Vyasa's Teaching on the One Virtue of Kali

Verse 1 (vishnu.6.2.1)

पराशर उवाच । व्यासश् चाह महाबुद्धिर् यदत्रैव हि वस्तुनि । तच् छ्रूयतां महाभाग गदतो मम तत्त्वतः

parāśara uvāca vyāsaś cāha mahābuddhir yad atraiva hi vastuni tac chrūyatāṁ mahābhāga gadato mama tattvataḥ

Parashara said: "Illustrious one, hear now, exactly as I relate it, what the great-minded Vyasa himself once said on this very matter."

Verse 2 (vishnu.6.2.2)

कस्मिन् कालेऽल्पको धर्मो ददाति सुमहत् फलम् । मुनीनामप्यभूद् वादः कैश् चासौ क्रियते सुखम्

kasmin kāle 'lpako dharmo dadāti sumahat phalam munīnām apy abhūd vādaḥ kaiś cāsau kriyate sukham

"In which age does even a small amount of dharma yield the greatest fruit? And by whom is it accomplished with the least difficulty?" — this too had become a matter of debate even among the sages.

Verse 3 (vishnu.6.2.3)

संदेहनिर्णयार्थाय वेदव्यासं महामुनिम् । ययुस् ते संशयं प्रष्टुं मैत्रेय मुनिपुंगवाः

saṁdehanirṇayārthāya vedavyāsaṁ mahāmunim yayus te saṁśayaṁ praṣṭuṁ maitreya munipuṁgavāḥ

To settle this doubt, Maitreya, those foremost among sages went to the great sage Vedavyasa, to ask him about their uncertainty.

Verse 4 (vishnu.6.2.4)

ददृशुस् ते मुनिं तत्र जाह्नवीसलिले द्विज । वेदव्यासं महाभागमर्धस्नातं सुतं मम

dadṛśus te muniṁ tatra jāhnavīsalile dvija vedavyāsaṁ mahābhāgam ardhasnātaṁ sutaṁ mama

There, O twice-born, they saw the illustrious sage, my own son Vedavyasa, standing half-immersed in the waters of the Ganga.

Verse 5 (vishnu.6.2.5)

स्नानावसानं ते तस्य प्रतीक्षन्तो महर्षयः । तस्थुस् तटे महानद्यास् तरुषण्डमुपाश्रिताः

snānāvasānaṁ te tasya pratīkṣanto maharṣayaḥ tasthus taṭe mahānadyās taruṣaṇḍam upāśritāḥ

Waiting for his bath to end, those great seers stood on the bank of the great river, sheltering under a grove of trees.

Verse 6 (vishnu.6.2.6)

मग्नोऽथ जाह्नवीतोयादुत्थायाह सुतो मम । व्यासः साधुः कलिः साधुरित्येवं शृण्वतां वचः । तेषां मुनीनां भूयश् च ममज्ज स नदीजले

magno 'tha jāhnavītoyād utthāyāha suto mama vyāsaḥ sādhuḥ kaliḥ sādhur ity evaṁ śṛṇvatāṁ vacaḥ teṣāṁ munīnāṁ bhūyaś ca mamajja sa nadījale

Then, rising up out of the water of the Ganga, my son Vyasa spoke these words in the hearing of the sages: "Kali is good! Kali is good!" — and with that he plunged once more into the river.

Verse 7 (vishnu.6.2.7)

उत्थाय साधु साध्विति शूद्र धन्योऽसि चाब्रवीत्

utthāya sādhu sādhv iti śūdra dhanyo 'si cābravīt

Rising up again, he said: "Good, good! O Shudra, you are blessed!"

Verse 8 (vishnu.6.2.8)

निमग्नश् च समुत्थाय पुनः प्राह महामुनिः । योषितः साधु धन्यास् तास् ताभ्यो धन्यतरोऽस्ति कः

nimagnaś ca samutthāya punaḥ prāha mahāmuniḥ yoṣitaḥ sādhu dhanyās tās tābhyo dhanyataro 'sti kaḥ

Then, sinking and rising once more, the great sage said: "Women are good — they are blessed; who could be more blessed than they?"

