Kali Yuga - The Best of the Yugas

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

We have all heard about Kali Yuga. We have heard Gurus, Pravachakas and almost all blame Kali Yuga for the decline in almost everything. Grandmothers tell us Kali MuRRi Pocchu கலி முற்றி போச்சு. Magazines blare this at us.

Kali Yuga - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So we have been almost brain-washed into believing that Kali Yuga is no good.

But then is it so?

How does Kali Yuga compare with the earlier Yugas? From the point of view of the Common Man, the man on the street, Samanyan.

1. Personal Freedom: Slavery

For the first time in the history of the world Slavery has almost disappeared. In the earlier yugas, one could be enslaved because of Wars, Debt and many other reasons. But now no one can be enslaved.

This fact alone should make Kali Yuga the Best of the yugas.

2. Wars:

For once we do not have many Wars. Compared to the incessant wars between Kings for thousands of years, we are almost free from the fear of Wars. We do not have to bury our savings under the ground so that they would be safe during a War.

Mahabharata talks about Wars all the time. Incessant Wars between Kings. Then the Kurukshetra war in which most of the kings in India were involved.

Humanity for once does not have to live in constant fear of homes being invaded, houses destroyed, women violated and everyone being enslaved.

3. Poverty: Food Security

In this respect also kali Yuga is better than any other Yuga. Wars create scarcity. They keep the farmers away from their fields. People starve.

4. Education:

More people have access to education than in any other yuga. Education has ceased to be the exclusive privilege of chosen few.

With the increase in access to education Knowledge has increased.

5. Liberty:

People have more Liberty in Kali Yuga. We have got rid of the tyrants and dictators who ruled the world by the mere accident of Birth.

6. Equality:

All are born Equal. A concept which is still to be universally accepted. But this concept itself was unknown in the earlier yuga where the Kings inherited the right to rule.

All are equal before Law.

Might is no longer right. You can not take anyone's property or liberty because one is more powerful or stronger.

Now we come to Moral and religious issues.

7. Materialism:

The whip with which everyone beats the modern world. Tell me was it Spiritualism which led to the Mahabharata War? It was a dispute over a Kingdom. Rank Materialism. Millions of people killed and families ruined because one family started fighting over who should inherit the kingdom.

In the entire Mahabharata was there any one who approached Lord Krishna for salvation? Everyone approached him only for gaining materially. Even Kuchela.

The epics and Puranas are full of stories where men have fought over land and women. Basic human nature.

But in Kali Yuga men can gain materially because of the knowledge they possess. In the earlier yugas most of the men gained materially only by depriving some one else of that. By snatching it away by force.

But in Kali Yuga you can become richer without snatching it from some one else. Without hurting others.

Religion:

Our Rishis laid the foundation of Hinduism. A strong foundation. But they did very little propagation. So the knowledge remained only with a few.

Great Acharyas like Adi Sankaracharya, Ramnujacharya, Madhavacharya, Vallabhacharya and so many others interpreted the basics and propagated the religion among the common man. Hinduism became wide spread because of their intense efforts. In this they were greater that Vashishta or Bharadwaja.

The Gurus of kali Yuga have shown the common man the samanyan the way to salvation.

More people know about Hinduism today than at any point of time. More Hindus know their religion.

Even though no statistics are available, the theory of probability confirms that more men have reached salvation in Kali Yuga than in any other Yuga.

If five people start on a path towards a goal and all of them make it it would be only five. But if five hundred people start towards a goal through different paths and only 10% make it, it would be still 50 people, 10 times more than five.

In Kali Yuga our Acharyas have shown the paths to millions of people.

More people of aware of the Spiritual paths now than at any point of time in history. Even if 90% do not take the paths, the sheer size of the people knowing the paths makes more people achieve salvation. Knowledge is more widespread.

So, let us forget what we have been warned about the ills of kali yuga.

The positive aspects of kali yuga makes it the Best of All Yugas.

 

[Visalakshi Ramani]

Every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Apparently Kali Yuga has many silver linings!!!
The best I like about Kali Yuga is the Instantaneous results of the actions performed by us-
both good and bad.
And for liberation all we need to do is Naama Japam.. no need for Tapas/ Yagna/ Yaaga!

