Shloka 25
The Earth Laughs at World-Conquering Kings; Yuga-Dharma and the Remedy for Kali
तस्मिन् लुब्धा दुराचारा निर्दया: शुष्कवैरिण: । दुर्भगा भूरितर्षाश्च शूद्रदासोत्तरा: प्रजा: ॥ २५ ॥
tasmin lubdhā durācārā nirdayāḥ śuṣka-vairiṇaḥ durbhagā bhūri-tarṣāś ca śūdra-dāsottarāḥ prajāḥ
في عصر كالي، يميل الناس إلى الجشع وسوء السلوك والقسوة، ويتقاتلون فيما بينهم دون سبب وجيه. إن سكان كالي يوجا، الذين يعانون من سوء الحظ والهوس بالرغبات المادية، هم جميعًا تقريبًا من الشودرا والهمج.
In this age, we can already observe that most people are laborers, clerks, fishermen, artisans or other kinds of workers within the śūdra category. Enlightened devotees of God and noble political leaders are extremely scarce, and even independent businessmen and farmers are a vanishing breed as huge business conglomerates increasingly convert them into subservient employees. Vast regions of the earth are already populated by barbarians and semibarbarous peoples, making the entire situation dangerous and bleak. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is empowered to rectify the current dismal state of affairs. It is the only hope for the ghastly age called Kali-yuga.
FAQs
This verse says that in Kali Yuga people become greedy, immoral in behavior, merciless, and even develop hostility without real cause—driven by insatiable material craving.
Śukadeva speaks to warn Parīkṣit about the coming influence of Kali, showing how values collapse in that age so a sincere seeker takes shelter of bhakti and Bhagavān rather than worldly systems.
Recognize the pull of greed and harshness as symptoms of Kali, and consciously cultivate compassion, truthfulness, and devotion—seeking purification through śravaṇa and kīrtana of the Lord.