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| The Bad Habits of Kali Yuga |
By Sri Nandanandana (Stephen Knapp)
As related in the Bhagavata Purana, at the start of Kali-yuga, King Pariksit declared that the seeds of evil will
manifest in four things: intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, and the killing of innocent creatures, especially for
meat-eating. These were the activities in which the personality of Kali could reside.
Not only are these the bad habits of Kali-yuga, but engaging in the above-mentioned activities propel us into
numerous additional negative activities, all of which force us to give in to such undesirable emotions as greed,
anger, jealousy, fault-finding, treachery, hatred, and so on. All of these pave the way for untold pain, suffering,
misery and further wicked actions and intrigue.
We can plainly see the damage these activities are presently doing. For example, liquor and drugs and other
forms of intoxication no doubt ruin the lives of innumerable people. It causes poor health, depression, the waste
of needed money, and even suicides and death, either by accidental overdoses or from other things such as
territorial gang wars and so on. Drinking or intoxication literally poisons the brain and body. It takes away the
ability to achieve a higher consciousness and destroys the principle of austerity, and being responsible and
focused on the goals of life. This leads to irresponsibility and a philosophy of "whatever feels good, do it". Such
intoxication paves the way for further calamities in one's actions and difficulties in life.
Gambling, or engaging in questionable or fraudulent business practices, takes away the principle of truthfulness
and honesty. Gambling houses also tempt people into their clutches with fancy lights and alluring women with
the hope of gaining easy fortune, yet mostly take much of the money away from those who patronize such
places, sometimes leaving them in ruins.
Animal slaughter takes away one's sense of mercy and compassion for others. It promotes selfishness and
cruelty and furthers society's ignorance of its spiritual identity. You could not so easily slaughter and eat other
creatures if you clearly saw the soul within the animal.
Prostitution or frivolous sexual activity takes away one's sense of bodily and mental cleanliness. It increases
addiction to trivial bodily pleasures, which accelerates degradation and disease in society.
The desire for sex in this age of Kali-yuga is one of the most captivating of all preoccupations of the human race.
It distracts most of society from the real spiritual purpose of life. People want to satisfy themselves in this way
and then use up so much energy, physical and otherwise, to meet their sensual desires. It saps them of their
time in life when they could be using this existence in much more important ways.
For quick profits debauched men and even women capture and force many young girls, and boys as well, into a
life of prostitution, which often leaves them hurt, wounded, diseased or ruined for life. Such exploitative culprits,
who engage in human trafficking and force others into such an existence of engaging in the sex trade, will
multiply like a virus in this age. And like any virus, if they are not destroyed completely, they will only reappear
later in a different place.
On a personal level, for any man, semen or the vital force is the most precious substance in the human body, and
is not meant to be wasted through mere sensual enjoyment. It is the last product made by the body through the
process of digesting the food we eat. This vital force is especially effective in nourishing the nervous system and
brain. All who are on the spiritual path to perceive the spiritual dimension are recommended to retain this vital
force for assistance and greater strength, concentration, intelligence, good memory, health, determination, and
clarity. When it is preserved it is turned into the Ojas Shakti, and is utilized in the brain for higher abilities and
noble purposes. If it is wasted and released through frequent or unnecessary sex, one's brain and nervous
system are disadvantaged. This manifests as lack of certitude, direction, clarity, along with mental weakness,
indifference and lethargy. Then noble thoughts give way to the increased focus on base and sensual desires.
Intellectual energy is then diverted from spiritual inquiry to concocting further plans for more sensual pleasure.
Then this becomes the major aim in such a person's life, especially in Kali-yuga, which depletes them of their
time, energy, higher consciousness, and paves the way to death's door with little else being accomplished. In
this way, one's life becomes wasted.
Anyone, such as rulers, social leaders, or religionists, who desires progressive well-being for themselves and
society should avoid these four irreligious principles. All of these eliminate the finer characteristics of human
nature, which leaves behind the lower animalistic qualities and the further degradation of human society and the
world. However, the results and tendencies for all of these degrading activities are found in one specific thing
more than any other, and that is the hoarding of money, which is explained next.
