The Beginning of Kali-Yuga and its Symptoms

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 14

The end of Lord Krishna’s earthly play marks the end of Dwapar-Yuga and the beginning of Kali-Yuga; the current age we are in. The Kali-Yuga began approximately 5000 years ago and it is expected to last for another 427,000 years. There is a reference in the Puranas and Surya Siddhanta regarding the duration of Kali Yuga and it was also validated by India’s famous mathematician Aryabhatta. Some Indian philosophers believe that there are smaller Yugas within the large Yuga.

Sage Narada being the devotee of the Lord predicted the beginning of Kali-Yuga that the age of quarrel would begin when the Earth becomes deprived of the Lord. He had earlier advised the Pandavas to watch out for the below symptoms. They got to observe these at a later date, just before they relinquished their bodies.

• The seasons became irregular

• Increase in the sinful behavior of people

• Crooked ways of the world

• Dishonesty in friendship

• Increase in quarrels among immediate relatives

• Weakened relationship between husband and wife

• Jackals cried at the rising sun

• Horses wept

• Misty halos appeared around the Sun and the Moon

• Earthquakes happened in various parts of the world

• The wind blew violently and was full of dust

• Many parts of the world flooded due to incessant rain

• The rivers, lakes, and minds of people became agitated

• Calves stopped sucking their mother’s breasts

• Cows wept and bulls looked distressed

• Idols of Gods wept

• The Brahmanas, Vedic priests were not protected by the Kings which resulted in corruption among them

• The exploitation of women and children was observed in many places

• People began to use harsh and affection-less words

• The abandonment of cows, old people, women, diseased and priests were noted

• There was a rise in men seeing prostitutes

• The men had intercourse with women during their menses

• Children and old people suffered from hunger