Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 41
Kali-yuga Dynasties and the Degradation of Kingship
तन्नाथास्ते जनपदास्तच्छीलाचारवादिन: । अन्योन्यतो राजभिश्च क्षयं यास्यन्ति पीडिता: ॥ ४१ ॥
tan-nāthās te janapadās tac-chīlācāra-vādinaḥ anyonyato rājabhiś ca kṣayaṁ yāsyanti pīḍitāḥ
これらの低級な王たちによって統治される市民は、支配者の性格、行動、言葉遣いを真似るでしょう。指導者やお互いに悩まされ、彼らは皆、破滅に苦しむことになります。
At the end of the Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is stated that Ripuñjaya, or Purañjaya, the first king mentioned in this chapter, ended his rule about one thousand years after the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared approximately five thousand years ago, Purañjaya must have appeared about four thousand years ago. That would mean that Viśvasphūrji, the last king mentioned, would have appeared approximately in the twelfth century of the Christian era.
FAQs
This verse says people and provinces mirror their rulers’ character and speech, and when rulers and citizens oppress one another, society declines into ruin.
Parīkṣit was hearing the future symptoms of Kali-yuga so he could understand the age’s dangers and fix his consciousness on the supreme remedy—exclusive devotion and hearing of the Lord.
Choose leaders and communities that cultivate virtue, and personally resist degradation by practicing truthful speech, clean conduct, and regular hearing/chanting of Hari-kathā instead of adopting corrupt cultural norms.