 

[sravna]

Every yuga is with a purpose. So in that sense one cannot be called superior to another. In my view kali yuga gives the opportunity for the good to get even more tempered mentally and the satya yuga gives opportunity for the bad to imbibe the good aspects. Thus it is difficult to be good in the kali yuga whereas it is difficult to be bad in the satya yuga and hence the respective challenges for both types of people.

The wicked people in the kali yuga get even more wicked and the good people in the satya yuga get even more good.
So for these people the respective yugas accentuates their character. Whereas the wicked live to repent it later the good progress towards moksha.

 

[tks]

All these Yugas are just concoction of human mind.

The present time is good or bad depending on the perspectives of the individual.

1. There is slavery even today - the sex trade is very rampant all over the world. Sex slavery, sex trade, forced marriages, child labor are not only existing in other parts of the world but they are very much present in India too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_slavery

India's sex slaves face lifelong cycle of abuse – The CNN Freedom Project: Ending Modern-Day Slavery - CNN.com Blogs

2. Wars: One has to only look at several countries in Africa for what kind of wars are going on today. Rape is considered a war strategy whereby young kids are asked to go to villages and rape all women regardless of age. But Africa is not an exception. One has to only look at the cruelty one set of humans deliver to another set throughout modern history

3. Poverty: While IT boom is happening in India alone the UN report starting with 2006 says that many parts of India suffer the effects of poverty which is worst in the world. The farmer suicides have gone up exponentially. There are many articles - one have to just search for them.

4. Most kids in the world have no access to education due to economic poverty to name one reason.

6. China is but one example of ugly dictatorship in action.

7. Equality - These are at best used for good speeches - does not exist as a value across most nations

8. Mahabharatha has nothing to with fight over kingdom . In any case materialism is the primary force that drives today's world and its actions

9. Islam and Christianity are the dominant religions that are spreading throughout the world through conversion. This includes startling amount of conversions every year in India.

I dont think present day is any worse or any better than any other time in the known history. The OP has no merit in my view - but just my view

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

Every dark cloud has a silver lining.
Apparently Kali Yuga has many silver linings!!!
The best I like about Kali Yuga is the Instantaneous results of the actions performed by us-
both good and bad.
And for liberation all we need to do is Naama Japam.. no need for Tapas/ Yagna/ Yaaga!

Thank You, Maa Visalakshi,

Kali Yuga has not a Silver Lining, But a solid Gold coat as far Women are concerned.

Please go through this article here

Kali Yuga

Two of the most important anxieties/predictions which hit you straight in the face.

1. In Kali Yuga the caste system will cease to exist.

And, at the end of the Yuga, the Sudras will cease to wait upon and serve the Brahmanas.

Sudras argue with the twice-born : "Are we in any way inferior to you? A good Brahman is he who knows the truth of God!" and defiantly glower at them.

2. In Kali Yuga Women would become independent.

I can understand the reactions of many members who believe in the reprehensible caste system.

But then as a Women I think you would appreciate the improvement in the Status of Women. Through All the Yugas Women were considered as Property and treated as equal to slaves.

The thoughts of the authors of these yuga document is reflected in two of the sentences.

The girls will themselves choose their lords

And women, living uncontrolled,
will slay their husbands and sons.

And when the end approaches, wives will not wait upon and serve their husbands.

Daughters-in-law, in the presence of their husbands’ mothers and fathers, rebuke and chastise servants and maids, and summoning their husbands lecture and rebuke them.

These documents contain many familiar utterances of doom. The reason is that these were written in Kali Yuga may be about 300 to 400 years back and reflect the anxieties of that generation. That is why those dire warnings about Mlechhas.

These anxieties drive many of the Hindu religious teachers even today.

When they advise people to go back to the old days, they mean the days

1. When the rigid and reprehensible Caste system was in Vogue.

2. When Women were considered the property of the father, then Husband and then the Son.

 

[Raji Ram]

It is better for lady members of this forum to :tape: in this thread . . . eace:

 

[C RAVI]

Every Youga got the plus and minus only to get advanced in deterioration, in due course of time!!

