Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 7
Kali-yuga Dynasties and the Degradation of Kingship
नन्दिवर्धन आजेयो महानन्दि: सुतस्तत: । शिशुनागा दशैवैते सष्ट्युत्तरशतत्रयम् ॥ ६ ॥ समा भोक्ष्यन्ति पृथिवीं कुरुश्रेष्ठ कलौ नृपा: । महानन्दिसुतो राजन् शूद्रागर्भोद्भवो बली ॥ ७ ॥ महापद्मपति: कश्चिन्नन्द: क्षत्रविनाशकृत् । ततो नृपा भविष्यन्ति शूद्रप्रायास्त्वधार्मिका: ॥ ८ ॥
nandivardhana ājeyo mahānandiḥ sutas tataḥ śiśunāgā daśaivaite saṣṭy-uttara-śata-trayam
Ajaya wird einen zweiten Nandivardhana zeugen, dessen Sohn Mahānandi sein wird. O Bester der Kurus, im Kali-Zeitalter werden diese zehn Könige der Śiśunāga-Dynastie die Erde insgesamt 360 Jahre regieren. Mein lieber Parīkṣit, Mahānandi wird im Schoß einer śūdra-Frau einen äußerst mächtigen Sohn zeugen; er wird Nanda heißen, Herr über unermesslichen Reichtum und Millionen von Soldaten. Er wird unter den kṣatriyas Verwüstung anrichten, und von da an werden nahezu alle Könige irreligiöse śūdras sein.
Here is a description of how authentic political authority degenerated and disintegrated throughout the world. There is a Supreme Godhead, and there are saintly, powerful men who have taken the role of government leaders and represented that Godhead on earth. With the advent of the Age of Kali, however, this transcendental system of government collapsed, and unauthorized, uncivilized men gradually took the reins of power.
FAQs
This verse says that in Kali-yuga many rulers will be irreligious, and that after Nanda destroys the kṣatriya rulers, kings will be mostly śūdras—indicating a decline in dharmic governance.
Śukadeva narrates the future course of Kali-yuga to give Parīkṣit sober detachment from worldly politics and to emphasize taking shelter of bhakti as the true refuge in an age of decline.
Do not base your spiritual stability on the changing quality of leaders or institutions; cultivate steady devotion, personal integrity, and dharmic conduct regardless of external decline.