Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 4
Kali-yuga’s Degradation, the Advent of Kalki, and the Reset of the Yuga Cycle
लिङ्गमेवाश्रमख्यातावन्योन्यापत्तिकारणम् । अवृत्त्या न्यायदौर्बल्यं पाण्डित्ये चापलं वच: ॥ ४ ॥
liṅgam evāśrama-khyātāv anyonyāpatti-kāraṇam avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaṁ pāṇḍitye cāpalaṁ vacaḥ
La posición espiritual se determinará sólo por símbolos externos, y con esa misma base la gente pasará de un āśrama a otro. Si alguien no gana bien la vida, su decoro será puesto en duda; y quien haga malabares con palabras será tenido por erudito.
The previous verse stated that in the Age of Kali the priestly class will be recognized by external symbols alone, and this verse extends the same principle to the other orders of society, namely the political or military class, the business or productive class, and finally the laborer or artisan class.
FAQs
This verse says that in Kali-yuga people will judge spiritual status mainly by external marks (liṅga) rather than genuine character and conduct.
He was answering Parīkṣit’s inquiries about the future age, warning how dharma declines so the king (and listeners) can seek shelter in genuine devotion and truth.
Evaluate spirituality by integrity, steadiness, and service—not by labels—and be careful of fickle speech, compromised livelihood, and weakened justice in personal and social choices.