[vedic-culture] Kali Yuga and Sri Yukteshwar

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At 06:47 22/03/99 -0000, you wrote:

>There was mention of an academic debate regarding the date Kali Yuga

began. Is there not reason to debate whether or not we are presently in

Kali Yuga?

>

>According to Sri Yukeshwar's calculations as described in his book, The

Holy Science, we are presently in the 299th year of the ascending Dwarpara

Yuga. I believe his case for this calculation to be rational, sound and

compelling. I realize this is probably not news because Yukteshwar wrote

his words in 1894, but it warrants mention.

>

>As a servant and devotee of the Guru Principle, the Grace-Bestowing power

of God, these words ring true for me. For anyone who has yet to read The

Holy Science, I recommend it.

>

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>

 

In all humility let us judge a tree by it's obvious fruits.

 

The Satya Yuga and Dwarpara Yugas are in themselves resplendent with

auspiciousness. Shastra like the Srimad Bhagavatam resounds with their

glories, and further declares how Lord Sri Krishna left this world just

prior to the advent of the present Kali yuga.

 

In the 12 Skandha / Canto of that book, which was written by the literary

incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Srila Krishna Dwarpayana

Vyas many of the attributes of the Kali Yuga are ethnologically described

that we are today ethnographically experiencing.

 

Please rely on the Pramana (Sruti) as a source of truth and not that of

mathematical calculations, or intuitive speculations of various people

however great.

 

There are many atheists out in the world who would like to say that Krishna

is / was not a real person, and that the sequence of events as He said they

happened, did not. there are also persons out in the world who, while

dressing even as followers of the Vedic Dharma preach against it. These all

in themselves are not symptoms of Dwarpara yuga or Satya Yuga, but of the

present Kali Yuga.

 

While we speak of Guru Paramparas, according to the authorised shastra

there are Four bona fide sampradayas; Sri (coming from Laxmi devi through

Ramanujacarya), Brahma (coming from lord Brahma through Madhwacarya),

Kumara (coming down from Sanak Adi through Nimbarkacarya), and Rudra

(coming down through Vishnu Swami and Valabhacarya). Others may lay claim

to be authorised but according to the revealed scriptures such as Padma

Puran it is not so.

 

sampradaya vihina ye

mantras te nisphala matah

atah kalan bhavisyanti

catvarah sampradayinah

 

sri-brahma-rudra-sanaka

vaisnavah ksiti-pavanah

catvaras te kalan bhavya

hy utkale purusottamat

 

"Unless one is initiated by a bona-fide spiritual master in the disciplic

succession, the mantra one may have received is without effect. For this

reason the four Vaisnava disciplic successions, inaugurated by Laxmi Devi

(Sri Sampradaya - Ramanuja), Lord Brahma (the Brahma Sampradaya - Madhwa),

Lord Siva (the Rudra Sampradaya - Visnu-Swamin), and the four Kumaras (from

Sanaka Kumara - Nimbarka) who will come to Jagannatha Puri - Purusottam

Ksetra, Utkal, and purify the entire earth during the age of Kali."(Padma

Purana)

 

And guess what, they have all appeared......!

 

"When the second millenium ('Dwarpa Yuga') overlapped the third ('Treta

Yuga'), the great sage Srila Vyasadeva was born to Parasara Muni in the

womb of Satyati, the daughter of Vasu (the fisherman)."(Srimad Bhagavatam

1:4:14.).

 

"In this yuga the son of Parasara, who is glorified as a part of Visnu and

who is known as Dvaipayana, the vanquisher of all enemies, became Srila

Vyasa. Urged by Brahma, he undertook the task of classifying the Vedas.

Srila Vyasa accepted four disciples to preserve and continue the Vedas.

They were Jaimini who took care of the Sama Veda, Sumantu - the Atharva

Veda, Vaisampayana - the Yajur Veda and Paila - the Rg Veda, and for the

Itihasa and Puranas - Lomaharsana."(Sri Vayu Purana 60:10-16.).

