Shloka 43

कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना

Devanagari script

अल्पप्रज्ञा वृथालिङ्गा दुष्टान्तःकरणाः कलौ यतस् ततो विनङ्क्ष्यन्ति कालेनाल्पेन मानवाः

Transliteration

alpaprajñā vṛthāliṅgā duṣṭāntaḥkaraṇāḥ kalau yatas tato vinaṅkṣyanti kālenālpena mānavāḥ

Translation

Im Kali-Zeitalter werden die Menschen von geringer Einsicht, tragen hohle Zeichen der Frömmigkeit und sind innerlich verdorben; darum stürzen sie aus allen Richtungen und aus vielen Gründen in sehr kurzer Zeit rasch ins Verderben.

Word by Word

• अल्पप्रज्ञाः: of little understanding
• अल्पप्रज्ञाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प + प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• वृथा: vainly, uselessly
• वृथा: Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• लिङ्गाः: external marks/signs
• लिङ्गाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दुष्ट: corrupt, wicked
• दुष्ट: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• अन्तःकरणाः: inner faculties/minds
• अन्तःकरणाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तःकरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; (अन्तः + करण)

• कलौ: in the Kali age
• कलौ: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• यतः: from which/therefore
• यतः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सम्बन्धबोधक (causal/relative adverb)

• ततः: thereupon, therefore
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तदर्थक क्रियाविशेषण (correlative adverb)

• विनङ्क्ष्यन्ति: perish, are destroyed
• विनङ्क्ष्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• कालेन: by time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अल्पेन: in a short (time)
• अल्पेन: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (कालेन)

• मानवाः: people, humans
• मानवाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Lakṣaṇas (signs) of Kali-yuga and its effects on human conduct and decline

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kali-yuga is marked by diminished discernment and hypocritical religiosity, leading swiftly to human ruin.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate inner purity (antaḥkaraṇa-śuddhi), avoid performative piety, and seek steady sādhana grounded in śāstra.

Vishishtadvaita: Stresses that dharma must be inwardly aligned (bhāva) rather than mere external marks, consistent with devotion to the personal Lord as the sustaining order.

Vaishnava Theology

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Humankind (mānavāḥ)

FAQs

What is the significance of ‘vṛthā-liṅga’ (false religious marks) in the Vishnu Purana’s Kali Yuga description?

It highlights a key Kali symptom: outward symbols of piety remain, but inner discipline and truthfulness deteriorate, turning religion into mere display.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the rapid decline of people in Kali Yuga?

He links it to diminished discernment and corrupted inner intent; when conscience is impaired, time’s pressures lead to swift social and personal ruin.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context of Kali Yuga degeneration?

By portraying Kali’s disorder, the Purana underscores Vishnu as the sustaining sovereign of dharma—whose protection and remembrance become the stabilizing refuge when external norms collapse.