Golden Age: 10,000 Years

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SrI SrI Guru Gaurangau Jayatah

 

Camp: Gopal Krsna Temple, Manama, Bahrain

DaNDavats Dear Pandava Vijaya and others. Jaya Krishna BalarAma!

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All Glories to Sreela PrabhupAda..

 

PVDasa Thank you for your letter.

 

the problem about Brahma vaivarta purana and Bhavisya purana, is that

gaudiya scholars I know, have said that certain portions are enterpolated,

(maybe someone has added some verses). so it's hard to differentiate which

verses are bona-fide from the questionable ones.

 

still non-the-less these verses are interesting, and as we know, SP

predicted that spiritual life will continue in Kali-yuga for 10000 years so

obviously SP has faith in these verses as well.

 

last year in HH BVKS nectar forums this question was given:

 

> Apparently the quote about there being a 10,000 year golden age is from

> Brahma-vaivarta Purana. Could anyone post the verse reference, Sanskrit,

> and translation?

 

Prophecy of the Golden Age

from the Brahma Vaivarta Purana

 

[ by Jahnava Nitai Das ]

(http://www.indiadivine.com/brahma-vaivarta-purana1.htm)

 

The following are ten verses from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana that were

spoken by Lord Krishna to Mother Ganga just before the beginning of Kali

yuga (the age of quarrel and strife). Kali yuga began approximately five

thousand years ago, and it has a duration of 432,000 years, leaving us with

427,000 till the end of the present age. [For a description of Kali yuga,

please read the related article "Predictions for the age of Kali".] Within

this 432,000 year period, there is a period of 10,000 years that will be a

golden age. That golden age is being described below by Lord Sri Krishna.

This text is taken from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana.

 

 

Text 49

 

bhagarathy uvaca

he natha ramanashreshtha

yasi golokamuttamam

asmakam ka gatishcatra

bhavishyati kalau yuge

 

 

Translation

 

Ganges said: O protector, Supreme enjoyer, on your departure for the perfect

abode, Goloka, thereafter what will be my situation in the age of kali?

 

Text 50

sri-bhagavan uvaca

kaleh pancasahasrani

varshani tishtha bhutale

papani papino yani

tubhyam dasyanti snanatah

 

 

Translation

 

The blessed Lord said: On the earth 5,000 years of kali will be sinful and

sinners will deposit their sins in you by bathing.

 

Comments:

 

We have presently passed through just over 5,000 years of Kali yuga. As was

predicted by Lord Krishna, this period from the end of the previous age to

the present comprising 5,000 years was a period of great degradation and

darkness. The great and ancient Vedic culture of India was lost and the

so-called followers became ritualistic practitioners, interested only in the

bodily conception of life. The four pillars of spiritual life, namely

truthfulness, austerity, cleanliness, and mercy are practically nonexistent

today, even in the so-called holy sites of pilgrimage. The general mass of

people have no interest in God, and any remnant of religion they might still

follow is simply for the purpose of economic development. In the name of God

so many sinful acts are being carried out throughout the world. Killing of

innocent animals, intoxication, illicit sex, and gambling have become common

and "natural" activities supported by the governments and religions of the

world. All of these points confirm Lord Krishna's prediction regarding the

first 5,000 years of the Kali yuga.

 

 

Text 51

man-mantropasakasparshad

bhasmibhutani tatkshanat

bhavishyanti darsanacca

snanadeva hi jahnavi

 

 

Translation

 

Thereafter by the sight and touch of those who worship me by my mantra, all

those sins will be burnt.

 

Comments:

 

Lord Krishna has said that for 5,000 years mother Ganga will purify the

sinful inhabitants of the earthly planet in the age of Kali. But where will

those accumulated sinful reactions go? Therefore Krishna says here that

those sinful reactions, accumulated for thousands of years will all be burnt

to ashes simply by a moments touch of a pure devotee of the Lord. The word

tatksanat indicates that immediately the reactions are destroyed. A moments

glimpse of a pure devotee is enough to purify the heart of a sinful man in

this age of Kali. Even mother Ganga is blessed and purified by the

association of the Lords devotees, so what to speak of fallen souls like

ourselves. We must take every opportunity to associate with the Lord's pure

devotees. This is the process of sadhu-sanga, or sat-sanga. Through

association with the saints, we come in contact directly with the Supreme

Lord. If we have such a great fortune to associate with the saintly devotees

of the Lord, our heart will be purified of all the sinful reactions

accumulated from countless lifetimes.

