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"The unmanifested forces of time are so Age of Kali. They are always disturbed by _ converted into hell for the animals. In the powerful that they can reduce all matter to _ various diseases. For example, in the present Age of Kali, godless civilisations will create oblivion in due course. In Kali-yuga, the last age there are so many TB patients and TB so many so-called religious societies in which millennium of a round of four millennia, the hospitals, but formerly this was not so __ the Personality of Godhead will be directly or power of all material objects deteriorates by _ because the time was not so unfavourable." indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies the influence of time. In this age, the material of men will make the world uninhabitable for body of the people in general is reduced, and Elsewhere in the Srimad Bhagavatam, Srila _ the saner section of people. so is the memory. The action of matter has Prabhupada further reveals the degradation of "Beef is forbidden in the scriptures, and the also not so much incentive. The land does not human society: bulls and cows are offered special protection produce food grains in the same proportions "In the Kali-yuga, the population is justa by the followers of the Vedas. But in this as it did in other ages. The cow does not give _ royal edition of the animals. They have noth- Age of Kali, people will exploit the body of as much milk as it did formerly. The produc- ing to do with spiritual knowledge or godly _ the bull and the cow as they like, and thus tion of vegetables and fruits is less than __ religious life. They are so blind that they can- __ they will invite sufferings of various types. before. As such, all living beings, both men _ not see anything beyond the jurisdiction of the "The people of this age will not perform and animals, do not have sumptuous, nourish- subtle mind, intelligence or ego, but they are any sacrifice. The Mleccha population will ing food. Due to want of so many necessities very much proud of their advancement in care very little for performances of sacrifices, of life, naturally the duration of life is | knowledge, science and material prosperity. although performance of sacrifice is essential reduced, the memory is short, intelligence is They can risk their lives to become a dog or for persons who are materially engaged in meagre, mutual dealings are full of hypocrisy. hog just after leaving the present body, for sense enjoyment. The Mlecchas, however, "The great sage Vyasadeva could see this _ they have completely lost sight of the ultimate make plans to install slaughterhouses for by his transcendental vision. As an astrologer _ aim of life." killing bulls and cows along with other ani- can see the future fate of a man, or an — Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.43 mals, thinking that they will prosper by astronomer can foretell the solar and lunar increasing the number of factories and live on eclipses, those liberated souls who can see "The people of the world in this Age of animal food without caring for performance through the scriptures can foretell the future Kali are always full of anxieties. Everyone is _ of sacrifices and production of grains. of mankind. They can see this due to their diseased with some kind of ailment. From the "In this Age of Kali, the women and the sharp vision of spiritual attainment. very faces of the people of this age, one can children, along with the Brahmanas and cows, "And all such transcendentalists, who are find out the index of the mind. Everyone _ will be grossly neglected and left unprotected. naturally devotees of the Lord, are always _ feels the absence of his relative who is away _ In this age, illicit connection with women will eager to render welfare service to the people from home. The particular symptom of the render many women and children uncared for. in general. They are the real friends of the Age of Kali is that no family is now blessed to Circumstantially, the women will try to people in general, not the so-called public _ live together. To earn a livelihood, the father become independent of the protection of men, leaders who are unable to see what is going to _ lives at a place far away from the son, or the and marriage will be performed as a matter of happen five minutes ahead. In this age, the _ wife lives far away from the husband and so _ formal agreement between man and woman. people in general as well as their so-called on. There are sufferings from internal dis- In most cases the children will not be taken leaders are all unlucky fellows, faithless in eases, separations from those near and dear, _ care of properly. spiritual knowledge and influenced by the and anxieties for maintaining the status quo. "The Brahmanas are traditionally intelligent These are but some men, and thus they will be able to pick up important factors which modern education to the topmost rank, but as make the people of this far as moral and religious principles are con- age always unhappy. cerned, they shall be the most fallen. "With the progress of | Education and bad character go ill together, the Age of Kali, four _ but such things will run parallel. The admin- things particularly— istrative heads as a class will condemn the namely, the duration of _ tenets of Vedic wisdom and will prefer to life, mercy, the power of — conduct a so-called secular state, and the so- recollection, and moral called educated Brahmanas will be purchased or religious principles— _ by such unscrupulous administrators. Even a will gradually diminish. _ philosopher and writer of many books on reli- Since dharma, or the _ gious principles may also accept an exalted principles of religion, post in a government which denies all the would be lost in the pro- moral codes of the sastras. The Brahmanas portion of three out of are specifically restricted from accepting such four, the symbolic bull service. But in this age they will not only is standing on one leg _ accept service, but they will do so even if it is only. When three- of the meanest quality. These are some of the fourths of the whole symptoms of the Kali Age which are harmful world becomes irreli- _ to the general welfare of human society. gious, the situation is "In this age, people are indulging in the "Sorry we're late. We went to the wrong house in a parallel universe." "Sorry we're late. We went to the wrong house in a parallel universe." 62 = NEXUS — Srimad Bhagavatam 1.3.43 www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2003