Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 8
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. Lieber Parīkṣit, Mahānandi wird im Schoß einer śūdra-Frau einen sehr mächtigen Sohn zeugen, genannt Nanda, Besitzer ungeheuren Reichtums und eines großen Heeres; er wird die kṣatriyas vernichten, und danach werden nahezu alle Könige śūdras ohne Dharma 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
In Canto 12, Chapter 1, Śukadeva describes that in Kali-yuga many rulers will be irreligious, and governance will decline from kṣatriya standards, with kings becoming “mostly śūdras” in character and conduct.
He is outlining the future course of Kali-yuga—how political power will shift and dharma will weaken—so Parīkṣit can understand the age’s degradation and deepen detachment and devotion to Hari.
Rather than placing ultimate hope in changing rulers, a devotee strengthens personal dharma—truthfulness, purity, compassion—and takes shelter of nāma-saṅkīrtana and bhakti as the stable refuge in Kali-yuga.