According to Vayu Purana it says, "Previously there have been twenty-eight

Vyasas, but when the twenty-eighth appears, Lord Visnu, the most Glorious,

Great Father of the three worlds, becomes Dvaipayana Vyasa. Then Lord Sri

Krsna, the best amongst the Yadus will be born of Vasudeva and will be

known as Vasudeva. Then in due course I (Vayu) will come in the form of an

ascetic and assuming the body of a religious student, will surprise the

world by means of the Lord's 'yoga maya'." (Vayu Purana 23:206-208.)

 

When Parikshit maharaj saw the ruler of the Kali yuga approaching

(symptomised by the dark complexioned sudra adorned with low character) he

knew the advent of the Kali yuga was upon us. The scenario is set out in

the Srimad Bhagavatam Skandha / Canto one (Maha Bhagavat Purana).

 

(The sanskrit here is to be read with the Balaram font)

catväri tréëi dve caikaà

kåtädiñu yathä-kramam

saìkhyätäni sahasräëi

dvi-guëäni çatäni ca

SYNONYMS

catväri—four; tréëi—three; dve—two; ca—also; ekam—one; kåta-ädiñu—in the

Satya-yuga; yathä-kramam—and subsequently others; saìkhyätäni—numbering;

sahasräëi—thousands; dvi-guëäni—twice; çatäni—hundreds; ca—also.

TRANSLATION

The duration of the Satya millennium equals 4,800 years of the years of the

demigods; the duration of the Dväpara millennium equals 2,400 years; and

that of the Kali millennium is 1,200 years of the demigods.

 

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada's PURPORT.

"As aforementioned, one year of the demigods is equal to 360 years of the

human beings. The duration of the Satya-yuga is therefore 4,800 x 360, or

1,728,000 years. The duration of the Tretä-yuga is 3,600 x 360, or

1,296,000 years. The duration of the Dväpara-yuga is 2,400 x 360, or

864,000 years. And the last, the Kali-yuga, is 1,200 x 360, or 432,000

years."(SB 3.11.20. purport.)

 

In the Srimad Bhagavatam a cronological list of descendants has been

listed, giving the duration of each dynasty through the subsequent ages.

Sukadeva Gosvämi said: The last king mentioned in our previous enumeration

of the future rulers of the Mägadha dynasty was Puranjaya, who will take

birth as the descendant of Båhadratha. Puranjaya’s minister Sunaka will

assassinate the king and install his own son, Pradyota, on the throne. The

son of Pradyota will be Pälaka, his son will be Visäkhayüpa, and his son

will be Räjaka.(SB. 12.1.2.)

The son of Räjaka will be Nandivardhana, and thus in the Pradyotana

dynasty there will be five kings, who will enjoy the earth for 138

years.(SB 12.1.3.)

Nandivardhana will have a son named Sisunäga, and his son will be known as

Käkavarëa. The son of Käkavarëa will be Kshemadharmä, and the son of

Kshemadharmä will be Kshetrajïa.(SB 12.1.4)

The son of Kshetrajïa will be Vidhisära, and his son will be Ajätashatru.

Ajätashatru will have a son named Darbhaka, and his son will be Ajaya.(SB

12.1.5.)

Ajaya will father a second Nandivardhana, whose son will be Mahänandi. O

best of the Kurus, these ten kings of the Shisunäga dynasty will rule the

earth for a total of 360 years during the age of Kali. My dear Parikshit,

King Mahänandi will father a very powerful son in the womb of a shüdra

woman. He will be known as Nanda and will be the master of millions of

soldiers and fabulous wealth. He will wreak havoc among the kshatriyas, and

from that time onward virtually all kings will be irreligious shüdras(SB

12.1.6-8.)

That lord of Mahäpadma, King Nanda, will rule over the entire earth just

like a second Parashuräma, and no one will challenge his authority.(SB

12.1.9.)

He will have eight sons, headed by Sumälya, who will control the earth as

powerful kings for one hundred years.(SB 12.1.10.)

A certain brähmaëa [Cänakya] will betray the trust of King Nanda and his

eight sons and will destroy their dynasty. In their absence the Mauryas

will rule the world as the age of Kali continues.(SB 12.1.11.)

This brähmana will enthrone Candragupta, whose son will be named Värisära.

