Miscellaneous - Religion   

Fall in moral fibre

CHENNAI: : The shape of things to come in Kali Yuga has been vividly portrayed in the Vishnu Purana, in the dialogue between sages Parasara and Maitreya. Kali Yuga's features are such that in this age people will have difficulty to concentrate and meditate on God. Their involvement in various other activities would prevent them from aspiring to know about God. Material possessions rather than noble lineage will be the sole criterion for judging the greatness of people. Moral code of conduct, adherence to truth, and righteousness will be replaced by falsehood, immoral behaviour and hypocrisy. Might and power derived from wealth will be able to control the world and be the basis of all rule and law. Devotion to the Lord will be difficult to pursue.

Even at the inception of Kali Yuga, the effects in terms of decline in moral values and code of conduct are clearly evident, said Sri M.V. Ananta Padmanabhachariar in a discourse, while referring to the inadvertent act of King Parikshit that brought forth a curse on him.

At the end of Dwapara Yuga after Lord Krishna left for His Heavenly abode, and at the beginning of Kali Yuga, it was the rule of King Parikshit of the Pandava clan, renowned for his righteousness and for the keenness he displayed in upholding the code of Dharma. During one of his hunting expeditions, King Parikshit, prompted by thirst, had asked Sage Angiras, who was in deep meditation, for water. When this request went unheeded, he had impulsively cast a serpent's skin on the sage and left the place. But the sage's son was enraged by this act and cursed that the person responsible for this would die in seven days. Sage Parasara's explanation attributed both Parikshit's act and the anger/curse of the Rishi Putra as manifestations of Kali Yuga's influence, since neither of them would intentionally swerve from the path of Dharma. But sage Angiras was aware of the greatness of Parikshit, and told his son immediately to inform Parikshit about this curse. It is important to let the wrong doer know the nature of the curse, so that necessary steps can be taken to alleviate the consequences of the curse. Such is the code of Dharma followed by sages and saints.

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