Linga Purana

शातातपो वसिष्ठश् च एवमाद्यैः सहस्रशः अवृष्टिर्मरणं चैव तथा व्याध्याद्युपद्रवाः

Śātātapa and Vasiṣṭha—thus, with others by the thousands; drought, death, and likewise diseases and other afflictions arise.

वाङ्मनःकर्मजैर् दुःखैर् निर्वेदो जायते ततः निर्वेदाज्जायते तेषां दुःखमोक्षविचारणा

From sufferings caused by speech, mind, and actions, disillusionment arises; from disillusionment comes inquiry into liberation from suffering.

विचारणाच्च वैराग्यं वैराग्याद्दोषदर्शनम् दोषाणां दर्शनाच्चैव द्वापरे ज्ञानसंभवः

From inquiry arises detachment; from detachment, the perception of faults; and from perceiving faults, knowledge arises in the Dvāpara age.

एषा रजस्तमोयुक्ता वृत्तिर् वै द्वापरे स्मृता आद्ये कृते तु धर्मो ऽस्ति स त्रेतायां प्रवर्तते

This conduct, characterized by passion and darkness, is known in the Dvāpara age; in the first, Kṛta, righteousness exists, and in Tretā it prevails.

द्वापरे व्याकुलीभूत्वा प्रणश्यति कलौ युगे

In Dvāpara, righteousness becomes disturbed, and in the Kali age it is destroyed.

तिष्ये मायामसूयां च वधं चैव तपस्विनाम् साधयन्ति नरास्तत्र तमसा व्याकुलेन्द्रियाः

In Tiṣya and Māyāmasū, and in the killing of ascetics, men there, with senses disturbed by darkness, accomplish such acts.

कलौ प्रमादको रोगः सततं क्षुद्भयानि च अनावृष्टिभयं घोरं देशानां च विपर्ययः

In Kali, heedlessness, disease, constant hunger and fear, dreadful fear of drought, and the disorder of lands prevail.

न प्रामाण्यं श्रुतेरस्ति नृणां चाधर्मसेवनम् अधार्मिकास्त्वनाचारा महाकोपाल्पचेतसः

There is no authority of scripture among men, and unrighteous conduct prevails; the unrighteous are unrestrained, greatly angry, and of little understanding.

अनृतं ब्रुवते लुब्धास् तिष्ये जाताश् च दुष्प्रजाः दुरिष्टैर्दुरधीतैश् च दुराचारैर्दुरागमैः

The greedy speak falsehood; in Tiṣya, wicked offspring are born, with evil deeds, poor learning, bad conduct, and improper approaches.

विप्राणां कर्म दोषेण प्रजानां जायते भयम् नाधीयन्ते तदा वेदान् न यजन्ति द्विजातयः

Because of the faults in the actions of the Brahmins, fear arises among the people; at that time, they do not study the Vedas, nor do the twice-born perform sacrifices.

उत्सीदन्ति नराश्चैव क्षत्रियाश् च विशः क्रमात् शूद्राणां मन्त्रयोगेन संबन्धो ब्राह्मणैः सह

Men and Kshatriyas decline, and the common people in turn; through the use of mantras, Shudras become connected with Brahmins.

भवतीह कलौ तस्मिञ् शयनासनभोजनैः राजानः शूद्रभूयिष्ठा ब्राह्मणान् बाधयन्ति ते

In that Kali age, by sharing beds, seats, and meals, kings who are mostly Shudras oppress the Brahmins.

भ्रूणहत्या वीरहत्या प्रजायन्ते प्रजासु वै शूद्राश् च ब्राह्मणाचाराः शूद्राचाराश् च ब्राह्मणाः

Killing of embryos and heroes arises among the people; Shudras follow the conduct of Brahmins, and Brahmins follow the conduct of Shudras.

राजवृत्तिस्थिताश् चौराश् चौराचाराश् च पार्थिवाः एकपत्न्यो न शिष्यन्ति वर्धिष्यन्त्यभिसारिकाः

Thieves maintain royal duties, and kings act like thieves; women who have only one husband will not remain, and those who approach others will increase.

