The Age of Kali: From the Perspective of Hinduism

Traditional Hinduism teaches about the cyclic nature of time, and one cycle is divided into four unequal parts which are called 'Yugas'. There are 71 Yuga Cycles in a Manvantara (Age of Manu) and 1,000 Yuga Cycles in a Kalpa (Day of Brahma). Each of the four Yugas involves stages of evolution. Although there is a debate amongst scholars about the duration of these ages, it is understood that ratio of duration of all the ages from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga is 4:3:2:1.

Satya Yuga was the first and the most virtuous age in The Cycle of Hindu clock. It is said that Satyug lasted for about 1,728,000 years and was marked by the highest standards of morality, righteousness, and spirituality. The name ‘Satya’ meant truth, and during that Yuga, truth and virtue were above all.

During Satyug, humans were pure and their nature was the epitome of goodness. They were honest, virtuous, and lived in harmony with nature and each other. During Satyug, there was no concept of crime, deceit, or falsehood and humans were spiritually advanced, closest to God, and had no deceit in their heart.

Tretayug came after Satyug and is said to last around 1,296,000 years. As compared to Satyug, Tretayug was a slight detour from honesty and virtue. During Treta Yuga, the nature of humans changed a little and while truth and righteousness was still on top, there was the new concept of ‘Desire’. It is said that with the emergence of desire, there came ego and ambition. Humans started to perform rituals and sacrifices to maintain their connection with the divine, and while people were still mentally powerful, their desire often became a hurdle.

The biggest event of Tretayug was the occurrence of Ramayana, that highlights the ideals of duty, loyalty, and the struggle against evil.

Dwaparyug is the third age, which is believed to last for about 864,000 years. Dwapar was the age when society began to decline morally and spiritually and Dharma was reduced to half its strength. In Dwaparyug, the nature of humans was more complex and challenging. Although people were still very religious and spiritual, in their minds some new emotions had made home. It is said that doubt, jealousy, and conflicts made their way during the Dwaparyug and as people began to trade, there was much more focus on wealth building rather than spiritual development.

The biggest event of Dwaparyug was the occurrence of ‘Mahabharata’. And the themes of Mahabharata, for example, the struggle for power, wars, jealousy, desire for annexations, etc, were what defined that Yuga.

Now, comes Kali, the age of darkness that lasts for 432,000 years. It started around 3,000 BC and has only just started. A few symptoms as per scriptures like Bhavishya puran and the Bhagwatam;

1). People will not think twice before cutting down trees or destroying groves.

2). Everyone will eat the same kind of food (i.e. will lack discrimination in matters of food and food-habits).

3). Even though having the outward appearance of saints, people will indulge in trade and commercial activity.

4). During Kaliyuga a man will be friends only with his wife. A man will consider only those people to be his relatives who are related to him through his wife.

5). Whoever has money will be considered of noble birth and as having good qualities. The one who has power in his hands will be able steer the course of justice in his favor.

6). The one who lacks money and cannot bribe will be deprived of justice by the courts.

7). People will consider far-off water bodies as pilgrimage but neglect pilgrimages near to them (for example living with parents and serving them).

8). Brahmins will start performing the tasks which otherwise shudras are supposed to perform. (The meaning of Brahmins, Shudras etc has become totally distorted with time as per my opinion).

9). Brahmins will abstain from sacrifices and the study of Vedas.(Sacrifice doesnot mean killing of animals etc).

10). People will stop making offerings to their ancestors.

11). Brahmins will start eating anything (i.e. they become indiscriminate in their food habits).

12). Men will have shorter life span and be feeble in strength. They will be weak in energy and valour.

13). During Kaliyuga, women will use their mouths for copulation.

14). Under the burden of excess taxation, householders will turn into robbers.

15). In ashramas, brahmacharis will indulge in evil conduct and pander to the desires of the world. The ashrams will be full of show-offs who are experts in the art of living off the food of others.

16). When Kaliyuga degenerates even further, people who follow Dharma are seen to have an ever smaller life.

17). People will sell goods with false weights. There will be a lot of deceit associated with trade.

