Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 42

The Earth Laughs at World-Conquering Kings; Yuga-Dharma and the Remedy for Kali

Devanagari script

न रक्षिष्यन्ति मनुजा: स्थविरौ पितरावपि । पुत्रान् भार्यां च कुलजां क्षुद्रा: शिश्न‍ोदरंभरा: ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

na rakṣiṣyanti manujāḥ sthavirau pitarāv api putrān bhāryāṁ ca kula-jāṁ kṣudrāḥ śiśnodaraṁ-bharāḥ

Translation

Im Kali-Zeitalter werden die Menschen weder ihre betagten Eltern noch ihre Kinder oder ehrbaren Ehefrauen schützen. Völlig entartet, werden sie nur Bauch und Begierde befriedigen wollen.

Synonyms

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• रक्षिष्यन्ति: will protect
• रक्षिष्यन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद

• मनुजाः: people
• मनुजाः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• स्थविरौ: the two elders
• स्थविरौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थविर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• पितरौ: (their) parents (father and mother/parents)
• पितरौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), ‘even/also’

• पुत्रान्: sons/children
• पुत्रान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भार्याम्: wife
• भार्याम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कुलजाम्: well-born
• कुलजाम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of भार्याम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (born in a good family)

• क्षुद्राः: base, petty
• क्षुद्राः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• शिश्नोदरंभराः: driven by lust and belly
• शिश्नोदरंभराः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिश्न (प्रातिपदिक) + उदर (प्रातिपदिक) + भर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); द्वन्द्व-पूर्वपद (शिश्न+उदर) + बहुव्रीहि-भावार्थः (those who ‘support/fill’ penis and belly; i.e., lust- and belly-driven)

Purport

In this age many people are already sending their elderly parents away to lonely, and often bizarre, old-age homes, although the elderly parents spent their entire lives serving their children.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kali Yuga symptoms like neglecting parents?

This verse states that in Kali-yuga people become petty and selfish, and may fail to protect even their aged parents, spouse, and children, being driven mainly by lust and appetite.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe such harsh family breakdown to King Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva warns Parīkṣit about the recognizable symptoms of Kali-yuga so that a sincere seeker becomes detached from worldly expectations and takes shelter of devotion to the Lord as the true protection.

Practical application of this Bhagavatam teaching in modern life?

Cultivate self-control and responsibility: honor and care for parents and family, restrain lust and greed, and strengthen spiritual practice (bhakti) so duty is guided by dharma rather than appetite.