Human evolutions continues to take place across the yugas and more the human advances, there exists equally large scale of positivity and negativity.

Every positive advancements, that human naturally tends to achieve, there exists misuses and abuses, right from material/substance innovations and utilization, technology to human senses and relationships.


Humans are the most tricky species by their supreme mental powers, which facilitates foolishness, crookedness, mischievousness, manipulative tendencies and self destructiveness, while heading towards attaining all good advancements for all humans, utilizing the best of positive senses.

The more the advancements are for the better, equally, in fact more are the advancements towards deterioration.


More the freedom and expansions are achieved, the more risky, abusive and manipulative situations are created!!


1) Boys are under risk by gays (at least girls are physically not at risk by lesbians)

2) Females of age 3 to age 70 are raped and killed.

3) Many guys and girls who all now a days marry late, have spoiled their life altogether by many ways.

4) Even Below teen age boys and girls are playing the game of sex. Something to explore, experience and find the fun. Knowing or not knowing as exactly why, how and when one need to satisfy physical pleasures.

5) Abortions are just taking place like cleaning the every day garbage, across the globe. I mean, the abortions that are sought for by unmarried girls right from their teen age, obviously. Neither boys nor girls are ready to lose the chance of extreme pleasures without protection.

6) The ways and means and the freedom of cyber and real social networking has fixed many people, terribly.

7) Flesh trade has boomed into billion dollar business across the globe!! Millions of girls are living the life of hell. They all are "living dead".


The above are just pea nuts of the existing menace in this present world, in all the aspects.


Kali yoga, to me, appears to be "ALL GREAT" in "DISGUISE".

 

[P.J.]

VR Madam

Your quote

The best I like about Kali Yuga is the Instantaneous results of the actions performed by us-

It really happening?

I do not think so; even the Government delays justice; Arasan Indru Kollum is not happening .
A delayed justice is no Justice.

Deivam Nindru Kollum? Who knows?

The wicked and Cunning gets it; the suffers suffer more and more.

Human bombs, was not heard off in earlier Yougas, it is very common in Kaliyuga

In no Yuga people fought for their faith in the name of religion, it is real only in Kali yuga.

I do not think that we are living in the Best of Yugas

 

[renuka]

In no Yuga people fought for their faith in the name of religion, it is real only in Kali yuga.

I do not think that we are living in the Best of Yugas

Dear Sir,


It is becos only in Kaliyuga different religions appeared.

Yesteryugas had only one religion but still people fought for everything else besides religion.

Human nature is not all that much different...humans somehow will fight with others.

If they have no one to fight with they will fight among themselves.

I feel anytime is the best time...it all depends how we utilize it.

I don't think Kali Yuga is all that evil as it is seemed to be...after nothing really new to the human race is happening.

It is just that last time we fought with different weapons.

BTW it is only in KaliYuga we have friendly Saints/Avatars that come out to public and help uplift people spiritually.

I consider myself lucky to be born in Kali Yuga..at least I can die feeling happy that I knew about Shiridi Sai Baba,Sathya Sai Baba and Prema Sai Baba.

 

[vgane]

Kali yuga is not hunky dory....It has its pitfalls....The OP looks to be more like evolution of Kali Yuga..It is more than meets the eye...

My understanding of the 4 maha yuga is as follows:

The first yuga which is Krita yuga (Satya yuga by some) is represented by Dharma bull which stands on 4 legs meaning it was ethics,morality and religious piety at its best ..The focus was on acquiring knowledge, medidation and penance...Matsya, Kurma, Varaha and Narsimha avatars of Lord Vishnu were part of this yuga..This period is also called the Golden Age

The second yuga is Treta yuga which is represented by a bovine which now stands on 3 legs...It symobolises Dharma being reduced by a quarter by imperfection...Vamana, Parashurama and Ramachandra avatars of Lord Vishnu were part of this avatar.. Also called Silver Age

The third yuga is Dvapara yuga is represented by the Dharma bull which stands on 2 legs-Compassion and truthfullness..Krishna's avatar is part of this...Also called as Bronze age

The last yuga is the Kali yuga where the divine Dharma bull stands on one leg..There is so much greed and avarice in society...Spirituality is at its nadir...People are highly materialistic..This is considered as Dark age

There are various interpretations about the Yuga timelines...However what surprises is that people in Kali yuga are becoming taller, more intelligent and are living longer---We are getting physically and mentally stronger..Does this contradict with our understanding of Yuga timelines?