18). Towards the end of Kaliyuga, the young one act like the old. The conduct that suits the young is seen in the old. The old will think like children and the young will have the intelligence of the old.

19). In Kaliyuga, people abbreviate the truth; because of this harm done to the truth, lifespans are shortened.

20). Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas will beget children with each other, and become like shudras, devoid of austerities and truth.

21). Because of the shortage of cows, people will resort to drinking goat and sheep-milk.

22). In Kaliyuga, rules about what is to be eaten are transgressed.

23). Brahmins will not observe sacred vows but will criticize the Vedas. Deluded by logic they will give up worship and yajnas.

24). At the end of Kaliyuga, the world will be overtaken by mlechha conduct. There will be no rites and sacrifices. There will be unhappiness everywhere and no festivals will be celebrated.

25). Men will rob possessions of others, even that of widows.

26). Men will happily accept gifts given even by the evil.

27). When the end of Kaliyiga is near, the Kshatriyas will be the thorns of the world. They will not protect others.

28). No one will ask for a girl's hand in marriage; no one will duly give away a girl in marriage. When Kaliyuga is fully ripe, men and women will choose their spouses themselves.

29). Kings, discontented with what they possess, will use every means possible to steal the property of others.

30). When kaliyuga is fully advanced, one hand will steal from the other.

31). Cowards will take pride in their bravery and the brave will be immersed in depression like cowards.

32). During the final stages of Kaliyuga, there will be no Brahmins, Kshatriyas or Vaishyas left. At the end of Kaliyuga the world will have only one varna.

33). Wives will not tend to their husbands. Men and women will eat whatever they wish.

34). People will adorn themselves with the marks of a sadhu, i.e. there will be profusion of fake sadhus.

35). (Cooked) food will be sold at all major thoroughfares (according to shastras selling of cooked food is a sin; this is because everyone has a right to food, whether he has money or not).

36). When Kaliyuga is fully advanced, each will act as he wishes (human rights).

37). Brahmins will be oppressed by Shudras and thus tormented the former will wander all over the earth looking for protection.

38). Shudras will expound on Dharma and the Brahmins will listen to their discourses and serve them. Everything in the world will be utterly upside down.

39). Discarding the gods, bones set into walls will be worshipped.

40). Men will be addicted to meat and liquor and will be weak in Dharma.

41). Rains will shower down at the wrong time.

42). Overcome by the burden of taxation, Brahmins will flee in the ten directions.

43). Friends and relatives will act only out of love for wealth.

44). Women will be harsh and cruel in speech and will love to cry. They will not follow the words of their husbands.

45). Travelers in transit (guests) will ask for food and water but will not receive it. They will be refused shelter and will be forced to sleep on the roads.

46). People will leave their own countries and seek refuge in other countries, directions, regions, etc, and will roam around the world lamenting 'Alas, Father!', 'Alas, son.'

47). Mutual liking between the boy and girl, and not family pedigree or social status etc will be criterion for selecting a spouse. (This point like a few others, I attribute to Kaliyuga itself as 'Swayam vara' used to be common practise among royal Hindu households, so take this info with a pinch of salt).

48). Cheating will be the order of the day in business relations.

49). Sexual skill will be the criterion for excellence in men and women.

50). The only mark of evil will be poverty.

The above points relate only to the starting of Kaliyuga. There are far more graphic details as to what is about to come.

The above information used to be common knowledge among any practising Hindu household which has become rare these days, and is freely available on the internet.

All this is theory, of course, and a lot of this is info made by minds which have been adulterated with Kali itself so you are free to pick and choose.

Apart from this I have also read some Jain and Sikh sources, like the 'Vichhitra Natak' by guru Gobind Singh, which is far more graphic and even talks about incest becoming a common practice and 9 year old girls becoming mothers etc.

Recently came in touch with an advanced sadhak of Hanumanji who talked to me about some things which he has seen in advanced stages of Dhyana. Although, most such information has to be kept secret, as is the rule with any good 'Shakti', because such visions are a gift given by a deity to a Sadhaka when he/she is considered as suitable to handle such knowledge and is not to be shared with common people but since we are all anonymous here, I think I can share a few points which you won't find on the net.

