Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 1
Kali-yuga Dynasties and the Degradation of Kingship
श्रीशुक उवाच योऽन्त्य: पुरञ्जयो नाम भविष्यो बारहद्रथ: । तस्यामात्यस्तु शुनको हत्वा स्वामिनमात्मजम् ॥ १ ॥ प्रद्योतसंज्ञं राजानं कर्ता यत् पालक: सुत: । विशाखयूपस्तत्पुत्रो भविता राजकस्तत: ॥ २ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca yo ’ntyaḥ purañjayo nāma bhaviṣyo bārahadrathaḥ tasyāmātyas tu śunako hatvā svāminam ātma-jam
श्रीशुक उवाच—पूर्वोक्तेषु मागधभविष्यराजसु अन्त्यः पुरञ्जयः नाम बारहद्रथवंशजः भविष्यति। तस्यामात्यः शुनकः स्वामिनं हत्वा स्वपुत्रं प्रद्योतनामानं राजानं करिष्यति। प्रद्योतस्य सुतः पालकः, तस्य सुतो विशाखयूपः, तस्य च सुतो राजकः भविष्यति।
The vicious political intrigue described here is symptomatic of the Age of Kali. In the Ninth Canto of this work, Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes how the great rulers of men descended from two royal dynasties, that of the sun and that of the moon. The Ninth Canto’s description of Lord Rāmacandra, a most famous incarnation of God, occurs in this genealogical narration, and at the end of the Ninth Canto Śukadeva describes the forefathers of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma. Finally, the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa and that of Lord Balarāma are mentioned within the context of the narration of the moon dynasty.
FAQs
This verse shows Kali-yuga degradation through political betrayal—an ambitious minister murders his own king and even the heir, illustrating collapse of loyalty and dharma.
Śukadeva is outlining Kali-yuga’s historical trajectory to help Parīkṣit understand the age’s decline and deepen detachment, turning the listener toward bhakti as the true shelter.
Do not place ultimate faith in unstable power structures; cultivate integrity and take shelter of devotion and scripture, which remain reliable even when society declines.