 

[P.J.]

Dear Sir,


It is becos only in Kaliyuga different religions appeared.

Yesteryugas had only one religion but still people fought for everything else besides religion.

Human nature is not all that much different...humans somehow will fight with others.

If they have no one to fight with they will fight among themselves.

I feel anytime is the best time...it all depends how we utilize it.

I don't think Kali Yuga is all that evil as it is seemed to be...after nothing really new to the human race is happening.

It is just that last time we fought with different weapons.

BTW it is only in KaliYuga we have friendly Saints/Avatars that come out to public and help uplift people spiritually.

I consider myself lucky to be born in Kali Yuga..at least I can die feeling happy that I knew about Shiridi Sai Baba,Sathya Sai Baba and Prema Sai Baba.

renukaji

your statement that only Kaliyuga many religions came up is not true.
(It is becos only in Kaliyuga different religions appeared.)

Ever since Adam and Eve or Yama and Yami were created, their off springs also created many Faiths in the name of Religion.
In every yuga Great Saints were born, so we need not be proud of Kaliyuga only.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

My O.P has been countered with the objections that things are no better in Kaliyuga than in other yugas.

1. Slavery: There is no denying that Slavery exists even today.

But the fact is that Slavery was the accepted norm in the earlier yugas. This is not a personal perspective, but a non-deniable fact. No amount of denial can change this fact.

The Varna Dharma had considered about 20 to 30 % of the population of India as outcastes. The Dalits. They do not even talk about them.

2. Wars: Wars have not stopped. Nor does it look like they would stop. But incessant wars between thousands of petty kings which plagued India for ages have stopped.

3. Education: More children have access to education then ever before. In India the vast majority of the population were denied the right to education in the earlier yugas.

4. Poverty: Poverty was endemic in the old ages. There is less poverty now than at any point of time in human history.

5. Equality: I am surprised that most people are dismissive of this fundamental value/right. After ages The Indian Constitution guaranteed this. But many people find this difficult to accept.

In the earlier yugas Asuras, Kaikeyas and other tribes were killed just because they were not Devas. We can understand if the evil Asuras are killed. But even a good King like Mahabali had to be killed just because he was an Asura.

Equality is a concept which is fairly new in the history of humanity. It became the rousing cry in thee French Revolution. It is still far from being implemented fully.

The Varna dharma is basically against the principle of equality. The principle that "All men are born equal."

6. A list of terrible things which are happening today have been enumerated.

The question is how does these compare with the situation in the earlier days.

Taking only India this is a country where there was an institution called nagar vadhu. And deva dasis. Courtesans were accepted as part of society. Where gambling houses were part of the society as revealed by the smiritis.

We are living in the information age. People come to know about happenings and also react. And we have law enforcement agencies to enforce the law and protect people.

In the earlier ages rape, genocide, mass murders went totally unreported. Even when of was known there were neither any law or law enforcement agencies. Might was right. Thousands of women were raped by the Kings, landlords, jamindars and those wielding power.

If the king or a powerful person coveted some women even when she is somebody's wife, there was nothing any one could do. No one bothered.

These are undeniable facts and not perspectives.

My O.P is How Kali Yuga is the best period in the history of Humanity compared to any other yuga or period. It is not saying that whatever is happening today is Good. A lot of bad things are happening. There is a lot of scope for improvement.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

The 4 maha yugas are as follows: [I am quoting from the post of vgane]

The first yuga which is Krita yuga (Satya yuga by some) is represented by Dharma bull which stands on 4 legs meaning it was ethics,morality and religious piety at its best ..The focus was on acquiring knowledge, medidation and penance...Matsya, Kurma, Varaha and Narsimha avatars of Lord Vishnu were part of this yuga..This period is also called the Golden Age.