Verse 9 (vishnu.6.2.9)

ततः स्नात्वा यथान्यायमाचान्तं तं कृतक्रियम् । उपतस्थुर् महाभागा मुनयस् ते सुतं मम

tataḥ snātvā yathānyāyam ācāntaṁ taṁ kṛtakriyam upatasthur mahābhāgā munayas te sutaṁ mama

Then, when he had properly bathed, sipped water in the ritual manner, and finished his observances, those illustrious sages approached my son.

Verse 10 (vishnu.6.2.10)

कृतसंवन्दनांश् चाह कृतासनपरिग्रहान् । किमर्थमागता यूयमिति सत्यवतीसुतः

kṛtasaṁvandanāṁś cāha kṛtāsanaparigrahān kimartham āgatā yūyam iti satyavatīsutaḥ

When they had made their greetings and taken their seats, the son of Satyavati asked them: "For what purpose have you come?"

Verse 11 (vishnu.6.2.11)

तमूचुः संशयं प्रष्टुं भवन्तं वयमागताः । अलं तेनास्तु तावन् नः कथ्यतामपरं त्वया

tam ūcuḥ saṁśayaṁ praṣṭuṁ bhavantaṁ vayam āgatāḥ alaṁ tenāstu tāvan naḥ kathyatām aparaṁ tvayā

They said to him: "We have come to ask you about a doubt of ours — but let that wait for now; tell us instead about something else."

Verse 12 (vishnu.6.2.12)

कलिः साध्विति यत् प्रोक्तं शूद्रः साध्विति योषितः । यच् चाह भगवान् साधु धन्याश् चेति पुनः पुनः

kaliḥ sādhv iti yat proktaṁ śūdraḥ sādhv iti yoṣitaḥ yac cāha bhagavān sādhu dhanyāś ceti punaḥ punaḥ

"What you said — 'Kali is good,' 'the Shudra is good,' and, Lord, what you repeated again and again — 'women are good, they are blessed' —

Verse 13 (vishnu.6.2.13)

तत् सर्वं श्रोतुमिच्छामो न चेद् गुह्यं महामुने । तत् कथ्यतां ततो हृत्स्थं पृच्छामस् त्वां प्रयोजनम्

tat sarvaṁ śrotum icchāmo na ced guhyaṁ mahāmune tat kathyatāṁ tato hṛtsthaṁ pṛcchāmas tvāṁ prayojanam

— we wish to hear all of that, great sage, if it is not a secret. Tell us that first; then we will ask you the purpose that lies in our heart."

Verse 14 (vishnu.6.2.14)

इत्युक्तो मुनिभिर् व्यासः प्रहस्येदमथाब्रवीत् । श्रूयतां भो मुनिश्रेष्ठा यदुक्तं साधु साध्विति

ity ukto munibhir vyāsaḥ prahasyedam athābravīt śrūyatāṁ bho muniśreṣṭhā yad uktaṁ sādhu sādhv iti

Thus addressed by the sages, Vyasa smiled and said: "Hear, O foremost among sages, what I meant when I said 'good, good.'

Verse 15 (vishnu.6.2.15)

यत् कृते दशभिर् वर्षैस् त्रेतायां हायनेन तत् । द्वापरे तच् च मासेन अहोरात्रेण तत् कलौ

yat kṛte daśabhir varṣais tretāyāṁ hāyanena tat dvāpare tac ca māsena ahorātreṇa tat kalau

What is achieved in the Krita age in ten years, in the Treta in a single year, and in the Dvapara in a month — that same result is achieved in the Kali age in a single day and night.

Verse 16 (vishnu.6.2.16)

तपसो ब्रह्मचर्यस्य जपादेश् च फलं द्विजाः । प्राप्नोति पुरुषस् तेन कलिः साध्विति भाषितम्

tapaso brahmacaryasya japādeś ca phalaṁ dvijāḥ prāpnoti puruṣas tena kaliḥ sādhv iti bhāṣitam

O twice-born, a man attains the fruit of austerity, of celibate discipline, and of prayer so swiftly in this age — that is why I said, 'Kali is good.'

