Shloka 35
कलिस्वरूप-वर्णनम् एवं कालमान-प्रस्तावना
यो यो ऽश्वरथनागाढ्यः स स राजा भविष्यति यश् च यश् चाबलः सर्वः स स भृत्यः कलौ युगे
yo yo 'śvarathanāgāḍhyaḥ sa sa rājā bhaviṣyati yaś ca yaś cābalaḥ sarvaḥ sa sa bhṛtyaḥ kalau yuge
In the age of Kali, whoever is richly furnished with horses and chariots will be called “king”; and whoever is weak, lacking power—every such person will be treated as a servant.
Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How Kali-yuga redefines kingship and social relations
Teaching: Ethical
Quality: authoritative
Concept: In Kali-yuga, social authority is measured by military assets and coercive strength rather than virtue and rightful duty.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Resist equating success with dominance; practice protection of the weak, and judge leadership by service and restraint.
Vishishtadvaita: True ‘lordship’ belongs to Nārāyaṇa; human hierarchy is legitimate only as delegated service, not as self-asserted power.
FAQs
This verse states that in Kali Yuga, kingship is effectively determined by material resources—especially horses and chariots—rather than by dharma, virtue, or rightful lineage.
Parāśara describes an inversion of proper order: the powerful are treated as rulers, while the weak are universally reduced to servitude, indicating a collapse of dharmic standards.
By portraying Kali’s disorder, the Purana implicitly points to Vishnu as the supreme upholder of cosmic order (dharma); the chaos of Kali underscores the need for divine sovereignty and restoration of righteousness.