Shloka 16
कलौ धर्मसुलभता — व्यासोपाख्यानम् एवं संकीर्तन-प्रधानता
तपसो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य जपादेश् च फलं द्विजाः प्राप्नोति पुरुषस् तेन कलिः साध्व् इति भाषितम्
tapaso brahmacaryasya japādeś ca phalaṃ dvijāḥ prāpnoti puruṣas tena kaliḥ sādhv iti bhāṣitam
O twice-born ones, in this age a man attains—by that very means—the fruit of austerity, of brahmacarya discipline, and of prescribed japa; therefore it is said that Kali too is ‘good’ in this respect.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya; addressing ‘dvijāḥ’ within the discourse on Kali-yuga dharma)
Yuga: Kali
Concept: In Kali-yuga one can obtain the fruits of tapas, brahmacarya, and japa through comparatively simpler means, hence Kali is ‘good’ in this specific respect.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Replace despair about Kali with disciplined, simple daily devotion (nāma, mantra, and restrained living) done with steadiness rather than extremity.
Vishishtadvaita: Emphasis on attainable divine fruit through grace-mediated practices, not solely through severe ascetic qualification.
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: shanta
FAQs
This verse explains that despite Kali’s decline of dharma, spiritual results become more accessible—one can gain the fruits of rigorous tapas, brahmacarya, and prescribed japa through comparatively simpler practice, hence Kali is said to be ‘good’ in that limited sense.
Parāśara frames dharma as yuga-dependent: the same spiritual “fruit” associated with stricter disciplines in earlier ages can be attained in Kali through prescribed recitation and devotion-centered practice, indicating a shift from difficulty to accessibility.
Even when Kali diminishes outward righteousness, the Purana’s Vaishnava vision emphasizes that grace-oriented practice (such as japa and remembrance) still yields high spiritual merit—ultimately grounded in devotion to Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who makes liberation attainable.