Start of Kali Yuga | English Summary | B.ed | ICTE |

Start of Kali Yuga

Summary

This is the story of how Kali Yuga began. According to the mythological story there had been Yudhistira’s Ashwamedha yagyna. It was the greatest ceremony in human memory. In the middle of the  ceremony, two farmers came to Hastina-puri with a dispute asking for the settlement. The dispute was quite charitable. The dispute was that the buyer of the land found a pot of gold which he wanted to give back to the seller but the seller refused to take. It created confusion to Yudhistir. So he took advice from Krishna. He suggested farmers to leave the pot of gold with the king and return after three months.  Krishna also said Yudhistir that after three months Kali Yuga starts (dawn) which makes the farmers greedy. To him, only a quarter of the values will survive, every situation will be changed. Man will live  for pleasure, children will abandon responsibility, women will be like men, men like women. Likewise, human will involve in sexual act like animals, power will be respected, justice abandoned, sacrifice forgotten and love ridiculed. Moreover, the wise will like law of jungle and victim will be victimizer. Three months later the Yagyna completed. On that day, they saw a mongoose. Its half of the body was like gold. It entered the hall, jumped into the fire pit and rubbed its normal side and left the place with angry look. It is because his normal body skin did not turn gold even in that grand ritual. It showed that this grand yagyna was not ritually grand at all. It was more about royal power. Since then dharma has been lost. It was harnessed by the God Krishna and Goddess Draupadi before the war but only a quarter would be holding it after the war. If it is left, Pralaya would come and the world would come to the end.

Theme

The writer expresses dissatisfaction due to the erosion and gradual loss of the value of dharma. The

present worldly activities are less ritualistic and less charitable (with kindness and love) due to the 

growth of greed.

Question-Answer

What is the moral of the story of the two farmers?

What does the Mongoose story suggest?

Justify the title "The Start of Kali Yuga".

What, according to Krishna, would happen in Kali Yuga? Give details.

 

Question) What is the moral of the story of the two farmers?

Ans_ The moral of the story is that people in the present era (at the age of Kali Yuga) are becoming greedy and selfish for money and power. In this story, the two farmer's relation at the beginning when finding a pot filled with pure gold was good but later after some months the gold made them greedy and selfish. At first, they both are ready to give that gold to one another but few months later they are filled with greediness, hatred and selfishness. Thus, it gives the message that there is no faith in human after starting the Kali Yuga.

Question) What does the Mongoose story suggest?

Ans_The mongoose story suggests that all the people in the world despite their properties and possession want to hold power and money for their own personal benefit . And after holding power people lose their rites, rituals and cultural values in their societies.

Question) Justify the title "The Start of Kali Yuga".

Ans_ The title "The Start of Kali Yuga" justifies that the present society is filled with injustice, inequality, greedy, sin, selfish, exploitation, hatred and so on.  Men will live for pleasure, children will abandon their responsibilities, women will be like men and men will be like women, human will copulate like beasts, power will be praised and love will be ridiculed.  And people will like to hold power for their personal benefits. So, the stat of Kali Yuga will be problematic for the people.

Question) What, according to Krishna, would happen in Kali Yuga? Give details.

Ans_ According to Lord Krishna, with the starting of Kali Yuga there won't be anything as it was in the Satya Yuga. The people will live for pleasure, children will abandon responsibilities, women will be like men, men like women. Humans will copulate like beasts. Power will be respected, justice abandoned, sacrifice forgotten and love ridiculed. And at last, Pralaya would follow. The waves of doom (destruction) engulf civilization and the world would finish.