First, he said that beware of all those people who are saying that the 'Kaliyuga' is about to end and a new era of peace etc is soon going to come in this world. Such people are not to be trusted at all. A time of darkness is fast approaching the world. Although 432,000 years is a very long period, so there will be many local maximas and minimas in terms of human consciousness on the planet, the general trend will be steep decline in human capacities be it intellectual, physical, emotional or spiritual.

Second, massive death tolls are going to become the norm soon. Nuclear damage will be done to the planet and the air would soon become poisonous. The heat during daytime will be so destructive that mankind will become nocturnal and indifferent to the mass casualties happening all around.

Cannibalism would become a common practice to such an extent that there would be shops selling human flesh in the freaking market. Cattle and livestock will become almost extinct and there will be massive depopulation on the planet. Horses will become extinct. (I cannot elaborate this as he forbade me to give further information regarding this point to the public).

We talked about parallel universes and aliens etc but with regards to this Earth (apparently there are multiple such planets according to him), false religions, fake prophets and occult practices are going to increase manifold in the near future. The tendency to commit heinous acts of violence with little or no remorse is going to overtake the collective consciousness of the ruling class as well as the general population.

At a personal level, I don't see Hinduism surviving the next 60 years in India.

Some more insights will be shared in the next post.

21). Because of the shortage of cows, people will resort to drinking goat and sheep-milk.

The idea of no blow jobs in SatYuga I can understand (number 13), but what's wrong with soya or oat milk?

I would have thought plant based milk & vegan animal rights were a positive development?

It's hard to imagine that a Kali Yuga could last so long if human behaviour was to become much worse that it is today. I think the people who imagined such lists lived at a time when it was impossible to predict how rapidly humanity would develop technologically (for the better and worse). Also one of the big problems in them is that, at least for the last 100 years, human longevity has been increasing exponentially, not decreasing.

Of course, modern technological civilisation could collapse the ecosystem, & will run out of non-renewable sources at some point in the relatively new future at which point "anything will go", but the question that arises in my mind, is to what purpose do these sadhus, saints or seers put this list to, i.e. what are they using it for?

They create a kind of mindset in the people who listen to them (most hopeless/depressed/fearful), how do they then use that, or manipulated people to change them?

Religion was and is used to control people & direct societies. In Christianity, there are similar trends with so called "predictions" of the "End Times" (their idea of Destruction), that are exploited to encourage trends or support conflicts, e.g. the current war in the Middle East & US-Israel's aggression. Islam also has similar but opposing predictions.

Are such lists or predictions helpful or healthy? Or should we just "be here now", present in the reality of life, doing our best?

is not there a general trend within Hinduism & other Asiatic religions that suggests that good behaviour in this life/on this planet, will be rewarded with reincarnation into some other realm or other planet? is not that the flip side to the coin, ie "things are bad here, & getting worse, but if you remain good, you will be rewarded in some other realm"?

My instinctive response to the previous is an upchuck of cynicism, which I'll put more politely by parahrasing the great Shakyamuni, that all of it is papanca - prolix discursiveness, endless conjectures and elaborations with no foundation in the sensible world.

A few hours ago I read a social media post which the person posting it prefaced the lengthy quote from Soren Kierkegaard saying that it said what he felt about the state of the world. True to form, Kierkegaard describes well the effect that the moral depravity and evil politics going on is having on him ... in his time, 200 years ago.

The OP's comments then went to a few specific instances of what's happening in local and global politics, and what he said reminded me of what i had read in a book by historian Robin Waterfield called "Why Socrates Died" which goes into the politics of the hellenic world at the time. They were a direct parallel or reflection of whats happening today, the tension between oligarchs and democracy, mercantilism and autocracy.

Human nature is what it is. There is simply no solid evidence for any morally superior time in human history.

Nostalgia is a word that originally meant a yearning for home, and came to mean a longing for the past.

