Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 27

Kali-yuga Dynasties and the Degradation of Kingship

Devanagari script

सप्ताभीरा आवभृत्या दश गर्दभिनो नृपा: । कङ्का: षोडश भूपाला भविष्यन्त्यतिलोलुपा: ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

saptābhīrā āvabhṛtyā daśa gardabhino nṛpāḥ kaṅkāḥ ṣoḍaśa bhū-pālā bhaviṣyanty ati-lolupāḥ

Translation

Dann werden sieben Könige aus dem Ābhīra-Geschlecht aus der Stadt Avabhṛti folgen und danach zehn Gardabhīs. Nach ihnen werden sechzehn Könige der Kaṅka herrschen, bekannt für maßlose Gier.

Synonyms

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective), प्रथमा (1st case), बहुवचन; पुल्लिङ्गे ‘अभीराः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अभीराः: Ābhīras (a tribe/kings)
• अभीराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• आवभृत्याः: Āvabhṛtyas (a dynasty/group)
• आवभृत्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आवभृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘गर्दभिनः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• गर्दभिनः: Gardabhins (donkey-like/‘Gardabhi’ line)
• गर्दभिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्दभिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नृपाः: kings
• नृपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; पूर्वोक्तानां समूहस्य सामान्य-नाम

• कङ्काः: Kaṅkas (a dynasty)
• कङ्काः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• षोडश: sixteen
• षोडश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्या-विशेषण, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘भूपालाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भूपालाः: kings, protectors of the earth
• भूपालाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भविष्यन्ति: will be
• भविष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन

• अति-लोलुपाः: exceedingly greedy
• अति-लोलुपाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + लोलुप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘नृपाः/भूपालाः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Characters & Entities

• Ābhīras
• Āvabhṛtyas
• Gardabhīs
• Kaṅkas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kali Yuga kings and dynasties?

In this verse, Śukadeva Gosvāmī foretells successive dynasties—Ābhīras, Āvabhṛtyas, Gardabhīs, and Kaṅkas—describing the later rulers as excessively greedy, reflecting the moral decline of Kali-yuga governance.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe future kings to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

He was answering Parīkṣit’s inquiries about the course of time in Kali-yuga—how dharma diminishes and how rulers and society change—so the king could understand the age’s dangers and fix his consciousness on devotion to the Lord.

Practical application of this Bhagavatam verse in modern life?

It warns seekers not to place ultimate faith in changing political power and material leadership; instead, cultivate steadiness through bhakti, ethical living, and discernment, especially when greed becomes socially normalized.