66 Srimad-Bhagavatam {Canto 1, Ch. 1

of the people in this age of Kali, or the iron age of quarrel, the sages
requested that Sita Gosvami give a summary of all revealed scriptures
because the people of this age are condemned in every respect. The sages,
therefore, inquired of the absolute good, which is the ultimate good for
the people. The condemned state of affairs of the people of this age is
described as follows.

TEXT 10

MAMTA AI BOTAAGTN TAT: |
Was FATATH AAT GIZA: UZell

prayenalpayusah sabhya
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo

manda-bhagya hy upadrutah

prayena—almost always; alpa—meager;ayusah—duration of life; sabhya—
menber of the learned society; kalau—in this age of Kali (quarrel):
asmin—herein; yuge—age; janah—the public; mandah—lazy; sumanda-
matayah—misguided; manda-bhagyah—unlucky; hi—and above all;
upadrutah—disturbed.

TRANSLATION

O learned one, in this iron age of Kali men have but short lives. They
are quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky and above all, always disturbed.

PURPORT

The devotees of the Lord are always anxious for the spiritual improve-
ment of the general public. When the sages of Naimisaranya analyzed the
state of affairs of the people in this age of Kali, they foresaw that men
would live short lives. In Kali-yuga, the duration of life is shortened not
so much because of insufficient food but because of irregular habits.
By keeping regular habits and eating simple food, any man can maintain
his health. Overeating, over sense gratification, over dependence on
another’s mercy, and artificial standards of living sap the very vitality of
human energy. Therefore the duration of life is shortened.

The people of this age are also very lazy, not only materially but in the