Stories of ancient golden ages appeal to our naive side, a wish that our world could be the kind of place we thought it was before we found out how bad we've been and can be to each other. As ex-l says, whatever view of the past or future we hold, almost everyone agrees that what we do now affects the future.

Do to others what you'd have them do to you. Do not do that which you'd not like done to you. That was not Jesus Christ originally, by the way, but his (probable) teacher, Rabbi Hillel.

All the rest is fluff

The info I shared as first post on this thread is just copy pasted from freely available sources and there is hardly anything that I have added as my personal opinion as I was trying to provide a gist of theory of some common scriptures to someone who is totally new to such ideas, which were written 700-800 years ago mostly (cannot back this up with proofs as this is my personal opinion).

The original Hindu scriptures were burned and completely destroyed by invaders (Google Taxila and Nalanda) and what are now called as scriptures and revered amongst orthodox Brahmins are of very recent origion. I believe that a lot of adulteration has happened and people have added their personal biases/prejudices in the name of scriptures so cannot take anything literally and unquestioningly and, since we do not belong to any death cult telling us to believe in things unquestioningly for fear of losing your status in heaven etc, we can throw such scriptures in the bin anyday when they contradict our inner voice, or what is called the Guru-tattva in Hindu terminology, but some reference needed to be given so I began with that.

the question that arises in my mind, is to what purpose do these sadhus, saints or seers put this list to, i.e. what are they using it for?

They create a kind of mindset in the people who listen to them (most hopeless/depressed/fearful), how do they then use that, or manipulated people to change them?

Just relax for a while OK? The guy I was talking about is no famous guru running a racket. He cannot even understand simple English. He is not even a Brahmin (I am not too, as if that matters, but just saying) but a so-called dalit. I derive special pleasure in talking to such people who, like me to a lesser extent, are guided by their personal experiences in these matters and not by blind faith in some out-dated book/books claiming to be the word of god or any other such ludicrous claim.

However, books serve a good reference to these internal epiphnies/experiences.

True spiritual journey is a balanced and healthy combination of your own personal experiences in life (both internal and external), your 'Vivek'/rational mind, knowledge of key reference texts and experiences of people who are further into the path than you are currently along with just the right amount of cynicism, and most important of all having the ability to recognize, accept and acknowledge whenever you have made a mistake and moved in a wrong direction and correct that without getting disheartened and start all over again.

Religion was and is used to control people & direct societies.

Applies more to Abrahamic cults than hinduism/Buddhism/jainism. Again I would advise, don't be hasty in making judgements and giving generic/woke statements.

Are such lists or predictions helpful or healthy? Or should we just "be here now", present in the reality of life, doing our best?

Again slightly wokish/judgemental statement masquarading as a question.

OK so now back to the topic from now on ...

Just relax for a while OK? The guy I was talking about is no famous guru running a racket.

I was referring to the original point by point framing in Vedantic lore that you listed in enumerated form.

But the whole of my point, something that I've taken from by BK experience, is that the actual knowledge points don't matter, it's the purpose to which they are put that does. We lose ourselves in trying to rationalise the often incoherent & inconsistent, we make excuses for their obvious failures & impossibilities, when what we should really do is look right through them to the intentions with which they are being used.

Applies more to Abrahamic cults than Hinduism/Buddhism/Jainism. Again I would advise, don't be hasty in making judgements and giving generic/woke statements.

I'd have to completely disagree with your first claim. Although they have different approaches, the religions have the same purposes within their societies (how can Hinduism NOT be about ordering & controlling given its caste system?).

And don't blame me for what the Abrahamic cults got up to, they are as alien to me as you, & make me feel sick too.

And I am sorry to pull you up on this but can we stick to the real meaning of "woke"? It means 'being alert to racial prejudice and discrimination'. Although the American Right wing is attempting to pervert & disarm its original meaning & turn it into an insult of anything remotely "liberal", the idea of "Be Here Now" is a translation of Vedantic principles by Baba Ram Dass, a follower of Neem Karoli Baba, & predates the misuse of the term woke by 40 or 50 years. Ram Dass was an American academic who gave it all up & wrote a seminal introduction into what he thought (at least) the yogi path was for Westerners.

