Srimad Bhagavatam, Volume 3

Srimad Bhagawatam, First Canto, Volume Three
for mischief and Maharaj Parikshit was meant for subduing all kinds of
mischief mongers specially the personality of Kali. It was better therefore, for
the personality of Kali to have become killed by the king then and there
instead of being killed anywhere else. He was after all a surrendered soul
before the king and it was with the king to do the needful.
Tat me dharmabhritam srestha sthanam nirdestum arhasi
Yatra eva niyato vatsye atisthams te anusasanam
Tat—therefore, Me—unto me, Dharmabhritam—of all the protectors of
religiosity, Srestha—the chief, Sthanam—place, Nirdestum-to ascertain,
Arhasi—may you do so, Yatra—where, Eva—certainly. Niyato—always,
Vatsye—can reside, Atisthams—permanently situated, Te—your,
Anusasanam—under your rule.
Therefore oh the chief amongst the protector of religiosities, your majesty
may fix up some places for me where I can live permanently situated
under the protection of your government.
The personality of Kali addressed Maharaj Parikshit as the chief amongst the
protectors of religiosity because the king refrained from killing a person who
surrendered unto him. A surrendered soul should be given all protection even
though he may be an enemy. That is the principle of religion And we can just
imagine what sort of protection is given by the Personality of Godhead to the
person who surrenders unto Him not as an enemy but as a devoted servitors.
The Lord protects the surrendered soul from all sins or all resultant reactions
of sinful acts. (Bg. 18.64)
Abhyarthitas tada tasmai sthananik alaye dadou
Dyutam panam striyah suna yatra adhamass chaturbidhah.
Abhyarthitas—thus being prayed for, Tada—at that time, Tasmai—unto him,
Sthanani—places, Kalaye—unto the personality of Kali, Dadou—gave him
permission, Dyutam—gambling, Panam—drinking, Striyah—illicit
association of woman, Suna—killing of living beings, Yatra—wherever,
Adharma—irreligiosities, Chaturbidhah—four kinds of.
Suta Goswami said, "Maharaj Parikshit, thus being prayed for by the
personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in four different places
where gambling, drinking, prostitution and slaughtering of animals
performed respectively."
The basic principles of irreligiosities such as pride, prositution, intoxication
and falsehood respectively counteracts the four principles of religiosities
namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, the Personality of Kali
was given permissson to live in four places particularly mentioned by the king
namely the place of gambling, the place of prostitution, the place of drinking
and the place of slaughtering the animals.
Srila Jiba Goswami directs that drinking against the principles of scriptures
such as Soutramani yajna etc, association with woman except the married one,
killing of animals against injunction of scripture, are irreligious. In the Vedas
two different types of injunctions are there for the Pravittas or those who are
engaged in the matter of material enjoyment and for the Nrivittas or those
who are engaged in the matter of liberation from material bondage. The Vedic
injuction for the Pravittas are to regularise their activities towards the path of
liberation by gradual process. Therefore, for the persons who are in the lowest
stage of ignorance and indulge in the matter of wine, woman and flesh, for
them drinking by performing Sroutamani yajna, association of woman by
marriage and flesh eating by sacrifices are sometimes recommended. But such
recommendations in the Vedic literature are meant for a particular class of
men and not for all. But because they are injuctions of the Vedas for such
particular type of persons such activities by the Pravittas are not considered
Adharma. One man's food may be poison for other; similarly what is
recommended for the persons in the modes of ignorance may be poison for
the persons in the modes of goodness. Srila Jiva Goswami Prabhu, therefore,
affirms that recommendations of the scriptures, for a certain class of men, are
never to be considered as Adharma or irriligion. But such activities are
factually Adharma and they are never meant for being encouraged. The
recommendation in the Scriptures are not meant for encouragement of such
Adharmas but they are meant for regularising the necessary Adharmas
gradually towards the path of Dharma.
Following the foot prints of Maharaj Parikshit, it is the duty of all executive
heads of states to see that the principles of religiosities namely austerity,
cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness be established in the state and the
principles of irreligiosities namely pride, illicit womanly association or
prostitution, intoxication and falsity be checked by all means. And to make
the best use of a bad bargain the personality of Kali may be transferred to
places of gambling, drinking, prostitution and slaughter houses if there is any
place like that. Those who are addicted to these irreligioos habit may be
regularised by the injunctions of the Scripture for restraining them and in all
circumstances they may not be encouraged by any state. In other words the
state should categorically stop all sorts of gambling, drinking, prostitution and
falsity as a matter of fact. On the contrary the state which wants to eradicate
corruption by majority may introduce the principles of religiosity in the
following manner:
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1. Two compulsory fasting days in a month if not more (austerity). Even
from economic point of view such two fasting days in a month in the state
will save tons of food grains and the system will act very favourably on the
general health of the citizens also.
