प्रारम्भाश् चावसीदन्ति यदा धर्मकृतां नृणाम् तदानुमेयं प्राधान्यं कलेर् विप्रा विचक्षणैः
Whenever the undertakings of the righteous fail, then the learned Brahmins may infer the dominance of Kali.
यदा यदा न यज्ञानाम् ईश्वरः पुरुषोत्तमः इज्यते पुरुषैर् यज्ञैस् तदा ज्ञेयं कलेर् बलम्
Whenever the Supreme Lord is not worshipped by people through sacrifices, then it should be known that Kali is strong.
न प्रीतिर् वेदवादेषु पाखण्डेषु यदा रतिः कलेर् वृद्धिस् तदा प्राज्ञैर् अनुमेया द्विजोत्तमाः
When there is no delight in Vedic discourse and pleasure is found in heretical teachings, then the wise, O best of Brahmins, should infer the growth of Kali.
कलौ जगत्पतिं विष्णुं सर्वस्रष्टारम् ईश्वरम् नार्चयिष्यन्ति भो विप्राः पाखण्डोपहता नराः
In Kali, O Brahmins, people corrupted by heresy will not worship Vishnu, the Lord of the world and creator of all.
किं देवैः किं द्विजैर् वेदैः किं शौचेनाम्बुजल्पना इत्य् एवं प्रलपिष्यन्ति पाखण्डोपहता नराः
People corrupted by heresy will speak thus: 'What use are gods, Brahmins, Vedas, purity, or lotus-chanting?'
अल्पवृष्टिश् च पर्जन्यः स्वल्पं सस्यफलं तथा फलं तथाल्पसारं च विप्राः प्राप्ते कलौ युगे
When the Kali age arrives, O Brahmins, the rain will be scant, crops will yield little, and their produce will be of poor quality.
जानुप्रायाणि वस्त्राणि शमीप्राया महीरुहाः शूद्रप्रायास् तथा वर्णा भविष्यन्ति कलौ युगे
Clothing will mostly cover only the knees, trees will be mainly shami, and the castes will be predominantly shudras in the Kali age.
अणुप्रायाणि धान्यानि आजप्रायं तथा पयः भविष्यति कलौ प्राप्त औशीरं चानुलेपनम्
Grains will be very small, milk will mostly come from goats, and in the Kali age, usira will be used as ointment.
श्वश्रूश्वशुरभूयिष्ठा गुरवश् च नृणां कलौ शालाद्याहारिभार्याश् च सुहृदो मुनिसत्तमाः
In the Kali age, mothers-in-law and fathers-in-law will be the chief elders, and friends will be those who share food from the same house, O best of sages.
कस्य माता पिता कस्य यदा कर्मात्मकः पुमान् इति चोदाहरिष्यन्ति श्वशुरानुगता नराः
People, following their fathers-in-law, will ask, 'Whose mother? Whose father? When is a man defined by his actions?'
वाङ्मनःकायजैर् दोषैर् अभिभूताः पुनः पुनः नराः पापान्य् अनुदिनं करिष्यन्त्य् अल्पमेधसः
Overcome again and again by faults of speech, mind, and body, people of little intelligence will commit sins daily.
निःसत्यानाम् अशौचानां निर्ह्रीकाणां तथा द्विजाः यद् यद् दुःखाय तत् सर्वं कलिकाले भविष्यति
For those without truth, purity, or shame, especially among the twice-born, everything that brings sorrow will arise in the Kali age.
निःस्वाध्यायवषट्कारे स्वधास्वाहाविवर्जिते तदा प्रविरलो विप्रः कश्चिल् लोके भविष्यति
When there is no study, no ritual utterance, and no offerings of svadha or svaha, then only a few brahmins will remain in the world.
तत्राल्पेनैव कालेन पुण्यस्कन्धम् अनुत्तमम् करोति यः कृतयुगे क्रियते तपसा हि यः
In that time, with very little effort, one attains the highest heap of merit, which in the Krita age is gained only through austerity.
कस्मिन् काले ऽल्पको धर्मो ददाति सुमहाफलम् वक्तुम् अर्हस्य् अशेषेण श्रोतुं वाञ्छा प्रवर्तते
At what time does a small act of righteousness yield a great result? You should speak of this fully, for the desire to hear has arisen.
