चतुर्युगाण्य् अशेषाणि सदृशानि स्वरूपतः आद्यं कृतयुगं प्रोक्तं मुनयो ऽन्त्यं तथा कलिम्
All the sets of four ages are alike in their essential nature; the first is called the Kṛta age by sages, and the last is Kali.
आद्ये कृतयुगे सर्गो ब्रह्मणा क्रियते यतः क्रियते चोपसंहारस् तथान्ते ऽपि कलौ युगे
In the first, the Kṛta age, creation is made by Brahmā; and likewise, at the end, in the Kali age, dissolution is made.
कलेः स्वरूपं भगवन् विस्तराद् वक्तुम् अर्हसि धर्मश् चतुष्पाद् भगवान् यस्मिन् वैकल्यम् ऋच्छति
O Lord, you should describe in detail the nature of Kali, in which dharma, the four-footed, suffers impairment.
कलिस्वरूपं भो विप्रा यत् पृच्छध्वं ममानघाः निबोधध्वं समासेन वर्तते यन् महत्तरम्
O brāhmins, you ask me about the nature of Kali; listen in brief to what is most significant in its course.
वर्णाश्रमाचारवती प्रवृत्तिर् न कलौ नृणाम् न साम-ऋग्यजुर्वेदविनिष्पादनहैतुकी
In Kali, people do not act according to the conduct of varṇa and āśrama; nor is there proper production of Sāma, Ṛg, and Yajur Vedas.
विवाहा न कलौ धर्मा न शिष्या गुरुसंस्थिताः न पुत्रा धार्मिकाश् चैव न च वह्निक्रियाक्रमः
In Kali, marriages are not according to dharma, disciples do not remain with their teachers, sons are not righteous, nor is the proper ritual of fire maintained.
यत्र तत्र कुले जातो बली सर्वेश्वरः कलौ सर्वेभ्य एव वर्णेभ्यो नरः कन्योपजीवनः
In Kali, whoever is born in any family and is strong becomes lord of all; and from all varṇas, men live by means of daughters.
येन तेनैव योगेन द्विजातिर् दीक्षितः कलौ यैव सैव च विप्रेन्द्राः प्रायश्चित्तक्रिया कलौ
In Kali, a twice-born who is initiated by whatever means, that alone is valid; and O best of brāhmins, the rites of atonement are performed in Kali as they are.
सर्वम् एव कलौ शास्त्रं यस्य यद् वचनं द्विजाः देवताश् च कलौ सर्वाः सर्वः सर्वस्य चाश्रमः
In Kali, all scripture is whatever anyone says, O brāhmins; all deities are present in Kali, and every āśrama belongs to everyone.
उपवासस् तथायासो वित्तोत्सर्गस् तथा कलौ धर्मो यथाभिरुचितैर् अनुष्ठानैर् अनुष्ठितः
In Kali, fasting, exertion, and giving up wealth are practiced; dharma is followed according to whatever practices are pleasing.
वित्तेन भविता पुंसां स्वल्पेनैव मदः कलौ स्त्रीणां रूपमदश् चैव केशैर् एव भविष्यति
In the Kali age, men will become proud with even a little wealth, and women will take pride in their beauty merely because of their hair.
सुवर्णमणिरत्नादौ वस्त्रे चोपक्षयं गते कलौ स्त्रियो भविष्यन्ति तदा केशैर् अलंकृताः
When gold, jewels, and precious stones, as well as fine garments, become scarce in the Kali age, women will adorn themselves only with their hair.
परित्यक्ष्यन्ति भर्तारं वित्तहीनं तथा स्त्रियः भर्ता भविष्यति कलौ वित्तवान् एव योषिताम्
Women will abandon husbands who are without wealth, and in the Kali age, only a wealthy man will be considered a husband by women.
यो यो ददाति बहुलं स स स्वामी तदा नृणाम् स्वामित्वहेतुसंबन्धो भविताभिजनस् तदा
Whoever gives generously will be regarded as the master among men, and in that time, the connection of mastery will be based on wealth.
गृहान्ता द्रव्यसंघाता द्रव्यान्ता च तथा मतिः अर्थाश् चाथोपभोगान्ता भविष्यन्ति तदा कलौ
In the Kali age, households will end with the accumulation of goods, thoughts will end with possessions, and even pleasures will end with wealth.
