Shloka 6
Parīkṣit Confronts Kali: Dharma (Bull) and Bhūmi (Cow) at the Dawn of Kali-yuga
यस्त्वं कृष्णे गते दूरं सहगाण्डीवधन्वना । शोच्योऽस्यशोच्यान् रहसि प्रहरन् वधमर्हसि ॥ ६ ॥
yas tvaṁ kṛṣṇe gate dūraṁ saha-gāṇḍīva-dhanvanā śocyo ’sy aśocyān rahasi praharan vadham arhasi
ഹേ ദുഷ്ടാ! ശ്രീകൃഷ്ണനും ഗാണ്ഡീവധാരിയായ അർജുനനും ദൂരെയായതിനാലോ നീ നിർദോഷ പശുവിനെ അടിക്കുന്നത്? ഒറ്റപ്പെട്ടിടത്ത് നിരപരാധികളെ പ്രഹരിക്കുന്നതുകൊണ്ട് നീ കുറ്റക്കാരൻ; അതിനാൽ നീ വധയോഗ്യൻ.
In a civilization where God is conspicuously banished, and there is no devotee warrior like Arjuna, the associates of the Age of Kali take advantage of this lawless kingdom and arrange to kill innocent animals like the cow in secluded slaughterhouses. Such murderers of animals stand to be condemned to death by the order of a pious king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. For a pious king, the culprit who kills an animal in a secluded place is punishable by the death penalty, exactly like a murderer who kills an innocent child in a secluded place.
FAQs
This verse shows that after Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s departure (and the exit of great protectors like Arjuna), Kali becomes bold and spreads adharma—often by attacking the innocent in hidden ways.
Parīkṣit condemns Kali for cowardly, secret violence against those who should be protected; as a dharmic king, he considers such oppression a capital offense.
Reject harm done in secrecy (exploitation, abuse, corruption) and stand for dharma by protecting vulnerable beings and supporting truthful, accountable conduct.