmā lives for a 100 of such years which adds up to 311 trillion 40 billion earth years.
In about every 1,000 yuga-cycles, Kṛṣṇa himself (instead of as a Viṣṇu Avatār) appears on earth at the end of Dvāpara Yuga. And in the beginning of the following Kali Yuga (THIS ONE), again comes Lord Caitanya to explain more clearly to people “what just happened” with the Kṛṣṇa avatār.
So THIS PARTICULAR kali-yuga is not a normal one. Instead of the normal swift decay, there is a period of time where a strong spiritual upliftment occurs in parallel with the somewhat normal progress of kali-yuga machinery, industrialization, etc (which leads to the breakdown of family, culture, society, and peace).
Strictly speaking, we have not even entered kali-yuga yet, but are still in the dawning period of it. During the dawning period of this particular yuga, there is a great opportunity for spiritualists to get a grasp of and taste for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
information about the Golden Age, which is mentioned in Brahma-Vaivarta Purāna.
This golden age starts after 5000 years of pratham-sandhya of kali yuga begins and lasts approx 10,000 human-years.
It is called golden age, because in these 10,000 years, humanity sees a sudden upward rise in the sankirtan-movement, the movement of congregationally chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa.
Here, Lord Kṛṣṇa is saying, how this movement will save the kali-stricken populace of this earth in kaliyuga:
The following are ten verses from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana that were spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa to Mother Ganga just before the beginning of Kali yuga (the age of quarrel and strife). Kali yuga began approximately five thousand years ago, and it has a duration of 432,000 years, leaving us with 427,000 till the end of the present age. [For a description of Kali yuga, please read the related article “Predictions for the age of Kali”.] Within this 432,000 year period, there is a period of 10,000 years that will be a golden age. That golden age is being described below by Lord Sri Kṛṣṇa. This text is taken from the Brahma-vaivarta Purāna.
Text 49
bhagarathy uvaca
he natha ramanashreshtha yasi golokamuttamam
asmakam ka gatishcatra bhavishyati kalau yuge
Translation
Ganges said: O protector, Supreme enjoyer, on your departure for the perfect abode, Goloka, thereafter what will be my situation in the age of kali?
Text 50
sri-bhagavan uvaca
kaleh pancasahasrani varshani tishtha bhutale
papani papino yani tubhyam dasyanti snanatah
Translation
The blessed Lord said: On the earth 5,000 years of kali will be sinful and sinners will deposit their sins in you by bathing.
Comments:
We have presently passed through just over 5,000 years of Kali yuga. As was predicted by Lord Krishna, this period from the end of the previous age to the present comprising 5,000 years was a period of great degradation and darkness. The great and ancient Vedic culture of India was lost and the so-called followers became ritualistic practitioners, interested only in the bodily conception of life. The four pillars of spiritual life, namely truthfulness, austerity, cleanliness, and mercy are practically nonexistent today, even in the so-called holy sites of pilgrimage.
The general mass of people have no interest in God, and any remnant of religion they might still follow is simply for the purpose of economic development. In the name of God so many sinful acts are being carried out throughout the world. Killing of innocent animals, intoxication, illicit sex, and gambling have become common and “natural” activities supported by the governments and religions of the world. All of these points confirm Lord Krishna’s prediction regarding the first 5,000 years of the Kali yuga.
Text 51
man-mantropasakasparshad bhasmibhutani tatkshanat
bhavishyanti darsanacca snanadeva hi jahnavi
Translation
Thereafter by the sight and touch of those who worship me by my mantra, all those sins will be burnt.
Comments:
Lord Krishna has said that for 5,000 years mother Ganga will purify the sinful inhabitants of the earthly planet in the age of Kali. But where will those accumulated sinful reactions go? Therefore Krishna says here that those sinful reactions, accumulated for thousands of years will all be burnt to ashes simply by a moments touch of a pure devotee of the Lord. The word tatksanat indicates that immediately the reactions are destroyed. A moments glimpse of a pure devotee is enough to purify the heart of a sinful man in this age of Kali. Even mother Ganga is blessed and purified by the association of the Lords devotees, so what to speak of fallen souls like ourselves.
We must take every opportunity to associate with the Lord’s pure devotees. This is the process of sadhu-sanga, or sat-sanga. Through association with the saints, we come in contact directly with the Supreme Lord. If we have such a great fortune to associate with the saintly devotees of the Lord, our heart will be purified of all the sinful reactions accumulated from countless lifetimes.
In this verse Krishna defines who are those pure devotees: man-mantropasaka, “one who is doing upāsana, or worship, of Krishna by chanting Krishna’s mantra.” Krishna says literally “My mantra”, man-mantra. This mantra Krishna is referring to is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:
hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
It should be noted that Krishna does not say mother Ganga will be purified by yogis. Nor does he say she will be purified by jnanis. Nor by rishis, tapasvis, siddhas or a host of other saintly minded men. Krishna says it will be His pure devotees (bhaktas) who chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra that will purify mother Ganga and the entire age of Kali. Only the chanting of Krishna’s holy name is powerful enough to purify this present age of Kali. Therefore only the Lord’s devotees have the power to bring about the golden age within Kali yuga.
Text 52
harernamani yatraiva puranani bhavanti hi
tatra gatva savadhanam abhih sarddham ca shroshyasi
Translation
There will be chanting of the name of Hari and reading of the [Bhagavata] Purana. Reaching such a place, attentively hear.
Comments:
Here Lord Krishna describes the activities within the golden age that will purify the Kali yuga. First and foremost is the chanting of Lord Krishna’s name, indicated by the words harernamani. This is further confirmed in the Brihad-naradiya Purana as follows:
harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyata
“In the age of Kali there is no other way to achieve the supreme destination of life other than by chanting the names of Lord Hari (Krishna). There is no other way, no other way, no other way.”
