Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 2
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
Sinabi ni Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī: Sa mga darating na hari ng dinastiyang Māgadha, ang huli ay si Purañjaya, na isisilang bilang inapo ni Bṛhadratha. Ang kanyang ministro na si Śunaka ay papatay sa hari at iluluklok ang sariling anak na si Pradyota. Ang anak ni Pradyota ay si Pālaka, ang anak nito si Viśākhayūpa, at ang anak nito si Rājaka.
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 lists a sequence of future rulers, describing how kingship will change hands through ministerial intrigue and succession—signs of Kali-yuga’s political degradation.
Śukadeva is outlining Kali-yuga’s unfolding history and the decline of righteous rule, helping Parīkṣit detach from worldly politics and focus on bhakti as the true shelter.
Worldly power and institutions can become unstable and morally compromised; the Bhagavatam urges seekers to anchor life in devotion, character, and remembrance of the Lord rather than in political outcomes.