Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvadasha Skandha, Shloka 3
Kali-yuga’s Degradation, the Advent of Kalki, and the Reset of the Yuga Cycle
दाम्पत्येऽभिरुचिर्हेतुर्मायैव व्यावहारिके । स्त्रीत्वे पुंस्त्वे च हि रतिर्विप्रत्वे सूत्रमेव हि ॥ ३ ॥
dāmpatye ’bhirucir hetur māyaiva vyāvahārike strītve puṁstve ca hi ratir vipratve sūtram eva hi
Trong đời sống vợ chồng, nguyên nhân chỉ là sự hấp dẫn hời hợt; trong giao thương, thành công dựa vào mưu mẹo; nữ tính và nam tính bị đánh giá theo kỹ năng tình dục; và người ta được gọi là brāhmaṇa chỉ vì đeo sợi chỉ thiêng.
Just as human life as a whole has a great and serious purpose — namely spiritual liberation — fundamental human institutions such as marriage and child-rearing should also be dedicated to that great objective. Unfortunately, in the present age the satisfaction of the sex impulse has become the overriding, if not the exclusive, reason for marriage.
FAQs
This verse says that in Kali-yuga, marriage will be based mainly on personal attraction rather than dharma, character, and sacred responsibility.
Śukadeva warns Parīkṣit about the coming degradation of values in the age of Kali, so the king (and listeners) understand the need to take shelter of bhakti rather than rely on weakening social standards.
Evaluate relationships and identity by character, integrity, and spiritual practice—not by mere attraction, social illusion, or external religious markers.