Shloka 7

Kali-yuga’s Degradation, the Advent of Kalki, and the Reset of the Yuga Cycle

Devanagari script

एवं प्रजाभिर्दुष्टाभिराकीर्णे क्षितिमण्डले । ब्रह्मविट्‍क्षत्रशूद्राणां यो बली भविता नृप: ॥ ७ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ prajābhir duṣṭābhir ākīrṇe kṣiti-maṇḍale brahma-viṭ-kṣatra-śūdrāṇāṁ yo balī bhavitā nṛpaḥ

Translation

เมื่อแผ่นดินแน่นขนัดด้วยประชาชนเสื่อมทราม ดังนั้นในหมู่พราหมณ์ ไวศยะ กษัตริย์ หรือศูทร ผู้ใดแข็งแกร่งที่สุด ผู้นั้นจะได้อำนาจปกครองเป็นกษัตริย์

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• प्रजाभिः: by the people
• प्रजाभिः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural)

• दुष्टाभिः: wicked
• दुष्टाभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (Feminine, Instrumental, Plural; adjective qualifying प्रजाभिः)

• आकीर्णे: filled, crowded
• आकीर्णे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ√कॄ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त) → आकीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (Neuter, Locative, Singular; past passive participle used adjectivally)

• क्षितिमण्डले: on the earth-sphere
• क्षितिमण्डले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षितिमण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन (Neuter, Locative, Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: क्षितेः मण्डलम् (earth's sphere)

• ब्रह्मविट्क्षत्रशूद्राणाम्: of the brahmins, vaiśyas, kṣatriyas and śūdras
• ब्रह्मविट्क्षत्रशूद्राणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + विट् + क्षत्र + शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक-समाहार)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन (Masculine, Genitive, Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (brahmins, vaiśyas, kṣatriyas, śūdras)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); सम्बन्धसूचक-यः (relative pronoun)

• बली: powerful
• बली: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular); विशेषणम् (qualifies यः/नृपः)

• भविता: will become / will be
• भविता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त) → भवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तरि-नाम (agent noun) भविष्यत्-अर्थे (Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘one who will be’)

• नृपः: a king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about kings in Kali Yuga?

In Kali-yuga, the Bhagavatam predicts that kingship will be decided by sheer power—whoever is strongest will rule—rather than by virtue, qualification, or adherence to dharma.

Why did Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe this to King Parīkṣit?

Śukadeva was answering Parīkṣit’s inquiries about the future age of Kali, outlining its social and political symptoms so the king could understand the decline of righteousness and the need to take shelter of bhakti.

Practical application of this Kali-yuga teaching in modern life?

Be discerning about leadership and influence, and prioritize dharma and devotion in one’s own life—since external systems may reward power over character.