Verse 17 (vishnu.6.2.17)

ध्यायन् कृते यजन् यज्ञैस् त्रेतायां द्वापरेऽर्चयन् । यदाप्नोति तदाप्नोति कलौ संकीर्त्य केशवम्

dhyāyan kṛte yajan yajñais tretāyāṁ dvāpare 'rcayan yad āpnoti tad āpnoti kalau saṁkīrtya keśavam

What a man gains in the Krita age through meditation, in the Treta through sacrifice, and in the Dvapara through ritual worship, he gains in the Kali age simply by chanting the name of Keshava.

Verse 18 (vishnu.6.2.18)

धर्मोत्कर्षमतीवात्र प्राप्नोति पुरुषः कलौ । स्वल्पायासेन धर्मज्ञास् तेन तुष्टोऽस्म्यहं कलेः

dharmotkarṣam atīvātra prāpnoti puruṣaḥ kalau svalpāyāsena dharmajñās tena tuṣṭo 'smy ahaṁ kaleḥ

O knowers of dharma, in this age a man attains the very summit of merit with the slightest effort — that is why I am pleased with Kali."

Verse 19 (vishnu.6.2.19)

व्रतचर्योपहारैश् च ग्राह्यो वेदो द्विजातिभिः । ततः स्वधर्मसंप्राप्तैर् यष्टव्यं विधिवद् धनैः

vratacaryopahāraiś ca grāhyo vedo dvijātibhiḥ tataḥ svadharmasaṁprāptair yaṣṭavyaṁ vidhivad dhanaiḥ

The twice-born must receive the Veda through the observance of vows and the giving of offerings; and afterward, with the wealth rightly earned through their own duty, they must perform sacrifice according to rule.

Verse 20 (vishnu.6.2.20)

वृथा कथा वृथा भोज्यं वृथेज्या च द्विजन्मनाम् । पतनाय तथा भाव्यं तैस् तु संयमिभिः सदा

vṛthā kathā vṛthā bhojyaṁ vṛthejyā ca dvijanmanām patanāya tathā bhāvyaṁ tais tu saṁyamibhiḥ sadā

For the twice-born, careless talk, careless eating, and careless worship all lead to downfall — hence they must remain ever self-restrained.

Verse 21 (vishnu.6.2.21)

असम्यक्करणे दोषस् तेषां सर्वेषु वस्तुषु । भोज्यपेयादिकं चैषां नेच्छाप्राप्तिकरं द्विजाः

asamyakkaraṇe doṣas teṣāṁ sarveṣu vastuṣu bhojyapeyādikaṁ caiṣāṁ necchāprāptikaraṁ dvijāḥ

O twice-born, for them every improperly performed act is a fault, and their food, drink, and the like must never be obtained merely as they please.

Verse 22 (vishnu.6.2.22)

पारतन्त्र्यं समस्तेषु तेषां कार्येषु वै ततः । जयन्ति ते निजांल् लोकान् क्लेशेन महता द्विजाः

pāratantryaṁ samasteṣu teṣāṁ kāryeṣu vai tataḥ jayanti te nijāṁl lokān kleśena mahatā dvijāḥ

Therefore dependence governs all their undertakings, O twice-born; they win their own worlds only through great hardship.

Verse 23 (vishnu.6.2.23)

द्विजशुश्रूषयैवैष पाकयज्ञाधिकारवान् । निजाञ् जयति वै लोकाञ् शूद्रो धन्यतरस् ततः

dvijaśuśrūṣayaivaiṣa pākayajñādhikāravān nijāñ jayati vai lokāñ śūdro dhanyataras tataḥ

The Shudra, who has the right only to the simple domestic sacrifices, wins his own worlds merely through service to the twice-born — and for that he is more blessed than they.

Verse 24 (vishnu.6.2.24)

भक्ष्याभक्ष्येषु नास्यास्ति पेयापेयेषु वै यतः । नियमो मुनिशार्दूलास् तेनासौ साध्वितीरितम्

bhakṣyābhakṣyeṣu nāsyāsti peyāpeyeṣu vai yataḥ niyamo muniśārdūlās tenāsau sādhv itīritam

Because, O foremost of sages, no rule binds him as to what is fit or unfit to eat or drink, he was for that very reason called 'good.'