The Dangers of Kali in Standardized Gold
In the story of Kali requesting Maharaja Pariksit for places in which he could stay, as related in
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.17.39), Kali begged for one more place to reside, besides the four that have been
previously described. So Maharaja Pariksit gave permission for Kali to live where there is gold, because wherever
there is the hoarding of gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy, and enmity. In other words, all of the
previous four bad habits of Kali-yuga and their ramifications would culminate in the hoarding of gold. Therefore,
the personification of Kali and the evil found in this yuga that we are in became gold standardized. This has led
to innumerable problems in this age, and it is simply getting worse as the age of Kali progresses.
Now one thing to remember here is that we have been warned about the dangers of standardized gold in
Srimad-Bhagavatam, which was written around 5,000 years ago. But how does this danger manifest? How would
a 5,000 year old statement or prophecy about gold apply to us today? Let us explain this further.
Throughout history governments have coined and printed their own money, based on actual supply of whatever
commodity was backing the money, such as gold or silver. And even without the issued coins there was also the
barter system in which people would exchange an equal value of one thing for something else, or labor in
exchange of commodities. This is what standardization is all about. In the area of currency, a five-dollar bill, for
example, would be worth five dollars of gold. Of course, they removed that standard years ago and now they
can print all kinds of dollar bills that have no standard value. Falsity sets in when actual gold, as in gold coins, is
no longer used as a currency and paper money replaces it. The paper money does not fairly represent the value
of the actual reserved gold. The result of this is artificial inflation and manipulation because the currency is not
real. This inflation can set off multitudes of reactions in the value of goods: changes in the value of your savings
and the money you earn, etc.
Then add to this the widespread ignorance and confusion regarding tax laws, and now you have a system
designed to keep people under control and enslavement. If people really knew how the money system worked,
most people would be astounded. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1787, John Adams wrote, "All perplexities,
confusion, and distress in America arise not from defects in the Constitution, nor from want of honor and virtue
so much as from downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation." In other words, a dishonest
money system is the basis of the economic and social problems in America. Money can either build or destroy a
nation. If a money system is honest, all people can prosper. A dishonest system, however, enriches a few at the
cost of many.
TOP
As related in the Bhagavata Purana, at the start of Kali-yuga, King Pariksit declared that the seeds of evil will
manifest in four things: intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, and the killing of innocent creatures, especially for
meat-eating. These were the activities in which the personality of Kali could reside.
Not only are these the bad habits of Kali-yuga, but engaging in the above-mentioned activities propel us into
numerous additional negative activities, all of which force us to give in to such undesirable emotions as greed,
anger, jealousy, fault-finding, treachery, hatred, and so on. All of these pave the way for untold pain, suffering,
misery and further wicked actions and intrigue.
We can plainly see the damage these activities are presently doing. For example, liquor and drugs and other
forms of intoxication no doubt ruin the lives of innumerable people. It causes poor health, depression, the waste
of needed money, and even suicides and death, either by accidental overdoses or from other things such as
territorial gang wars and so on. Drinking or intoxication literally poisons the brain and body. It takes away the
ability to achieve a higher consciousness and destroys the principle of austerity, and being responsible and
focused on the goals of life. This leads to irresponsibility and a philosophy of "whatever feels good, do it". Such
intoxication paves the way for further calamities in one's actions and difficulties in life.
Gambling, or engaging in questionable or fraudulent business practices, takes away the principle of truthfulness
and honesty. Gambling houses also tempt people into their clutches with fancy lights and alluring women with
the hope of gaining easy fortune, yet mostly take much of the money away from those who patronize such
places, sometimes leaving them in ruins.
Animal slaughter takes away one's sense of mercy and compassion for others. It promotes selfishness and
cruelty and furthers society's ignorance of its spiritual identity. You could not so easily slaughter and eat other
creatures if you clearly saw the soul within the animal.
Prostitution or frivolous sexual activity takes away one's sense of bodily and mental cleanliness. It increases
addiction to trivial bodily pleasures, which accelerates degradation and disease in society.
The desire for sex in this age of Kali-yuga is one of the most captivating of all preoccupations of the human race.
It distracts most of society from the real spiritual purpose of life. People want to satisfy themselves in this way
and then use up so much energy, physical and otherwise, to meet their sensual desires. It saps them of their
time in life when they could be using this existence in much more important ways.
