Linga Purana

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.

युगान्तेषु भविष्यन्ति स्वरक्षणपरायणाः अट्टशूला जनपदाः शिवशूलाश्चतुष्पथाः

At the end of the age, people will be devoted only to self-preservation; villages will be plagued by thieves, and crossroads by those bearing Shiva's trident.

प्रमदाः केशशूलिन्यो भविष्यन्ति कलौ युगे चित्रवर्षी तदा देवो यदा प्राहुर्युगक्षयम्

Women will wear their hair loose in the Kali age; when the god is said to announce the end of the age, there will be strange rains.

सर्वे वणिग्जनाश्चापि भविष्यन्त्यधमे युगे कुशीलचर्याः पाषण्डैर् वृथारूपैः समावृताः

All merchants will become corrupt in the lowest age, practicing deceitful trades, surrounded by impostors in vain forms.

बहुयाजनको लोको भविष्यति परस्परम् नाव्याहृतक्रूरवाक्यो नार्जवी नानसूयकः

People will perform many sacrifices, but among themselves will speak harsh words, lacking honesty and full of slander.

न कृते प्रतिकर्ता च युगक्षीणे भविष्यति निन्दकाश्चैव पतिता युगान्तस्य च लक्षणम्

There will be no one to reciprocate good deeds when the age declines; slanderers will fall, and this is a mark of the end of the age.

नृपशून्या वसुमती न च धान्यधनावृता मण्डलानि भविष्यन्ति देशेषु नगरेषु च

The earth will be devoid of kings, and not covered with grain or wealth; regions and cities will become barren.

अल्पोदका चाल्पफला भविष्यति वसुंधरा गोप्तारश्चाप्यगोप्तारः सम्भविष्यन्त्यशासनाः

The earth will yield little water and little fruit; those who should protect will fail to do so, and lawless rulers will arise.

हर्तारः परवित्तानां परदारप्रधर्षकाः कामात्मानो दुरात्मानो ह्य् अधमाः साहसप्रियाः

There will be thieves of others' wealth, violators of others' wives, those driven by desire, evil-minded, base, and fond of violence.

प्रनष्टचेष्टनाः पुंसो मुक्तकेशाश् च शूलिनः जनाः षोडशवर्षाश् च प्रजायन्ते युगक्षये

Men will lose proper conduct, wear their hair loose, and bear tridents; at the end of the age, children will be born at sixteen years.

शुक्लदन्ताजिनाक्षाश् च मुण्डाः काषायवाससः शूद्रा धर्मं चरिष्यन्ति युगान्ते समुपस्थिते

With white teeth, skins, and eyes, shaven heads, and wearing ochre robes, Shudras will practice righteousness at the approach of the end of the age.