Shloka 8
अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः
यस्मिन् दिने हरिर् यातो दिवं संत्यज्य मेदिनीम् तस्मिन्न् एवावतीर्णो ऽयं कालकायो बली कलिः
yasmin dine harir yāto divaṃ saṃtyajya medinīm tasminn evāvatīrṇo 'yaṃ kālakāyo balī kaliḥ
On the very day that Hari departed for heaven, leaving this earth behind, on that same day descended Kali—mighty, embodied as the dark form of Time.
Sage Parashara (narrating to Maitreya)
Yuga: Kali
Manvantara: Vaivasvata
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: Kṛṣṇa descended to re-establish dharma and devotion, and His departure marks the onset of Kali-yuga’s dominance.
Leela: Loka-rakshana
Dharma Restored: Temporary restraint of adharma; transition of cosmic moral order into Kali-yuga
Concept: The departure of the Lord’s manifest avatāra coincides with the karmic opening for Kali-yuga, where Time’s dark tendencies intensify.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: In Kali-like conditions, intensify sādhana—especially nāma-japa, sat-saṅga, and ethical restraint—to counter the age’s drift.
Vishishtadvaita: Time (kāla) operates under Bhagavān’s sovereignty; even Kali’s rise is within the Lord’s governance, inviting refuge (śaraṇāgati).
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Shanta
FAQs
It marks a decisive cosmic transition: with the Lord’s manifest presence withdrawn from the earth, the age of Kali begins, characterized by Time-driven decline in dharma.
By calling Kali “kālakāya” (embodied Time), Parashara frames Kali-yuga as Time’s overpowering influence on human conduct and social order, not merely a calendar change.
Hari’s departure and the immediate rise of Kali underscore Vishnu’s supreme governance of yuga cycles—His presence sustains order, and His withdrawal signals the ordained turning of the age.