Shloka 39
Parīkṣit Confronts Kali: Dharma (Bull) and Bhūmi (Cow) at the Dawn of Kali-yuga
पुनश्च याचमानाय जातरूपमदात्प्रभु: । ततोऽनृतं मदं कामं रजो वैरं च पञ्चमम् ॥ ३९ ॥
punaś ca yācamānāya jāta-rūpam adāt prabhuḥ tato ’nṛtaṁ madaṁ kāmaṁ rajo vairaṁ ca pañcamam
మళ్లీ కలి ఇంకొకటి కోరగా, అతని భిక్షాటనచేత రాజు అతనికి బంగారం ఉన్న చోట నివసించుటకు అనుమతి ఇచ్చెను; ఎందుకంటే బంగారం ఉన్నచోట అసత్యం, మత్తు, కామం, అసూయ మరియు వైరం—ఈ ఐదు దోషాలు పుడతాయి।
Although Mahārāja Parīkṣit gave Kali permission to live in four places, it was very difficult for him to find the places because during the reign of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there were no such places. Therefore Kali asked the King to give him something practical which could be utilized for his nefarious purposes. Mahārāja Parīkṣit thus gave him permission to live in a place where there is gold, because wherever there is gold there are all the above-mentioned four things, and over and above them there is enmity also. So the personality of Kali became gold-standardized. According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, gold encourages falsity, intoxication, prostitution, envy and enmity. Even a gold-standard exchange and currency is bad. Gold-standard currency is based on falsehood because the currency is not on a par with the reserved gold. The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued in value beyond that of the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities encourages prostitution of the state economy. The price of commodities becomes artificially inflated because of bad money, or artificial currency notes. Bad money drives away good money. Instead of paper currency, actual gold coins should be used for exchange, and this will stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by control, not by quality, but by quantity. This will discourage lust, envy and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the influence of gold in producing falsity, prostitution, etc., will automatically cease. There will be no need of an anticorruption ministry for another term of prostitution and falsity of purpose.
FAQs
In this verse, gold is shown as a catalyst for Kali’s influence, giving rise to falsehood, intoxication/pride, lust, passion-driven craving, and enmity.
In the narrative of Canto 1 Chapter 17, Parīkṣit restrains Kali by assigning him limited places; when Kali begs again, the king grants gold—yet the verse warns of the moral and spiritual dangers that follow from attachment to it.
Minimize greed and luxury-driven habits, avoid intoxication and dishonesty, regulate desires, and cultivate truthfulness and devotion—so passion and hostility do not take root.