The son of Värisära will be Ashokavardhana.(Modern historians recognize

both the Maurya dynasty and Candragupta, the king mentioned herein)(SB

12.1.12.)

Ashokavardhana will be followed by Suyashä, whose son will be Saìgata. His

son will be Shälishüka, Shälishüka’s son will be Somasharmä, and

Somasharmä’s son will be Shatadhanvä. His son will be known as

Brhadratha.(SB 12.1.13.)

 

mauryä hy ete daça nåpäù

sapta-triàçac-chatottaram

samä bhokñyanti påthivéà

kalau kuru-kulodvaha

 

O best of the Kurus, these ten Maurya kings will rule the earth for 137

years of the Kali-yuga.(SB 12.1.14.)

 

My dear King Parikshit, Agnimitra will follow as king, and then Sujyesthha.

Sujyesthha will be followed by Vasumitra, Bhadraka, and the son of

Bhadraka, Pulinda. Then the son of Pulinda, named Ghoña, will rule,

followed by Vajramitra, Bhägavata and Devabhüti. In this way, O most

eminent of the Kuru heroes, ten Shunga kings will rule over the earth for

more than one hundred years. Then the earth will come under the subjugation

of the kings of the Känva dynasty, who will manifest very few good

qualities.(SB 12.1.15-17.)

PURPORT

According to Shrila Shrédhara Svämi, the Shunga dynasty began when General

Pushpamitra killed his king, Båhadratha, and assumed power. After

Pushpamitra came Agnimitra and the rest of the Shunga dynasty, which lasted

for 112 years.

 

Vasudeva, an intelligent minister coming from the Känva family, will kill

the last of the Sunga kings, a lusty debauchee named Devabhüti, and assume

rulership himself.(SB 12.1.18.)

 

tasya putras tu bhümitras

tasya näräyaëaù sutaù

käëväyanä ime bhümià

catväriàçac ca païca ca

çatäni tréëi bhokñyanti

varñäëäà ca kalau yuge

 

SYNONYMS

tasya—of him (Vasudeva); putraù—the son; tu—and; bhümitraù—Bhümitra;

tasya—his; näräyaëaù—Näräyaëa; sutaù—the son; käëva-ayanäù—kings of the

Käëva dynasty; ime—these; bhümim—the earth; catväriàçat—forty; ca—and;

païca—five; ca—and; çatäni—hundreds; tréëi—three; bhokñyanti—they will

rule; varñäëäm—years; ca—and; kalau yuge—in the Kali-yuga.

 

TRANSLATION

The son of Vasudeva will be Bhümitra, and his son will be Näräyana. These

kings of the Känva dynasty will rule the earth for 345 more years of the

Kali-yuga.(SB 12.1.19.)

 

The brother of Balé, named Kåñëa, will become the next ruler of the earth.

His son will be Çäntakarëa, and his son will be Paurëamäsa. The son of

Paurëamäsa will be Lambodara, who will father Mahäräja Cibilaka. From

Cibilaka will come Meghasväti, whose son will be Aöamäna. The son of

Aöamäna will be Aniñöakarmä. His son will be Häleya, and his son will be

Talaka. The son of Talaka will be Puréñabhéru, and following him Sunandana

will become king. Sunandana will be followed by Cakora and the eight Bahus,

among whom Çivasväti will be a great subduer of enemies. The son of

Çivasväti will be Gomaté. His son will be Purémän, whose son will be

Medaçirä. His son will be Çivaskanda, and his son will be Yajïaçré. The son

of Yajïaçré will be Vijaya, who will have two sons, Candravijïa and

Lomadhi. These thirty kings will enjoy sovereignty over the earth for a

total of 456 years, O favorite son of the Kurus.

SB 12.1.20-26)

 

Then will follow seven kings of the Äbhéra race from the ciq of Avabhåti,

and then ten Gardabhés. After them, sixteen kings of the Kaìkas will rule

and will be known for their excessive greed.27.

 

Eight Yavanas will then take power, followed by fourteen Turuñkas, ten

Guruëòas and eleven kings of the Maula dynasty.28.