धन्ये कलौ भवेद् विप्रास् त्व् अल्पक्लेशैर् महत् फलम् तथा भवेतां स्त्रीशूद्रौ धन्यौ चान्यन् निबोधत
In the Kali age, brahmins gain great reward with little hardship; likewise, women and shudras become fortunate—hear further of this.
यत् कृते दशभिर् वर्षैस् त्रेतायां हायनेन तत् द्वापरे तच् च मासेन अहोरात्रेण तत् कलौ
What is gained in ten years in Krita, in one year in Treta, in one month in Dvapara, is gained in a single day and night in Kali.
तपसो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य जपादेश् च फलं द्विजाः प्राप्नोति पुरुषस् तेन कलौ साध्व् इति भाषितुम्
The fruit of austerity, celibacy, and recitation, O twice-born, is attained by a person in Kali, and thus it is called auspicious.
ध्यायन् कृते यजन् यज्ञैस् त्रेतायां द्वापरे ऽर्चयन् यद् आप्नोति तद् आप्नोति कलौ संकीर्त्य केशवम्
By meditation in Krita, by sacrifice in Treta, by worship in Dvapara, one attains the goal; in Kali, it is attained by singing the name of Kesava.
धर्मोत्कर्षम् अतीवात्र प्राप्नोति पुरुषः कलौ स्वल्पायासेन धर्मज्ञास् तेन तुष्टो ऽस्म्य् अहं कलौ
Here in Kali, a person attains the highest excellence in righteousness with little effort; thus, I am pleased with those who know dharma in Kali.
व्रतचर्यापरैर् ग्राह्या वेदाः पूर्वं द्विजातिभिः ततस् तु धर्मसंप्राप्तैर् यष्टव्यं विधिवद् धनैः
Previously, the Vedas were to be learned by the twice-born through observance of vows; then, sacrifices were to be performed according to rules by those established in dharma and possessing wealth.
वृथा कथा वृथा भोज्यं वृथा स्वं च द्विजन्मनाम् पतनाय तथा भाव्यं तैस् तु संयतिभिः सह
For the twice-born, idle talk, idle eating, and idle possession lead to downfall; thus, they should live with restraint.
असम्यक्करणे दोषास् तेषां सर्वेषु वस्तुषु भोज्यपेयादिकं चैषां नेच्छाप्राप्तिकरं द्विजाः
If actions are not properly performed, faults arise in all things; for them, food and drink and the like do not bring desired results, O brahmins.
पारतन्त्र्यात् समस्तेषु तेषां कार्येषु वै ततः लोकान् क्लेशेन महता यजन्ति विनयान्विताः
Because of dependence in all their tasks, they worship the worlds with great hardship, accompanied by humility.
द्विजशुश्रूषणेनैव पाकयज्ञाधिकारवान् निजं जयति वै लोकं शूद्रो धन्यतरस् ततः
By serving the twice-born alone, a Śūdra becomes eligible for the cooked offering ritual, and thus he conquers his own world; he is therefore more blessed.
भक्ष्याभक्ष्येषु नाशास्ति येषां पापेषु वा यतः नियमो मुनिशार्दूलास् तेनासौ साध्व् इतीरितम्
For those who have no restriction regarding what is edible or in sinful acts, O best of sages, that restraint is declared to be virtuous.
स्वधर्मस्याविरोधेन नरैर् लभ्यं धनं सदा प्रतिपादनीयं पात्रेषु यष्टव्यं च यथाविधि
Wealth should always be acquired by men without violating their own duty, and it should be given to worthy recipients and offerings made according to prescribed rules.
तस्यार्जने महान् क्लेशः पालनेन द्विजोत्तमाः तथा सद्विनियोगाय विज्ञेयं गहनं नृणाम्
Great hardship attends its acquisition, and its preservation, O best of twice-born; likewise, its proper use is to be understood as difficult for men.
एभिर् अन्यैस् तथा क्लेशैः पुरुषा द्विजसत्तमाः निजाञ् जयन्ति वै लोकान् प्राजापत्यादिकान् क्रमात्
By these and other hardships, O best of twice-born, men conquer their own worlds, progressing through the realms of Prajāpati and others in order.
योषिच् छुश्रूषणाद् भर्तुः कर्मणा मनसा गिरा एतद् विषयम् आप्नोति तत्सालोक्यं यतो द्विजाः
Through service to her husband—by action, mind, and speech—a woman attains this domain, and thus, O twice-born, she achieves the same world.