Shloka 31
Parīkṣit Confronts Kali: Dharma (Bull) and Bhūmi (Cow) at the Dawn of Kali-yuga
राजोवाच न ते गुडाकेशयशोधराणां बद्धाञ्जलेर्वै भयमस्ति किञ्चित् । न वर्तितव्यं भवता कथञ्चन क्षेत्रे मदीये त्वमधर्मबन्धु: ॥ ३१ ॥
rājovāca na te guḍākeśa-yaśo-dharāṇāṁ baddhāñjaler vai bhayam asti kiñcit na vartitavyaṁ bhavatā kathañcana kṣetre madīye tvam adharma-bandhuḥ
રાજાએ કહ્યું—અમે ગુડાકેશ (અર્જુન)ની યશકીર્તિનો વારસો મેળવ્યો છે; તેથી હાથ જોડીને શરણ આવેલા તને પ્રાણનો ભય નથી. પરંતુ તું મારા રાજ્યમાં ક્યારેય રહી શકીશ નહીં, કારણ કે તું અધર્મનો મિત્ર છે।
The personality of Kali, who is the friend of all kinds of irreligiosities, may be excused if he surrenders, but in all circumstances he cannot be allowed to live as a citizen in any part of a welfare state. The Pāṇḍavas were entrusted representatives of the Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who practically brought into being the Battle of Kurukṣetra, but not for any personal interest. He wanted an ideal king like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and his descendants like Mahārāja Parīkṣit to rule the world, and therefore a responsible king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit could not allow the friend of irreligiosity to flourish in his kingdom at the cost of the good fame of the Pāṇḍavas. That is the way of wiping out corruption in the state, and not otherwise. The friends of irreligiosity should be banished from the state, and that will save the state from corruption.
FAQs
This verse shows that Kali (irreligion personified) should not be given residence in a dharmic society; a righteous leader should restrain and remove adharma rather than accommodate it.
In the narrative of Canto 1, Parikshit confronts Kali after seeing dharma being harmed; he acknowledges Kali’s submissive posture but still orders him not to remain in his kingdom because Kali’s nature is to spread irreligion.
Respectfulness alone is not enough—one should also set firm boundaries against harmful habits and environments that nurture irreligion, exploitation, and degradation.