In the land of Bharata, the sacred forms of Shalagrama, Hari, and Jagannatha are revered as embodiments of the Divine. The Vaishnava Puranas are honored, conch shells are blown, and the rites of shraddha and tarpan are performed with devotion. Worship of Hari, the chanting of his holy name, and the praise of his glorious deeds and virtues continue among the people. Goodness, truth, and righteousness are upheld, the Vedas are respected, and village deities are worshipped. Yet, in the age of Kali, these sacred practices become tainted. Even acts dedicated to the Divine are corrupted by left-handed rituals, filled with falsehood and deceit. The observance of Ekadashi wanes, and righteousness fades away. Deceit, cruelty, hypocrisy, and arrogance take root in the hearts of people. Society becomes divided, with men and women embroiled in disputes, and marriages fraught with conflict. The influence of women becomes all-encompassing, and promiscuity enters every household. The wife becomes the mistress of the house, while the husband is reduced to a status lower than even the servants. Those who wield power within the home are relatives tied only by birth, and the bonds between people are shaped merely by acquaintance. The ancient order of varnas—Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras—is determined only by birth and behavior. In the Kali age, the four varnas adopt the ways of mlecchas, and the noble lineages of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas find themselves serving the Shudras. Many become cooks, runners, and drivers of bullock-carts. The earth itself suffers: trees cease to bear fruit, women become barren, and affection between husbands and wives vanishes. The happiness of householders is lost. Rivers, streams, ponds, and caves dry up, and among hundreds of thousands, not a single truly virtuous person remains. Wicked occupations and disgraceful ways become common. People huddle together in small huts, and those living in the forests are oppressed by heavy taxes. Fields lie barren, and the best lands lose their purpose. Even those born in noble families become degraded in this age. The distinction between the sinful and the virtuous, the disciplined and the undisciplined, disappears. Ascetics fall into sin, and those who once devoted themselves to Vishnu turn away from devotion. Rogues don the garb of mendicants, insulting and mocking others, and these deceivers—lacking true knowledge—are nevertheless honored by society. Life itself is shortened, and youth is overtaken by old age. Girls of just eight years become young women, menstruating and even bearing children. Among thousands, some are barren, especially in this dark age. Mothers, wives, and daughters-in-law seek to earn through adultery, and even the holy names of Hari are sold for profit. People, driven by their own thoughts, transgress all boundaries, violating what belongs to themselves and others alike. Some seek the company of others’ wives, wandering wherever they please; some even go to their brothers’ wives. Abandoning the dignity of their birth, they roam without restraint. Regarding people, possessions, and villages, mutual violence erupts, and all become killers of men. Thus, in the age of Kali, chaos and unrighteousness prevail, and the sacred order of life is overturned.