Verse 25 (vishnu.6.2.25)

स्वधर्मस्याविरोधेन नरैर् लब्धं धनं सदा । प्रतिपाद्यं च पात्रेषु यष्टव्यं च यथाविधि

svadharmasyāvirodhena narair labdhaṁ dhanaṁ sadā pratipādyaṁ ca pātreṣu yaṣṭavyaṁ ca yathāvidhi

Wealth that men acquire without violating their own proper duty must always be given to worthy recipients, and sacrifice performed with it according to rule.

Verse 26 (vishnu.6.2.26)

तस्यार्जने महान् क्लेशः पालने च द्विजोत्तमाः । तथासद्विनियोगाय विज्ञेयं गहनं नृणाम्

tasyārjane mahān kleśaḥ pālane ca dvijottamāḥ tathāsadviniyogāya vijñeyaṁ gahanaṁ nṛṇām

O best of the twice-born, there is great hardship in earning it and in guarding it; and should it be misused, the resulting entanglement for men, be assured, runs deep.

Verse 27 (vishnu.6.2.27)

एभिरन्यैस् तथा क्लेशैः पुरुषो द्विजसत्तमाः । निजाञ् जयति वै लोकान् प्राजापत्यादिकान् क्रमात्

ebhir anyais tathā kleśaiḥ puruṣo dvijasattamāḥ nijāñ jayati vai lokān prājāpatyādikān kramāt

O foremost of the twice-born, through these and other such hardships a man wins, step by step, his own worlds, beginning with the world of Prajapati.

Verse 28 (vishnu.6.2.28)

योषिच् छुश्रूषणं भर्तुः कर्मणा मनसा गिरा । कुर्वती समवाप्नोति तत्सालोक्यं यतो द्विजाः

yoṣic chuśrūṣaṇaṁ bhartuḥ karmaṇā manasā girā kurvatī samavāpnoti tatsālokyaṁ yato dvijāḥ

O twice-born, a woman who serves her husband in deed, in mind, and in speech attains a place in that very world he attains —

Verse 29 (vishnu.6.2.29)

नातिक्लेशेन महता तानेव पुरुषो यथा । तृतीयं व्याहृतं तेन मया साध्विति योषिताम्

nātikleśena mahatā tān eva puruṣo yathā tṛtīyaṁ vyāhṛtaṁ tena mayā sādhv iti yoṣitām

— and without the great hardship by which a man reaches those same worlds. That is the reason for my third utterance, 'good,' spoken of women.

Verse 30 (vishnu.6.2.30)

एतद् वः कथितं विप्रा यन्निमित्तमिहागताः । तत् पृच्छत यथाकामं अहं वक्ष्यामि वः स्फुटम्

etad vaḥ kathitaṁ viprā yannimittam ihāgatāḥ tat pṛcchata yathākāmaṁ ahaṁ vakṣyāmi vaḥ sphuṭam

This much I have told you, O brahmins. Now ask, as you wish, about the matter for which you came here, and I shall explain it to you clearly."

Verse 31 (vishnu.6.2.31)

पराशर उवाच । ततस् ते मुनयः प्रोचुर् यत् प्रष्टव्यं महामुने । अन्यस्मिन्नेव तत् प्रश्ने यथावत् कथितं त्वया

parāśara uvāca tatas te munayaḥ procur yat praṣṭavyaṁ mahāmune anyasminn eva tat praśne yathāvat kathitaṁ tvayā

Parashara said: Then the sages said: "Great sage, the very thing we meant to ask you, you have already answered fully, in the course of a different question."

Verse 32 (vishnu.6.2.32)

ततः प्रहस्य तान् प्राह कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनिः । विस्मयोत्फुल्लनयनांस् तापसांस् तानुपागतान्

tataḥ prahasya tān prāha kṛṣṇadvaipāyano muniḥ vismayotphullanayanāṁs tāpasāṁs tān upāgatān

Then the sage Krishna Dvaipayana smiled and spoke to those ascetics who had come before him, their eyes wide with wonder.