स्त्रियः कलौ भविष्यन्ति स्वैरिण्यो ललितस्पृहाः अन्यायावाप्तवित्तेषु पुरुषेषु स्पृहालवः
In the Kali age, women will be independent and desirous of pleasure, and they will long for men who have acquired wealth unjustly.
अभ्यर्थितो ऽपि सुहृदा स्वार्थहानिं तु मानवः पणस्यार्धार्धमात्रे ऽपि करिष्यति तदा द्विजाः
Even when requested by a friend, a man will act for his own benefit, and for even half or a quarter of a coin, O twice-born, he will do so.
सदा सपौरुषं चेतो भावि विप्र तदा कलौ क्षीरप्रदानसंबन्धि भाति गोषु च गौरवम्
O sage, in the Kali age, people will always have minds set on self-interest, and respect for cows will be only for their milk-giving.
अनावृष्टिभयात् प्रायः प्रजाः क्षुद्भयकातराः भविष्यन्ति तदा सर्वा गगनासक्तदृष्टयः
Out of fear of drought, all people will be anxious about hunger, and at that time, their eyes will always be fixed on the sky.
मूलपर्णफलाहारास् तापसा इव मानवाः आत्मानं घातयिष्यन्ति तदावृष्ट्याभिदुःखिताः
Like ascetics, people will subsist on roots, leaves, and fruits, and, afflicted by the pain of famine, they will end their own lives.
दुर्भिक्षम् एव सततं सदा क्लेशम् अनीश्वराः प्राप्स्यन्ति व्याहतसुखं प्रमादान् मानवाः कलौ
In the Kali age, people will constantly suffer famine and hardship, lacking resources, and because of negligence, their happiness will be obstructed.
अस्नातभोजिनो नाग्निदेवतातिथिपूजनम् करिष्यन्ति कलौ प्राप्ते न च पिण्डोदकक्रियाम्
When the Kali age arrives, people will eat without bathing, and will not perform worship for fire, deities, or guests, nor will they offer the rites of food and water to ancestors.
लोलुपा ह्रस्वदेहाश् च बह्वन्नादनतत्पराः बहुप्रजाल्पभाग्याश् च भविष्यन्ति कलौ स्त्रियः
In the Kali age, women will be greedy, of short stature, intent on eating much food, and prone to excessive talk.
उभाभ्याम् अथ पाणिभ्यां शिरःकण्डूयनं स्त्रियः कुर्वत्यो गुरुभर्तॄणाम् आज्ञां भेत्स्यन्त्य् अनावृताः
Women will scratch their heads with both hands, and, uncovered, will break the commands of their elders and husbands.
स्वपोषणपराः क्रुद्धा देहसंस्कारवर्जिताः परुषानृतभाषिण्यो भविष्यन्ति कलौ स्त्रियः
In the Kali age, women will be devoted only to their own maintenance, angry, neglectful of bodily care, and will speak harsh lies.
दुःशीला दुष्टशीलेषु कुर्वत्यः सततं स्पृहाम् असद्वृत्ता भविष्यन्ति पुरुषेषु कुलाङ्गनाः
Women of noble families will become of bad conduct, constantly desiring men of wicked character.
वेदादानं करिष्यन्ति वडवाश् च तथाव्रताः गृहस्थाश् च न होष्यन्ति न दास्यन्त्य् उचितान्य् अपि
Women who are unchaste will recite the Vedas, and householders will not perform their proper duties nor give what is appropriate.
भवेयुर् वनवासा वै ग्राम्याहारपरिग्रहाः भिक्षवश् चापि पुत्रा हि स्नेहसंबन्धयन्त्रकाः
Those who dwell in the forest will accept food from the village, and even beggars will be bound to their sons by the ties of affection.
अरक्षितारो हर्तारः शुल्कव्याजेन पार्थिवाः हारिणो जनवित्तानां संप्राप्ते च कलौ युगे
When the Kali age arrives, rulers will not protect but will plunder, taking wealth from the people under the pretext of taxes.
यो यो ऽश्वरथनागाढ्यः स स राजा भविष्यति यश् च यश् चाबलः सर्वः स स भृत्यः कलौ युगे
Whoever possesses horses, chariots, or elephants will become king, and whoever lacks strength will become a servant in the Kali age.