History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.728.1

v4.c63.t2.728.1

In Vanaparva 149. 11-38, Vāyu 32 and 57-58, Liṅga 39, Matsya 142-144, Garuḍa 223, Nāradapurāṇa (pūrvārdha 41) and in several other purāṇas there are descriptions of the nature of the four yugas, which are passed over here. But it is important to see how the Great Epic and the Purāṇas describe the nature of Kaliyuga. Vanaparva chap. 188 and 190, the Yugapurāṇa chapter of the Gargasamhitā (published in the J. B. O. R. S. vol. 14 pp. 400 ff. by K. P. Jayaswal), Harivaṁśa (Bhaviṣya chap. 3.5 ff), the Brahmapurāṇa 229-230, Vāyu 58 and 99. 391-428, Matsya 144. 32-47, Kūrma I. 30, Viṣṇu VI. 1-2, Bhāgavata XII. 2, Brahmāṇḍa II. 31, Nāradīya (Pūrvārdha 41, verses 21-88), Liṅga 40, Nṛsiṁha 54. 11-49 and several others present, often in identical verses, a very pessimistic, dismal and harrowing account of what will happen in the Kali age. One extract¹⁷⁵¹ taken from the Vanaparva (188) is added at the end by way of sample, of which a summary is given below. All men will generally be liars; in the Kali age substitutes will be invented for *yajñas*, gifts and *vratas*; brāhmaṇas will do actions prescribed as peculiar to śūdras and śūdras will be acquiring wealth (which is the peculiar privilege of vaiśyas) or they will maintain themselves by following the profession of arms; brāhmaṇas giving up the study of the Veda and the performance of sacrifices and devoid of the staff and deer skin will eat anything (i. e. will not observe rules about *bhakṣyābhakṣya*);