2. There must be compulsory marriage of young boys and girls attaining 24
years of age and 16 years of age respectively. There is no harm of coeducation
in the schools and colleges provided the boys and the girls are duly
married and in case there is any intimate connection between a male and
female student they may be married properly without allowing them for any
illicit relation. The divorce act is encouraging prostitution and this should be
abolished.
3. The citizens of the state must give in charity up to 50% of their income
for the purpose of creating spiritual atmosphere in the state or in the human
society both individually and collectively. Preaching of the principles of
Bhagwatam by (a) Karmayoga or doing everything for the satisfaction of the
Lord (b) regular hearing of the Srimad Bhagwatam from authorised persons or
realised souls (c) Chanting of the glories of the Lord congregationally at home
or at places of worship (d) rendering of all kinds of service to person
Bhagwatas engaged in the matter of preaching Srimad Bhagwatam (e) and
residing in a place where the atmosphere is saturated with god-consciousness.
If the state is regularised by the above process, naturally there will be god-
Consciousness everywhere.
Gambling of all description even specalative business enterprises are
considered to be gambling and by encouraging this gambling in the state there
is complete disappearance of truthfullness. Allowing young boys and girls to
remainr unmarried more than the abovementioned ages and licence for animal
slaughter houses of all description shall be at once closed. The flesh-eaters
may be allowed to take flesh as they are mentioned in the scriptures and not
otherwise; as by purchasing from the market and thus encourage unrestricted
flesh-eating strictly be stopped. Intoxication habit of all description even
smoking of Bidis and cigarettes chewing of pan or drinking tea, must be
prohibited.
Punas cha yachamanaya jatarupam adat prabhu
Tato anritam madam kamam rajo vairam cha panchamam.
Panas—again, Cha—also, Yachamanaya—unto the beggar, Jatarupam—
Gold, Adat—gave away, Prabhu—the king, Tato—where by, Anritam—
falsehood, Madam—intoxication, Kamam—lust, Rajo—on account of
passionate mood, Vairam—enmity, Cha—also, Panchamam—the fifth one.
The personality of Kali asked for something more and on his begging so
the King gave him permission to live where there is gold. Because
wherever there is gold there are falsity, intoxication, lust, enviousness and
at last all enmity.
Although Maharaj Parikshit gave Kali permission to live in four places, it was
very difficult for the personality of Kali to find out the places. Because during
the reign of Maharaj Parikshit there was no such place at all. Therefore Kali
asked the king to give him something practical which may be utilised for his
nefarious purposes. Maharaj Parikshit thus being requested by him gave
permission to live in a place where there is gold because wherever there is
gold there are all the abovementioned four things and over and above them
there is enmity also. So the personality of Kali became gold standardised.
According to Srimad Bhagwatam stocking of gold any where means
encouraging falsity, intoxication, prostitution enviousness, and enmity. Even
gold-standard exchange and currency is bad. Gold standard currency is based
on falsehood because currency is not on the par of the reserved gold. The
basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued more in value than
the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities
encourages prostitution of state economy. Price of consumers Commodity
becomes artificially inflated on account of bad money or artificial currency
notes. Bad money drives away good money is an economical law. Instead of
paper currency actual gold coins should be used for exchange and this will
stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by
control not by quality but by quantity. This will discourage lust, enviousness
and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the
influence of gold for producing falsity, prostitution etc. will automatically
cease and there will be no need of anticorrup tion ministry for another term of
prostitution and falsity of purpose.
Amuni pancha sthanani hi adharmai prabhavah kalih
Outtareyena dattani nyavasat tat nidesakrit.
Amuni—all those, Pancha—five, Sthanani—places, Hi—certainly,
Adharma—irreligious principles, Prabhavah—encouraging, Kali—the age of
Kali, Outtareyena—by the son of Uttara, Dattani—delivered by, Nyavasat—
dwelt, Tat—by him, Nidesakrit—direeted by.
As such the personality of Kali was allowed by the direction of King
Maharaj Parikshit the son of Uttara, to live in those five plaees as
described above.
Thus the age of Kali began with gold standardisation and therefore falsity,
intoxication, animal slaughter and prostitution are rampant all over the world