 

In this verse Krishna defines who are those pure devotees:

man-mantropasaka, "one who is doing upasana, or worship, of Krishna by

chanting Krishna's mantra." Krishna says literally "My mantra", man-mantra.

This mantra Krishna is referring to is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:

 

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

 

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

 

 

 

It should be noted that Krishna does not say mother Ganga will be purified

by yogis. Nor does he say she will be purified by jnanis. Nor by rishis,

tapasvis, siddhas or a host of other saintly minded men. Krishna says it

will be His pure devotees (bhaktas) who chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra

that will purify mother Ganga and the entire age of Kali. Only the chanting

of Krishna's holy name is powerful enough to purify this present age of

Kali. Therefore only the Lord's devotees have the power to bring about the

golden age within Kali yuga.

 

 

Text 52

harernamani yatraiva

puranani bhavanti hi

tatra gatva savadhanam

abhih sarddham ca shroshyasi

 

 

Translation

 

There will be chanting of the name of Hari and reading of the [bhagavata]

Purana. Reaching such a place, attentively hear.

 

Comments:

 

Here Lord Krishna describes the activities within the golden age that will

purify the Kali yuga. First and foremost is the chanting of Lord Krishna's

name, indicated by the words harernamani. This is further confirmed in the

Brihad-naradiya Purana as follows:

 

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam

 

kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyata

 

 

 

"In the age of Kali there is no other way to achieve the supreme destination

of life other than by chanting the names of Lord Hari (Krishna). There is no

other way, no other way, no other way."

 

 

 

The second activity that Lord Krishna describes is the reading of the

Bhagavata Purana, or Srimad Bhagavatam. The reading of Srimad Bhagavatam is

especially recommended by the great sage Vyasadeva for purification of the

heart:

 

 

 

srinvatam sva kathah krishnah

 

punya-sravana-kirtanah

 

hridy antah stho hy abhadrani

 

vidhunoti suhrit satam

 

 

 

"By hearing and reciting the sacred narrations of the pastimes of Lord

Krishna (within the Srimad Bhagavatam), all the bad qualities within one's

heart are cleansed."

 

 

 

Elsewhere it is stated:

 

nashta-prayushv abhadreshu

 

nityam bhagavata-sevaya

 

bhagavaty uttama-shloke

 

bhaktir bhavati naishthiki

 

"By daily reading Srimad Bhagavatam and by rendering service to the pure

devotees, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely

destroyed, and loving devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead is

established as an irrevocable fact."

 

 

 

The present age is simply a reflection of the hearts of millions of living

entities on the earthly planet. Because our hearts are polluted by kama

(lust), krodha (anger), lobha (greed) and matsarya (envy), therefore the

present age is called the age of quarrel. It is not that we are bad because

the age is bad, but rather the age is bad because our hearts are impure. The

cure for a polluted heart is described above: daily reading of the Srimad

Bhagavatam. If the entire population were to take up the reading of the

sacred text of Srimad Bhagavatam, everyone's heart would be purified and the

age of Kali would no longer be able to influence the world. Therefore in the

present age the need of the hour is to distribute the most sacred book

Srimad Bhagavatam to the entire humanity.

 

 

 

The Srimad Bhagavatam is not an ordinary book, but it is directly an

incarnation of the Lord:

 

idam bhagavatam nama

 

puranam brahma-sammitam

 

uttama-shloka-caritam

 

cakara bhagavan rishih

 

nihsreyasaya lokasya

 

dhanyam svasty-ayanam mahat

 

“This Srimad Bhagavatam is the literary incarnation of God, and it is

compiled by Srila Vyasadeva, the incarnation of God. It is meant for the

ultimate good of all people, and it is all-successful, all blissful and

all-perfect.”

