Shloka 2
Mucukunda’s Departure; Jarāsandha’s Pursuit; Prelude to Rukmiṇī’s Abduction
Rukmiṇī’s Message Begins
संवीक्ष्य क्षुल्लकान् मर्त्यान् पशून्वीरुद्वनस्पतीन् । मत्वा कलियुगं प्राप्तं जगाम दिशमुत्तराम् ॥ २ ॥
saṁvīkṣya kṣullakān martyān paśūn vīrud-vanaspatīn matvā kali-yugaṁ prāptaṁ jagāma diśam uttarām
Melihat manusia, haiwan, pokok dan tumbuhan menjadi sangat kecil, lalu menyedari bahawa Zaman Kali telah tiba, Mucukunda pun pergi ke arah utara.
There are several significant words in this verse. A standard Sanskrit dictionary gives the following English meanings for the word kṣullaka: “little, small, low, vile, poor, indigent, wicked, malicious, abandoned, hard, pained, distressed.” These are the symptoms of the Age of Kali, and all these qualities are said here to apply to men, animals, plants and trees in this age. We who are enamored of ourselves and our environment can perhaps imagine the superior beauty and living conditions available to people in former ages.
FAQs
This verse describes Kali Yuga as a time when humans become petty and degraded, and even the natural world—animals, creepers, and trees—shows the influence of decline.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this verse while describing the changing conditions of the world; seeing Kali’s influence, the described person departs toward the north, indicating withdrawal from a deteriorating age.
It encourages discernment and detachment: recognizing degrading influences and consciously moving one’s life toward higher, purifying directions—through sādhana, good association, and dharmic choices.