वर्णाश्रमप्रतिष्ठानो जायते नृषु सर्वतः तदा स्वल्पफला भूमिः क्वचिच्चापि महाफला

The establishment of the varnas and ashramas disappears everywhere among people; then the earth yields little fruit, though sometimes it yields much.

अरक्षितारो हर्तारः पार्थिवाश् च शिलाशन शूद्रा वै ज्ञानिनः सर्वे ब्राह्मणैरभिवन्दिताः

O stone-eater, kings who should protect become thieves and robbers; all Shudras become learned and are honored by Brahmins.

अक्षत्रियाश् च राजानो विप्राः शूद्रोपजीविनः आसनस्था द्विजान्दृष्ट्वा न चलन्त्यल्पबुद्धयः

Kings are not Kshatriyas, and Brahmins live by serving Shudras; seeing the twice-born seated, the ignorant do not rise.

ताडयन्ति द्विजेन्द्रांश् च शूद्रा वै स्वल्पबुद्धयः आस्ये निधाय वै हस्तं कर्णं शूद्रस्य वै द्विजाः

Shudras of little understanding strike the best of the twice-born; Brahmins place their hand on the mouth or ear of a Shudra.

नीचस्येव तदा वाक्यं वदन्ति विनयेन तम् उच्चासनस्थान् शूद्रांश् च द्विजमध्ये द्विजर्षभ

At that time, they speak to him humbly as if to a low person; O best of the twice-born, Shudras sit on high seats among Brahmins.

ज्ञात्वा न हिंसते राजा कलौ कालवशेन तु पुष्पैश् च वासितैश्चैव तथान्यैर् मङ्गलैः शुभैः

Knowing, the king does not harm in the Kali age, being subject to time; with flowers, perfumes, and other auspicious things.

शूद्रानभ्यर्चयन्त्यल्पश्रुतभाग्यबलान्विताः न प्रेक्षन्ते गर्विताश् च शूद्रा द्विजवरान् द्विज

Those endowed with little learning, fortune, and strength worship Shudras; the proud Shudras do not look at the best of the twice-born, O Brahmin.

सेवावसरम् आलोक्य द्वारे तिष्ठन्ति वै द्विजाः वाहनस्थान् समावृत्य शूद्राञ्शूद्रोपजीविनः

Seeing an opportunity for service, Brahmins stand at the door; Shudras and those living off Shudras surround those on vehicles.

सेवन्ते ब्राह्मणास्तत्र स्तुवन्ति स्तुतिभिः कलौ तपोयज्ञफलानां च विक्रेतारो द्विजोत्तमाः

There, Brahmins serve and praise with hymns in the Kali age; the best of the twice-born sell the fruits of austerity and sacrifice.

यतयश् च भविष्यन्ति बहवो ऽस्मिन्कलौ युगे पुरुषाल्पं बहुस्त्रीकं युगान्ते समुपस्थिते

In this Kali age, there will be many ascetics; as the age ends, men will be few and women will be many.

निन्दन्ति वेदविद्यां च द्विजाः कर्माणि वै कलौ कलौ देवो महादेवः शङ्करो नीललोहितः

In the Kali age, the twice-born criticize Vedic knowledge and actions; in Kali, the god Mahadeva Shankara, blue and red in hue—

प्रकाशते प्रतिष्ठार्थं धर्मस्य विकृताकृतिः ये तं विप्रा निषेवन्ते येन केनापि शङ्करम्

—appears in a distorted form for the sake of establishing dharma; Brahmins serve Shankara in whatever manner they can.

कलिदोषान् विनिर्जित्य प्रयान्ति परमं पदम् श्वापदप्रबलत्वं च गवां चैव परिक्षयः

Overcoming the faults of Kali, they attain the supreme state; wild beasts become powerful, and cows are diminished.

साधूनां विनिवृत्तिश् च वेद्या तस्मिन्युगक्षये तदा सूक्ष्मो महोदर्को दुर्लभो दानमूलवान्

The departure of the virtuous is to be known at the end of the age; then, subtle yet immense, rare, and rooted in charity.

चातुराश्रमशैथिल्ये धर्मः प्रतिचलिष्यति अरक्षितारो हर्तारो बलिभागस्य पार्थिवाः

When the four stages of life become lax, righteousness will falter; rulers will neither protect nor collect tribute, but will plunder instead.