It's probably just an English translation of Om, or Om Tat Sat ...

In case you've never heard of him, here he is in counter point with another Western contemporary, Alan Watts, who did much the same for Buddhism. Make of them what you will.

And, yes, of course carry on developing your original point but, please, keep filthy American Right wing politics out of the conversation, or I'll go EIC on you.

Interesting replies by you both ex-l and Human Being.

I agree more with ex-l in that its not the religion or ideals per se that exploit or corrupt the societies but the ways and means they are used for other ends, intentionally or unintentionally. Unintended bad consequences for that society which eventuate reveal the limitations, flaws or outright errors in that ideology; while intentionally bad consequences or accepting them unchallenged, such as perpetuating politically or socially unfair systems, reveals the flaws in the moral capacity of the practitioners and authorities.

As I read the two previous responses and ex-l's response to the abuse of the word 'woke", I thought of Orwell's and Chomsky's writings on how the control of language, and the concepts associated with language, enable control of people and society. Unfortunately in today's world, these insights themselves are being exploited intentionally by certain parties to influence society and politics for their own gain.

And although most of those pioneers and researchers into the controlling power of language came from the Left, with am egalitarian, collective co-operative view of politics and society, more unfortunately it is the Right, those who believe in survival and prosperity of the fittest, individualistic merit proven by its own dominance, who seem to have studied and applied those lessons to defeat their perceived enemies

If instead of looking at which religion or philosophy is more correct or more harmful we look at the history of exceptional individuals within each of them (many of whom have had no direct contact with alternatives), what we find are those who do employ and apply those ideologies to ends that are harmful to others, revealing their personal moral deficit, and those for whom the articulation of that ideology grates, so they seek deeper understanding or a way to resolve what they intuit is essentially meant to be for the good but which proves itself to cause harm.

What we find across traditions are the mystics and poets, those who see and go beyond the language and the words, realising they are inadequate expressions of reality.

I was referring to the original point by point framing in Vedantic lore that you listed

No, that's not Vedantic lore but simplistic understanding of scriptures like Bhagvatam which I don't think are even old enough to be considered as authentic Hinduism but since I am too lazy to properly qualify and elaborate my points or clarify my intentions before writing down anything, or even re-read what I have written and how it may sound like, I think I fully deserve ... being getting EIC (whatever that may mean I tried to google the term but failed miserably I guess).

So I had a plan of around 5-6 posts of medium length under this topic where I would introduce the current understanding of Kaliyuga based on these type of 'scriptures' in minds of majority of traditional Hindus in the first post (I just copy pasted stuff from various websites and barely added 5-6 lines from my end as I was using a freaking phone), and then move on to some insights I believe I had on this topic from my interactions, and how such 'knowledge' is gained in the first place through visions and meditation; how it has been misused and abused over the ages be it in the name of Nostradamus, that Vanga lady, or whatever or our good old friend the white Sindhi holy ghost, and many more like that.

I also had a few things to say on 'Bhavishya Malika' which has become a new rumour mill among conspiracy theorists in India but little did I know that both the Shakyamuni and Chomsky would make such an early entry between my ramblings and I would have to face Watts and Ram Dass too, of all people in the ring along with Maharaj ji himself (who happens to be a living reality for me, as he is my guru and whose photo sits in my bedroom). Thank god Krishnadas did not make anapperience along with his harmonium.

But, as I said, I fully deserve this. May a kaurava and two mlechhas fight, and BKs enjoy their end of times until their time ends.

Anyways, jokes apart, the first thing I would like to clarify is Indians and you people may speak English but we do not communicate at similar frequencies, so here the word woke is used not in its true sense but as a cuss word for having a well ... Justin Trudeau like personality (I think you won't need further explanation after this from me).

how can Hinduism NOT be about ordering & controlling given its caste system?

No, at a fundamental level It is not and I know it better than you two even if it may sound pompous to say so.

It's probably just an English translation of Om, or Om Tat Sat

Hahaha no it is not.

Have a good day.

I think I fully deserve ... being getting EIC (whatever that may mean I tried to google the term but failed miserably I guess).

