Text 10] How Pariksit Received the Age of Kali 847

suitah uvaca—Sitta Gosvami said; yada— when; park sit— Maharaja Pariksit;
kuru-jangale—in the capital of Kuru’s empire; avasat—was residing; kalim—
the symptoms of the age of Kali; pravistam—entered; nija-cakravartite—
within his jurisdiction; nisamya—thus hearing; vartam—news; anatipriyam—
not very palatable; tatah—thereafter; Sara-asanam—arrows and bow;
samyuga—having gotten a chance for; saundih—martial activities; ddade—
took up.

TRANSLATION

Sita Gosvami said: While Maharaja Pariksit was residing in the capital
of the Kuru empire, the symptoms of the age of Kali began to infiltrate
within the jurisdiction of his state. When he learned about this, he did not
think the matter very palatable. This did, however, give him a chance to
fight. He took up his bow and arrows and prepared himself for military
activities.

PURPORT

The state administration of Maharaja Pariksit was so perfect that he was
sitting in his capital peacefully. But he got the news that the symptoms of
the age of Kali had already infiltrated into the jurisdiction of his state,
and he did not like this news. What are the symptoms of the age of Kali?
They are 1) illicit connection with women, 2) indulgence in meat-eating,
3) intoxication, and 4) taking pleasure in gambling. The age of Kali literally
means the age of quarrel, and the above-mentioned four symptoms in
human society are the root causes for all kinds of quarrel. Maharaja
Pariksit heard that some of the people of the state already had taken to
those symptoms, and he wanted to take immediate steps against such
causes of unrest. This means that at least up to the regime of Maharaja
Pariksit, such symptoms of public life were practically unknown, and as
soon as they were slightly detected, he wanted to root them out. The news
was not palatable for him, but in a way it was because Maharaja Pariksit
got a chance to fight. There was no need to fight with small states because
everyone was peacefully under his subordination, but the Kali-yuga mis-
creants gave his fighting spirit a chance for exhibition. A perfect ksatriya
king is always jubilant as soon as he gets a chance to fight, just as a
sportsman is eager when there is a chance for a sporting match. It is no
argument that in the age of Kali such symptoms were predestined. If so,
then why was there preparation for fighting out such symptoms? Such
arguments are offered by lazy and unfortunate men. In the rainy season,