 

 

 

Srimad Bhagavatam is defined as brahma sammitam because it is the sound

representative of Brahman, the absolute truth.

 

 

 

Text 53

 

purana shravanaccaiva

harernamanukirtanat

bhasmibhutani papani

brahma-hatyadikani ca

 

 

Translation

 

Sinful reactions including the killing of a brahmana can be nullified by

hearing the Purana and chanting of the names of Hari in the manner of

devotees.

 

 

Text 54

bhasmibhutani tanyeva

vaishnavalinganena ca

trinani shushkakashthani

dahanti pavako yatha

 

 

Translation

 

Just as dry grass is burnt by fire, by the embrace of My devotees all sins

are burnt.

 

Text 55

tathapi vaishnava loke

papani papinamapi

prithivyam yani tirthani

punyanyapi ca jahnavi

 

 

Translation

 

O Ganges, the whole planet will become a pilgrimage sight by the presence of

My devotees, even though it had been sinful.

 

 

Text 56

madbhaktanam sharireshu

santi puteshu samtatam

madbhaktapadarajasa

sadyah puta vasundhara

 

 

Translation

 

In the body of my devotees remains eternally [the purifier]. Mother earth

becomes pure by the dust of the feet of my devotees.

 

 

Text 57

sadyah putani tirthani

sadyah putam jagattatha

manmantropasaka vipra

ye maducchishtabhojinah

 

Translation

 

It will be the same in the case of pilgrimage sights and the whole world.

Those intelligent worshipers of my mantra who partake My remnants will

purify everything.

 

Comments:

 

In this verse the words maducchishtabhojinah are very significant. Krishna

states that those who chant His Hare Krishna maha-mantra and eat His

remnants (mad- ucchishtabhojinah ) will purify the world.

 

Human life is meant for performing sacrifice because sacrifice develops

transcendental knowledge. In the ancient times the great Kings of India

would perform very costly and magnificent sacrifices buy offering items into

a sacred fire. Even gold and costly jewels were offered into the fire as an

offering to God. In the present age such forms of sacrifice are not

possible, so the shastras prescribe a simpler form of sacrifice more

suitable for the present age by which we may develop transcendental

knowledge and advance in spiritual life

 

The first aspect of this sacrifice involves the chanting of the names of

Krishna, as that will correct any deficiencies in our other services to the

Lord due to improper circumstances, impure ingredients, irregular timing,

etc. The age of Kali is an ocean of faults. One such fault is that in this

age everything is impure. It is impossible to properly perform any sacred

activity, as the impurity of the age has affected the entire atmosphere,

from the subtle (inner) down to the physical (external). Therefore all

sacred activities in the age of Kali must be performed accompanied by the

chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

 

The second aspect of sacrifice involves the offering of all of our

foodstuffs to the Lord before consumption. This form of sacrifice purifies

the food and, when we consume it, purifies our body and mind. This sacrifice

of offering all of our food to Krishna when accompanied by the chanting of

the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is equal to the ancient sacrifices (such as

ashvamedha yajna, gomedha-yajna, rajasuya yajna, etc.) described in the

scriptures. This is further stressed by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita

(3.13):

 

 

 

yajna-shishtasinah santo

 

mucyante sarva-kilbishaih

 

bhunjate te tv agham papa

 

ye pacanty atma-karanat

 

 

 

"The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they

eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others who prepare food for

personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin."

 

 

 

 

Text 58

mameva nityam dhyayante

te mat pranadhikah priyah

tadupasparshamatrena

puto vayushca pavakah

 

 

Translation

 

They are more dear to Me than My life, who everyday meditate only on Me. The

air and fire become pure simply even by their indirect touch.

 

Text 59

kaler dasha-sahasrani

madbhaktah santi bhu-tale

ekavarna bhavishyanti

madbhakteshu gateshu ca

 

 

Translation

 

For 10,000 years of kali such devotees of mine will fill the whole planet.

After the departure of My devotees there will only be one varna [outcaste].

 

Text 60

madbhaktashunya prithivi

kaligrasta bhavishyati

etasminnantare tatra

krishnadehadvinirgatah

 

 

Translation

 

Devoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by kali. Saying this

Krishna departed.