Shloka 16

कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना

Devanagari script

वित्तेन भविता पुंसां स्वल्पेनाढ्यमदः कलौ स्त्रीणां रूपमदश् चैव केशैर् एव भविष्यति

Transliteration

vittena bhavitā puṃsāṃ svalpenāḍhyamadaḥ kalau strīṇāṃ rūpamadaś caiva keśair eva bhaviṣyati

Translation

In the age of Kali, men will be measured by wealth; even a little money will breed the arrogance of the rich. And among women, pride in beauty will prevail—resting merely upon the display of hair.

Word by Word

• वित्तेन: by wealth
• वित्तेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• भविता: will be/become (as the determinant)
• भविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवितृ (प्रातिपदिक; √भू (धातु) + तृच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun: one who will be/become)

• पुंसाम्: of men
• पुंसाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुंस्/पुम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्वल्पेन: by a little (amount)
• स्वल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of vittena implied)

• आढ्यमदः: pride of wealth
• आढ्यमदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आढ्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (āḍhyasya madaḥ)

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

• स्त्रीणाम्: of women
• स्त्रीणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• रूपमदः: pride of beauty
• रूपमदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + मद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (rūpasya madaḥ)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• केशैः: by hair (locks)
• केशैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• एव: only
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• भविष्यति: will be
• भविष्यति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kali-yuga moral inversion: valuation of persons by wealth and superficial appearance

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: revealing

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kali-yuga distorts value: social worth is measured by wealth, and beauty-pride becomes superficial, fostering arrogance and delusion.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Practice non-comparison, modest living, and inner cultivation; evaluate people by character and devotion rather than status or appearance.

Vishishtadvaita: Highlights the misvaluation of Sri (wealth/fortune) when detached from service to the Lord; external markers are secondary to inner dharma and bhakti.

Vaishnava Theology

Lakshmi Presence: Sri

Characters & Entities

• Men
• Women

FAQs

What is the significance of wealth and vanity in the Vishnu Purana’s description of Kali-yuga?

This verse marks wealth and outward appearance as distorted measures of human worth in Kali-yuga, showing how dharma is eclipsed by superficial status and pride.

How does Sage Parāśara explain Kali-yuga’s social decline in this chapter?

Through concrete social symptoms—like arrogance arising from even small wealth and beauty-pride reduced to mere display—Parāśara illustrates how inner virtue is replaced by external markers.

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

By highlighting Kali-yuga’s moral confusion, the text implicitly points to Vishnu as the stable Supreme refuge (śaraṇya) and the upholder of cosmic order when human standards collapse.