Shloka 85
रूक्षा वाचो विमोक्ष्यन्ति युगान्ते पर्युपस्थिते । मित्रसम्बन्धिनश्षापि संत्यक्ष्यन्ति नरास्तदा
rūkṣā vāco vimokṣyanti yugānte paryupasthite | mitra-sambandhinaḥ śāpī santyakṣyanti narās tadā ||
Mārkaṇḍeya said: “When the end of the age draws near, people will let loose harsh and cruel speech. At that time even those bound by friendship and kinship will abandon one another—men will turn away despite their ties.”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse warns that moral decline shows itself first in speech and relationships: when people normalize harsh words, even friendship and kinship weaken. Ethical restraint in speech (vāg-dharma) is presented as a safeguard for social harmony.
Mārkaṇḍeya is describing the approaching ‘end of the age’ (yugānta) and listing its symptoms. Here he highlights two signs: uncontrolled cruel speech and the breakdown of loyalty among friends and relatives.