 

These Äbhéras, Gardabhés and Kaìkas will enjoy the earth for 1,099 years,

and the Maulas will rule for 300 years. When all of them have died off

there will appear in the city of Kilakilä a dynasty of kings consisting of

Bhütananda, Vaìgiri, Çiçunandi, Çiçunandi’s brother Yaçonandi, and

Pravéraka. These kings of Kilakilä will hold sway for a total of 106

years.29-31.

 

The Kilakiläs will be followed by their thirteen sons, the Bählikas, and

after them King Puñpamitra, his son Durmitra, seven Andhras, seven Kauçalas

and also kings of the Vidüra and Niñadha provinces will separately rule in

different parts of the world.

SB 12.1.32-33.

 

There will then appear a king of the Mägadhas named Viçvasphürji, who will

be like another Puraïjaya. He will turn all the civilized classes into

low-class, uncivilized men in the same category as the Pulindas, Yadus and

Madrakas.34.

 

Foolish King Viçvasphürji will maintain all the citizens in ungodliness and

will use his power to completely disrupt the kñatriya order. From his

capital of Padmavaté he will rule that part of the earth extending from the

source of the Gaìgä to Prayäga.

SB 12.1.35.

 

At that time the brähmaëas of such provinces as Çauräñöra, Avanté, Äbhéra,

Çüra, Arbuda and Mälava will forget all their regulative principles, and

the members of the royal order in these places will become no better than

çüdras.

SB 12.1.36.

 

The land along the Sindhu River, as well as the districts of Candrabhägä,

Kaunté and Käshméra, will be ruled by çüdras, fallen brähmaëas and

meat-eaters. Having given up the path of Vedic civilization, they will have

lost all spiritual strength.37.

 

There will be many such uncivilized kings ruling at the same time, O King

Parékshit, and they will all be uncharitable, possessed of fierce tempers,

and great devotees of irreligion and falsity.38

 

These barbarians in the guise of kings will devour the citizenry, murdering

innocent women, children, cows and brähmaëas and coveting the wives and

property of other men. They will be erratic in their moods, have little

strength of character and be very short-lived. Indeed, not purified by any

Vedic rituals and lacking in the practice of regulative principles, they

will be completely covered by the modes of passion and ignorance.SB

12.1.39-40 (do these not describe the people of the present age -

certainly not those of the Dwarpara or Satya yugas)

 

At the end of the Ninth Canto of Shrémad-Bhägavatam, it is stated that

Ripunjaya, or Puranjaya, the first king mentioned in this chapter, ended

his rule about one thousand years after the time of Lord Krishna. Since

Lord Krishna appeared approximately five thousand years ago, Puranjaya must

have appeared about four thousand years ago. That would mean that

Vishvasphürji, the last king mentioned, would have appeared approximately

in the twelfth century of the Christian era.

Modern Western atheistic scholars have made the false accusation that

Indian religious literature has no sense of chronological history. But the

elaborate historical chronology described in this chapter certainly refutes

that naive assessment.

 

Incidently, the next chapter of this work is entitled "Symptoms of the Kali

Yuga"!!!

 

You can take the time to read the rest, and work it out for yourselves if

you so desire. But here I state that we are already in the Kali Yuga, just

over 5100 years following in the conclusions of the revealed scriptures.

 

Besides these obvious statements, there are many more incidences mentioned

in other related works, such as Bhavishya Purana where in the Kaliyuga

khandha of the Pratisargaparva 19th chapter many great devotees of Lord

Krishna who appeared in this age already that we recognise are listed

giving their co-ordinants, something of their life's mission and

instructive analysis of their natures.

 

The validity of this is echoed by all the Acaryas; Ramanujacarya,

Nimbarkacarya, Vishnu Swami, Madhwacarya, Baladev Vidyabhushana,

Viraraghava Swami, Vadiraj Tirtha, Jaya Tirtha, Vyasa Tirtha (Vyasaraya),

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and even in the present day Thakura Bhaktivinoda

(Kedarnath Datta), Jagannath das babaji maharaj, (Bhakti) Siddhanta

Saraswati, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad.

 

Yours in the service of the servants of Lord Sri Krishna,

 

Pt JTCd

 

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