The second yuga is Treta yuga which is represented by a bovine which now stands on 3 legs...It symobolises Dharma being reduced by a quarter by imperfection...Vamana, Parashurama and Ramachandra avatars of Lord Vishnu were part of this avatar.. Also called Silver Age.

The third yuga is Dvapara yuga is represented by the Dharma bull which stands on 2 legs-Compassion and truthfullness..Krishna's avatar is part of this...Also called as Bronze age.

The last yuga is the Kali yuga where the divine Dharma bull stands on one leg..There is so much greed and avarice in society...Spirituality is at its nadir...People are highly materialistic..This is considered as Dark age.

The basic assumption is the Dharma becomes weaker and weaker as the Yugas procceed.

Now let us see what Dharma represents.

In traditional Hindu society, dharma has historically included within its sphere such phenomena as Vedic ritual (Yajna), ethical conduct, behaviour and duties appropriate to one's caste, civil and criminal law. Its most common meaning, however, pertained to two principal ideas: that social life should be structured through well-defined and well-regulated classes (varna), and that an individual's life within a class should be organized into defined stages (ashrama). A Hindu's dharma is therefore affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender.

Dharma - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dharma is the path of righteousness and living one's life according to the codes of conduct as described by the Hindu scriptures.

Dharma is a path as Brahmana Dharma,Kshatriya Dharma,Vysya Dharma,Shudra Dharma.

Dharma is not Justice. Dharma is not truthfulness. Dharma is not a set of Values which Hindus cherish.

Dharma is only Varnashrama Dharma. The caste system.

Dharma is Hindu way of Life as enshrined in the Dharmasasthras.

Dharma is a path as Brahmana Dharma, Kshatriya Dharma, Vysya Dharma, Shudra Dharma.

This Dharma which was mainly Varnashrama Dharma is DEAD. The world is a better place because of its demise.

 

[Nacchinarkiniyan]

The Dharma which permitted Kings to gamble away their Kingdom and family is Dead.

The Dharma which made the whole assembly of Elders to stand by and watch a woman being disrobed is Dead.

The Dharma which enabled a respected elder to kidnap two girls to get them married to Princes forcibly is Dead.

The Dharma of Kali Yuga is Justice, Equality irrespective of Race, Caste, color and gender, Truthfulness, Honesty.

But Hinduism has another definition of Dharma which is more relevant the modern age.

Austerity (tap), purity (shauch), compassion (daya) and truthfulness (satya).

Manusmriti prescribes 10 essential rules for the observance of dharma: Patience (dhriti), forgiveness (kshama), piety or self control (dama), honesty (asteya), sanctity (shauch), control of senses (indraiya-nigrah), reason (dhi), knowledge or learning (vidya), truthfulness (satya) and absence of anger (krodha). Manu further writes, "Non-violence, truth, non-coveting, purity of body and mind, control of senses are the essence of dharma".

The Modern Dharma of Kali Yuga is Justice, Equality, Non-violence, truth, non-coveting, purity of body and mind, control of senses, Austerity (tap), purity (shauch), compassion (daya) and truthfulness (satya).

Let us strive to achieve this Dharma which is Kali Yuga Dharma. We are far from achieving this. But let us keep our goal clear. Many of these are personal values. But there are Social values which are as important as Personal vales.

As Swami Vivekananda said " Service to Humanity is Service to GOD."

This is the concluding part of this thread.

Thank you for reading this.

 

[Subhalakshmi]

Very interesting topic and I am enjoying and amused at different posts.. To me no matter in which yuga you were born, as long as you follow your life to the fullest and create the positive energy inside and around you to bring out the best in you and others you encounter.. Take any negative happenings as lessons learned and move on and just dwell in the silver lining and not the dark cloud.. You worry about your contribution to self and family and society and the world, and rest will take care that is what the Geetha says anyway..

When I read about the other yugas, there was so much trouble in realizing god or the spiritual you but in this yuga it happens with a little focus and I am happy to be just that.. There was a time I wished I was born in Dvapara Yuga, because of Krishna's birth, who knows, I might have been born, I wish I knew..

My two cents...