For quick profits debauched men and even women capture and force many young girls, and boys as well, into a
life of prostitution, which often leaves them hurt, wounded, diseased or ruined for life. Such exploitative culprits,
who engage in human trafficking and force others into such an existence of engaging in the sex trade, will
multiply like a virus in this age. And like any virus, if they are not destroyed completely, they will only reappear
later in a different place.
On a personal level, for any man, semen or the vital force is the most precious substance in the human body, and
is not meant to be wasted through mere sensual enjoyment. It is the last product made by the body through the
process of digesting the food we eat. This vital force is especially effective in nourishing the nervous system and
brain. All who are on the spiritual path to perceive the spiritual dimension are recommended to retain this vital
force for assistance and greater strength, concentration, intelligence, good memory, health, determination, and
clarity. When it is preserved it is turned into the Ojas Shakti, and is utilized in the brain for higher abilities and
noble purposes. If it is wasted and released through frequent or unnecessary sex, one's brain and nervous
system are disadvantaged. This manifests as lack of certitude, direction, clarity, along with mental weakness,
indifference and lethargy. Then noble thoughts give way to the increased focus on base and sensual desires.
Intellectual energy is then diverted from spiritual inquiry to concocting further plans for more sensual pleasure.
Then this becomes the major aim in such a person's life, especially in Kali-yuga, which depletes them of their
time, energy, higher consciousness, and paves the way to death's door with little else being accomplished. In
this way, one's life becomes wasted.
Anyone, such as rulers, social leaders, or religionists, who desires progressive well-being for themselves and
society should avoid these four irreligious principles. All of these eliminate the finer characteristics of human
nature, which leaves behind the lower animalistic qualities and the further degradation of human society and the
world. However, the results and tendencies for all of these degrading activities are found in one specific thing
more than any other, and that is the hoarding of money, which is explained next.
The Dangers of Kali in Standardized Gold
In the story of Kali requesting Maharaja Pariksit for places in which he could stay, as related in
Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.17.39), Kali begged for one more place to reside, besides the four that have been
previously described. So Maharaja Pariksit gave permission for Kali to live where there is gold, because wherever
there is the hoarding of gold there is also falsity, intoxication, lust, envy, and enmity. In other words, all of the
previous four bad habits of Kali-yuga and their ramifications would culminate in the hoarding of gold. Therefore,
the personification of Kali and the evil found in this yuga that we are in became gold standardized. This has led
to innumerable problems in this age, and it is simply getting worse as the age of Kali progresses.
Now one thing to remember here is that we have been warned about the dangers of standardized gold in
Srimad-Bhagavatam, which was written around 5,000 years ago. But how does this danger manifest? How would
a 5,000 year old statement or prophecy about gold apply to us today? Let us explain this further.
Throughout history governments have coined and printed their own money, based on actual supply of whatever
commodity was backing the money, such as gold or silver. And even without the issued coins there was also the
barter system in which people would exchange an equal value of one thing for something else, or labor in
exchange of commodities. This is what standardization is all about. In the area of currency, a five-dollar bill, for
example, would be worth five dollars of gold. Of course, they removed that standard years ago and now they
can print all kinds of dollar bills that have no standard value. Falsity sets in when actual gold, as in gold coins, is
no longer used as a currency and paper money replaces it. The paper money does not fairly represent the value
of the actual reserved gold. The result of this is artificial inflation and manipulation because the currency is not
real. This inflation can set off multitudes of reactions in the value of goods: changes in the value of your savings
and the money you earn, etc.
Then add to this the widespread ignorance and confusion regarding tax laws, and now you have a system
designed to keep people under control and enslavement. If people really knew how the money system worked,
most people would be astounded. In a letter to Thomas Jefferson in 1787, John Adams wrote, "All perplexities,
confusion, and distress in America arise not from defects in the Constitution, nor from want of honor and virtue
so much as from downright ignorance of the nature of coin, credit and circulation." In other words, a dishonest
money system is the basis of the economic and social problems in America. Money can either build or destroy a
nation. If a money system is honest, all people can prosper. A dishonest system, however, enriches a few at the
cost of many.
TOP