I am surprised that you did not get it given your masterful knowledge of Indian history & culture. EIC stands for 'East India Company'.

You know, when 25 English men successfully conquered the whole of India (albeit uniting it, & building in the foundations of social structure that exist to this day), something that not Ashoka, Akbar, Samudragupta, Raja Chola, Shivaji - or even Lekhraj Kirpalani's most despised Mahmud of Ghazni - managed to do to the 70 or more cultures of the sub-continent.

I'd kindly suggest just getting to your point of your gymnosophism. We're open & interested to hear it.

However, most ex-BKs are going to have a rough overview of what has been bundled together as "Hinduism" (arguably another British invention ...).

It's simple, if you don't want us to refer to the details of your posts, just add a few links, & stick to the essence of what you want to say.

FWIW, going along with that particular semantic shift & the likes of the demonisation of Trudeau (of which I have absoutely no loyalty or interest), does squarely sets you among the dystopian/Trumpian Right.

BTW, have you had a look at William Dalrymple's latest book, 'The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World'?

Number one best seller in India this week, apparently. And full 1/4 of it is footnotes given how much of a disputed history it is.

Re: The Golden Road : Highly recommend it.

I have listened to the 5 episodes of the podcast program "Empire" that preceded the release of the book (episodes 128-132). Amazing stuff on the history of ancient India. Each episode is an hour so goes into some fascinating detail, and I learnt more in those 5 hours than I did after many years of studying at the BK "University". The journey of Xuanzang from China to the ancient University of Jalanda, circa 600 CE, is on another level altogether.

The very first 20 episodes of "Empire" look in-depth (20 x 1 hour epsiodes) at the history of British interaction with India, from the very first contact of what later became the East India Company, its global effects - it has a link with American Revolution and the American flag among other things - right up to Independence in 1948 and to some among today's British who are born of Indian descent. The two comperes are British historian William Dalrymple whose ancestors were part of the Raj and is now living in India, and Anita Anand, whose family were Indian emigres from East Africa and is living in the UK. Episodes have a guest historian who are experts in that episode's topic. It is delivered in a very entertaining conversational way.

As to the topic at hand, on Hinduism, given there are many ways, views, versions, many that conflict and are controversial (before even bringing in the new Hindu nationalist fundamentalism) libraries, books and web sites to study and read about Hinduism, I am wondering what connection the theme that Human Being said he proposes to cover has to BKs and the BK experience? Otherewise why would we not do our own study? Is it about sharing HB's guru's versions and interpretations?

If you could, Human Being, find a way to connect it or relate it to BKs, I think it'd make for more immediat eand relevant reading.

If you could, Human Being, find a way to connect it or relate it, I think it'd make for more relevant reading.

Yes. One of the more persisting criticism of Lekhraj Kirpalani & BKism since the early days, is that his musings on the Gita etc were only suitable for uneducated women & children; and I think it's fair to say that those who made those criticisms did not even realise that they had even less connection to the scriptures and "Hinduism" than they realised. They commented upon how he had no scholarly, religious background at all.

To to those who have studied them, BKism must be "mince meat", a complete mish-mash & misunderstanding of them & I've always wondered how they see BKism.

Hahaha no [the translation of Om, or Om Tat Sat] is not.

Have a good day.

While "Be Here Now" may not be the literally translations of those words, Ram Dass was one of the first to try to communicate the sentiments of them to a largely uninformed and popular Western audience at the time. It's interesting to plot in our timeline that it was written & promoted was just a few years at the same time [1970/71] as the BKs ALSO landed in the West (1971, then 1974 in London), arguably surfing on the orientalist interest created by Ram Dass, The Beatles (Maharishi & ISKCON) etc. Selling themselves as Hinduism.

You can argue the toss over what he was trying to do, how successful he was, whether it was monism or mindfulness etc but it's all part of an overall, general trend that no doubt infuriated the more pedantic pandits ... who have never really followed or made much impact in the West. Even the other major player, Krishnamurti, became more of an anti-pandit.

What did your guy have to say?