Verse 33 (vishnu.6.2.33)

मयैष भवतां प्रश्नो ज्ञातो दिव्येन चक्षुषा । ततो हि वः प्रसङ्गेन साधु साध्विति भाषितम्

mayaiṣa bhavatāṁ praśno jñāto divyena cakṣuṣā tato hi vaḥ prasaṅgena sādhu sādhv iti bhāṣitam

"By my divine sight I had already discerned this question of yours; that is why, in that very context, I spoke the words 'good, good.'

Verse 34 (vishnu.6.2.34)

स्वल्पेन हि प्रयत्नेन धर्मः सिध्यति वै कलौ । नरैरात्मगुणाम्भोभिः क्षालिताखिलकिल्बिषैः

svalpena hi prayatnena dharmaḥ sidhyati vai kalau narair ātmaguṇāmbhobhiḥ kṣālitākhilakilbiṣaiḥ

For in the Kali age, dharma is achieved with the slightest effort by men whose every sin is washed away by the waters of their own small merits —

Verse 35 (vishnu.6.2.35)

शूद्रैश् च द्विजशुश्रूषातत्परैर् मुनिसत्तमाः । तथा स्त्रीभिरनायासात् पतिशुश्रूषयैव हि

śūdraiś ca dvijaśuśrūṣātatparair munisattamāḥ tathā strībhir anāyāsāt patiśuśrūṣayaiva hi

— O foremost of sages, and likewise by Shudras devoted to serving the twice-born, and by women too, without effort, through service to their husbands alone."

Verse 36 (vishnu.6.2.36)

ततस् त्रितयमप्येतन् मम धन्यतमं मतम् । धर्मसंसाधने क्लेशो द्विजातीनां कृतादिषु

tatas tritayam apy etan mama dhanyatamaṁ matam dharmasaṁsādhane kleśo dvijātīnāṁ kṛtādiṣu

Hence, in my judgment, all three of these are most blessed — whereas for the twice-born, in the Krita age and the ages after, the accomplishment of dharma comes only through hardship."

Verse 37 (vishnu.6.2.37)

भवद्भिर् यदभिप्रेतं तदेतत् कथितं मया । अपृष्टेनापि धर्मज्ञाः किमन्यत् क्रियतां द्विजाः

bhavadbhir yad abhipretaṁ tad etat kathitaṁ mayā apṛṣṭenāpi dharmajñāḥ kim anyat kriyatāṁ dvijāḥ

"What was in your minds, I have told you, O knowers of dharma, even before you asked. What else, O twice-born, shall I do for you?"

Verse 38 (vishnu.6.2.38)

पराशर उवाच । ततः संपूज्य ते व्यासं प्रशशंसुः पुनः पुनः । यथागतं द्विजा जग्मुर् व्यासोक्तिक्षतसंशयाः

parāśara uvāca tataḥ saṁpūjya te vyāsaṁ praśaśaṁsuḥ punaḥ punaḥ yathāgataṁ dvijā jagmur vyāsoktikṣatasaṁśayāḥ

Parashara said: Then, having honored Vyasa and praised him again and again, the brahmins, their doubts dispelled by his words, departed the way they had come.

Verse 39 (vishnu.6.2.39)

भवतोऽपि महाभाग रहस्यं कथितं मया । अत्यन्तदुष्टस्य कलेरयमेको महान् गुणः

bhavato 'pi mahābhāga rahasyaṁ kathitaṁ mayā atyantaduṣṭasya kaler ayam eko mahān guṇaḥ

To you too, illustrious one, I have now told this secret — that this is the one great virtue of Kali, an age otherwise wholly wicked.

Verse 40 (vishnu.6.2.40)

यच् चाहं भवता पृष्टो जगतामुपसंहृतिम् । प्राकृतामन्तरालां च तामप्येष वदामि ते

yac cāhaṁ bhavatā pṛṣṭo jagatām upasaṁhṛtim prākṛtām antarālāṁ ca tām apy eṣa vadāmi te

And now, as for what you asked me — the withdrawal of the worlds, both the elemental dissolution and the intervening one — that too I shall now relate to you.