The second activity that Lord Krishna describes is the reading of the Bhagavata Purana, or Srimad Bhagavatam. The reading of Srimad Bhagavatam is especially recommended by the great sage Vyasadeva for purification of the heart:
srinvatam sva kathah krishnah punya-sravana-kirtanah
hridy antah stho hy abhadrani vidhunoti suhrit satam
“By hearing and reciting the sacred narrations of the pastimes of Lord Krishna (within the Srimad Bhagavatam), all the bad qualities within one’s heart are cleansed.”
Elsewhere it is stated:
nashta-prayushv abhadreshu nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-shloke bhaktir bhavati naishthiki
“By daily reading Srimad Bhagavatam and by rendering service to the pure devotees, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead is established as an irrevocable fact.”
The present age is simply a reflection of the hearts of millions of living entities on the earthly planet. Because our hearts are polluted by kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed) and matsarya (envy), therefore the present age is called the age of quarrel. It is not that we are bad because the age is bad, but rather the age is bad because our hearts are impure. The cure for a polluted heart is described above: daily reading of the Srimad Bhagavatam. If the entire population were to take up the reading of the sacred text of Srimad Bhagavatam, everyone’s heart would be purified and the age of Kali would no longer be able to influence the world. Therefore in the present age the need of the hour is to distribute the most sacred book Srimad Bhagavatam to the entire humanity.
The Srimad Bhagavatam is not an ordinary book, but it is directly an incarnation of the Lord:
idam bhagavatam nama puranam brahma-sammitam
uttama-shloka-caritam cakara bhagavan rishih
nihsreyasaya lokasya dhanyam svasty-ayanam mahat
This Srimad Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all blissful and all-perfect. Srimad Bhagavatam is defined as brahma sammitam because it is the sound representative of Brahman, the absolute truth.
Text 53
purana shravanaccaiva harernamanukirtanat
bhasmibhutani papani brahma-hatyadikani ca
Translation
Sinful reactions including the killing of a brahmana can be nullified by hearing the Purana and chanting of the names of Hari in the manner of devotees.
Text 54
bhasmibhutani tanyeva vaishnavalinganena ca
trinani shushkakashthani dahanti pavako yatha
Translation
Just as dry grass is burnt by fire, by the embrace of My devotees all sins are burnt.
Text 55
tathapi vaishnava loke papani papinamapi
prithivyam yani tirthani punyanyapi ca jahnavi
Translation
O Ganges, the whole planet will become a pilgrimage sight by the presence of My devotees, even though it had been sinful.
Text 56
madbhaktanam sharireshu santi puteshu samtatam
madbhaktapadarajasa sadyah puta vasundhara
Translation
In the body of my devotees remains eternally [the purifier]. Mother earth becomes pure by the dust of the feet of my devotees.
Text 5
sadyah putani tirthani sadyah putam jagattatha
manmantropasaka vipra ye maducchishtabhojinah
Translation
It will be the same in the case of pilgrimage sights and the whole world. Those intelligent worshipers of my mantra who partake My remnants will purify everything.
Comments:
In this verse the words maducchishtabhojinah are very significant. Krishna states that those who chant His Hare Krishna maha-mantra and eat His remnants (mad- ucchishtabhojinah ) will purify the world.
This is further stressed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita (3.13):
yajna-shishtasinah santo mucyante sarva-kilbishaih
bhunjate te tv agham papa ye pacanty atma-karanat
“The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.”
Text 58
mameva nityam dhyayante te mat pranadhikah priyah
tadupasparshamatrena puto vayushca pavakah
Translation
They are more dear to Me than My life, who everyday meditate only on Me. The air and fire become pure simply even by their indirect touch.
Text 59
kaler dasha-sahasrani madbhaktah santi bhu-tale
ekavarna bhavishyanti madbhakteshu gateshu ca
Translation
For 10,000 years of kali such devotees of mine will fill the whole planet. After the departure of My devotees there will only be one varna [outcaste].
Text 60
madbhaktashunya prithivi kaligrasta bhavishyati
etasminnantare tatra krishnadehadvinirgatah
Translation
Devoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by kali. Saying this Krishna departed.
- Also, 500 years ago, Caitanya Mahaprabhu predicted and said that on this whole earth, in each and every village and city, the congregational chanting of MYname will be heard:
- पृथ्वी ते आछे यत नगर आदि ग्राम सर्वत्र होइबे प्रचार मोर नाम
- Everybody knows that this sankirtan movement has become so huge today, it has now spread to almost each and every big city of the world, and currently this movement is a small baby.
- It will reach at it’s peak in next 4500 years, and then gradually decline in next 4500 years. 500 years of this movement has already passed, which started with the advent of Krishna, in the form of chaitanya mahaprabhu.
- एबे नाम-संकितन तीक्ष्ण खडग लोइया अंतर असुर जिवेर फेलिबे काटिया
- With the sharp-sword of this Naam-sankirtan, I will destroy all the demons, incarnated as human-beings (meaning I will distroy the asuric-vrtti or demoniac-propensity of these Jivas)
- The coming of SriSriMad Bhakti Vedanta Swami Maharaj (Srila Prabhupad), the founder acarya of ISKCON, was also predicted by Mahaprabhu 500 years ago, and he said:
- यदि पापी छाडी धर्म दूरे देशे जाए मोर सेनापति-भक्त याईबे तथाये
- If the sinful jivas go to other countries (out of India) and are bereft of this sankirtan-movement, then for delivering them, I will send my senapati-bhakta (senapati means a military commander), who will deliver the people of these countries.
- This senapati-bhakta is no other than Srila Prabhupada who went to all the countries outside of India and inaugurated this sankirtan movement there.
