Decay2

[Csihar / O'Malley / Preston / Ritter] 

  Decay: 
  The Symptoms of Kali-yuga 
  Nihils' Maw 
  [taken from Shrimad-Bhagavatam] 

  [SB 12.2.1] 

  Sri-suka uvaca 
  Tatas canu-dinam dharmah 
  Satyam saucam ksama daya 
  Kalena balina rajan 
  Nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih 

  [Translation:] 
  Sukadeva Gosvami said: Then, O King, 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. 

  [SB 12.2.2] 

  Vittam eva kalau nrnam 
  Janmacara-gunodayah 
  Dharma-nyaya-vyavasthayam 
  Karanam balam eva hi 

  [Translation] 
  In Kali-yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of a man's good birth, 
  Proper behavior and fine qualities.  And law and justice will be applied only on 
  The basis of one's power. 

  [SB 12.2.3] 

  Dampatye 'bhirucir hetur 
  Mayaiva vyavaharike 
  Stritve pumstve ca hi ratir 
  Vipratve sutram eva hi 

  [Translation] 
  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. 

  [SB 12.2.4] 

  Lingam evasrama-khyatav 
  Anyonyapatti-karanam 
  Avrttya nyaya-daurbalyam 
  Panditye capalam vacah 

  [Translation] 
  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. 

  [SB 12.2.5] 

  Anadhyataivasadhutve 
  Sadhutve dambha eva tu 
  Svikara eva codvahe 
  Snanam eva prasadhanam 

  [Translation] 
  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. 

  [SB 12.2.6] 

  Dure vary-ayanam tirtham 
  Lavanyam kesa-dharanam 
  Udaram-bharata svarthah 
  Satyatve dharstyam eva hi 

  Daksyam kutumba-bharanam 
  Yaso 'rthe dharma-sevanam 

  [Translation] 
  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. 

  [SB 12.2.7] 

  Evam prajabhir dustabhir 
  Akirne ksiti-mandale 
  Brahma-vit-ksatra-sudranam 
  Yo bali bhavita nrpah 

  [Translation] 
  As the earth thus becomes crowded with a corrupt population, whoever among any of the social 
  Classes shows himself to be the strongest will gain political power. 

  [SB 12.2.8] 

  Praja hi lubdhai rajanyair 
  Nirghrnair dasyu-dharmabhih 
  Acchinna-dara-dravina 
  Yasyanti giri-kananam 

  [Translation] 
  Losing their wives and properties to such avaricious and merciless rulers, 
  Who will behave no better than ordinary thieves, the citizens will flee to the mountains 
  And forests. 

  [SB 12.2.9] 

  Saka-mulamisa-ksaudra- 
  Phala-puspasti-bhojanah 
  Anavrstya vinanksyanti 
  Durbhiksa-kara-piditah 

  [Translation] 
  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. 

  [SB 12.2.10] 

  Sita-vatatapa-pravrd- 
  Himair anyonyatah prajah 
  Ksut-trdbhyam vyadhibhis caiva 
  Santapsyante ca cintaya 

  [Translation] 
  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. 

  [SB 12.2.11] 

  Trimsad vimsati varsani 
  Paramayuh kalau nrnam 

  [Translation] 
  The maximum duration of life for human beings in Kali-yuga will become fifty years. 

  [SB 12.2.12-16] 

  Ksiyamanesu dehesu 
  Dehinam kali-dosatah 
  Varnasramavatam dharme 
  Naste veda-pathe nrnam 

  Pasanda-pracure dharme 
  Dasyu-prayesu rajasu 
  Cauryanrta-vrtha-himsa- 
  Nana-vrttisu vai nrsu 

  Sudra-prayesu varnesu 
  Cchaga-prayasu dhenusu 
  Grha-prayesv asramesu 
  Yauna-prayesu bandhusu 

  Anu-prayasv osadhisu 
  Sami-prayesu sthasnusu 
  Vidyut-prayesu meghesu 
  Sunya-prayesu sadmasu 

  Ittham kalau gata-praye 
  Janesu khara-dharmisu 
  Dharma-tranaya sattvena 
  Bhagavan avatarisyati 

  [Translation] 
  By the time the age of Kali ends, the bodies of all creatures will be greatly reduced 
  In size, and the religious principles of followers of varnasrama will be ruined. 
  The path of the Vedas will be completely forgotten in human society, 
  And so-called religion will be mostly atheistic.  The kings will mostly be thieves, 
  The occupations of men will be stealing, lying and needless violence, 
  And all the social classes will be reduced to the lowest level of sudras. 
  Cows will be like goats, spiritual hermitages will be no different from mundane houses, 
  And family ties will extend no further than the immediate bonds of marriage. 
  Most plants and herbs will be tiny, and all trees will appear like dwarf sami trees. 
  Clouds will be full of lightning, homes will be devoid of piety, 
  And all human beings will have become like asses. 
  At that time, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear on the earth. 
  Acting with the power of pure spiritual goodness, He will rescue eternal religion. 

  [SB 12.2.17] 

  Caracara-guror visnor 
  Isvarasyakhilatmanah 
  Dharma-tranaya sadhunam 
  Janma karmapanuttaye 

  [Translation] 
  Lord Visnu-the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master of all moving 
  And nonmoving living beings, and the Supreme Soul of all-takes birth to protect 
  The principles of religion and to relieve His saintly devotees from the reactions of 
  Material work. 

  [SB 12.2.18] 

  Sambhala-grama-mukhyasya 
  Brahmanasya mahatmanah 
  Bhavane visnuyasasah 
  Kalkih pradurbhavisyati 

  [Translation] 
  Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of Sambhala village, 
  The great soul Visnuyasa. 

  [SB 12.2.19-20] 

  Asvam asu-gam aruhya 
  Devadattam jagat-patih 
  Asinasadhu-damanam 
  Astaisvarya-gunanvitah 

  Vicarann asuna ksaunyam 
  Hayenapratima-dyutih 
  Nrpa-linga-cchado dasyun 
  Kotiso nihanisyati 

  [Translation] 
  Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift horse Devadatta and, 
  Sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special 
  Qualities of Godhead.  Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, 
  He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings. 

  [SB 12.2.21] 

  Atha tesam bhavisyanti 
  Manamsi visadani vai 
  Vasudevanga-ragati- 
  Punya-gandhanila-sprsam 

  Paura-janapadanam vai 
  Hatesv akhila-dasyusu 

  [Translation] 
  After all the impostor kings have been killed, the residents of the cities and towns will 
  Feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and other 
  Decorations of Lord Vasudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. 

  [SB 12.2.22] 

  Tesam praja-visargas ca 
  Sthavisthah sambhavisyati 
  Vasudeve bhagavati 
  Sattva-murtau hrdi sthite 

  [Translation] 
  When Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts 
  In His transcendental form of goodness, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate 
  The earth.