VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 12
Chapter 1
The Degraded Dynasties and Corrupt Nature of the Rulers of Kali-yuga
The Twelfth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī predicting the kings of the earth who will appear in the future during the age of Kali. Then he gives a description of the numerous faults of the age, after which the presiding goddess of the earth sarcastically berates the foolish members of the kingly order who perpetually try to conquer her. Next Śukadeva Gosvāmī explains the four varieties of material annihilation, and then he gives his final advice to Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Thereafter King Parīkṣit is bitten by the snake-bird Takṣaka and leaves this world. Sūta Gosvāmī concludes his narration of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya forest by enumerating the teachers of the various branches of the Vedas and Purāṇas, relating the pious history of Mārkaṇḍeya Ṛṣi, glorifying the Supreme Lord in His universal form and in His expansion as the sun-god, summarizing the topics discussed in this literature, and offering final benedictions and prayers.
The first chapter of this canto briefly describes the future kings of the dynasty of Magadha and how they become degraded because of the influence of the age of Kali. There were twenty kings who ruled in the family of Pūru, in the dynasty of the sun-god, counting from Uparicara Vasu to Purañjaya. After Purañjaya, the lineage of this dynasty will become corrupted. Following Purañjaya there will be five kings known as the Pradyotanas, who are then followed by the Śiśunāgas, the Mauryas, the Śuńgas, the Kāṇvas, thirty kings of the Andhra nation, seven Ābhīras, ten Gardabhīs, sixteen Kańkas, eight Yavanas, fourteen Turuṣkas, ten Guruṇḍas, eleven Maulas, five Kilakilā monarchs and thirteen Bāhlikas. After this, different regions will be ruled over at the same time by seven Andhra kings, seven Kauśalas, the kings of Vidūra, and the Niṣadhas. Then the power of rulership in the countries of Magadha and so forth will fall to kings who are no better than śūdras and mlecchas and are totally absorbed in irreligion
12.1.1-2
yo 'ntyaḥ purañjayo nāma
bhaviṣyo bārahadrathaḥ
tasyāmātyas tu śunako
viśākhayūpas tat-putro
(0) S'rî Parîkchit said: 'Please o sage can you tell me whose dynasty ruled over the earth after Krishna, the jewel of the Yadu dynasty, had left for His heavenly abode?' [*]
(1-2) S'rî S'uka said: 'The last descendant there will be of Brihadratha in the future [see 9.22: 49] is named Purañjaya [not the one in 9.6: 12]; but his minister S'unaka will assassinate his master to make his own son named Pradyota [historical: Bimbisâra] king. His son Pâlaka will have Vis'âkhayûpa as his son with Râjaka next as the king to be.
The vicious political intrigue described here is symptomatic of the age of Kali. In the Ninth Canto of this work, Śukadeva Gosvāmī describes how the great rulers of men descended from two royal dynasties, that of the sun and that of the moon. The Ninth Canto's description of Lord Rāmacandra, a most famous incarnation of God, occurs in this genealogical narration, and at the end of the Ninth Canto Śukadeva describes the forefathers of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma. Finally, the appearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa and that of Lord Balarāma are mentioned within the context of the narration of the moon dynasty.
The Tenth Canto is devoted exclusively to a description of Lord Kṛṣṇa's childhood pastimes in Vṛndāvana, His teenage activities in Mathurā and His adult activities in Dvārakā. The famous epic Mahābhārata also describes the events of this period, focusing upon the five Pāṇḍava brothers and their activities in relation with Lord Kṛṣṇa and other leading historical figures, such as Bhīṣma, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Droṇācārya and Vidura. Within the Mahābhārata is Bhagavad-gītā, in which Lord Kṛṣṇa is declared to be the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, of which we are presently translating the twelfth and final canto, is considered a more advanced literature than the Mahābhārata because throughout the entire work Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth and supreme source of all existence, is directly, centrally and irrefutably revealed. In fact, the First Canto of the Bhāgavatam describes how Śrī Vyāsadeva composed this great work because he was dissatisfied with his rather sporadic glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa in the Mahābhārata.
Although Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam narrates the histories of many royal dynasties and the lives of innumerable kings, not until the description of the present age, the age of Kali, do we find a minister assassinating his own king and installing his son on the throne. This incident resembles Dhṛtarāṣṭra's attempt to assassinate the Pāṇḍavas and crown his son Duryodhana king. As the Mahābhārata describes, Lord Kṛṣṇa thwarted this attempt, but with the departure of the Lord for the spiritual sky, the age of Kali became fully manifested, ushering in political assassination within one's own house as a standard technique.
12.1.3
(3) His son will be Nandivardhana; these five Pradyotana kings will enjoy the earth for one-hundred-thirty-eight years.
12.1.4
śiśunāgas tato bhāvyaḥ
(4) Then S'is'unâga will take birth and Kâkavarna will be his son, from whose son Kshemadharmâ, Kshetrajña will be born.
12.1.5
vidhisāraḥ sutas tasyā-
jātaśatrur bhaviṣyati
darbhakasyājayaḥ smṛtaḥ
(5) The son Vidhisâra [of Kshetrajña], will have Ajâtas'atru as his son and Darbhaka will be his son of whom Ajaya will be the successor.
12.1.6-8
nandivardhana ājeyo
mahānandiḥ sutas tataḥ
śiśunāgā daśaivaite
mahāpadma-patiḥ kaścin
tato nṛpā bhaviṣyanti
śūdra-prāyās tv adhārmikāḥ
(6-8) From Ajaya there will be [another] Nandivardhana whose son is Mahânandi. These ten S'is'unâga kings, o best of the Kurus, will rule over the earth in the age of Kali for three-hundred-and-sixty years. O King, the son of Mahânandi, a certain Nanda, taking birth from the womb of a working class woman, will, powerful as he is as a master over millions, be the destroyer of the royal class; the kings will then, falling to irreligion, be not better than s'ûdras.
Here is a description of how authentic political authority degenerated and disintegrated throughout the world. There is a Supreme Godhead, and there are saintly, powerful men who have taken the role of government leaders and represented that Godhead on earth. With the advent of the age of Kali, however, this transcendental system of government collapsed, and unauthorized, uncivilized men gradually took the reins of power.
12.1.9
śāsiṣyati mahāpadmo
(9) He, that ruler over millions [also known as Ugrasena], will as the single lead over the entire earth be undefied and in his sovereignty of rule be like a second Paras'urâma [see 9.15 & 16].
In the eighth verse of this chapter it was mentioned that King Nanda would destroy the remnants of the kṣatriya order. Therefore he is here compared to Lord Paraśurāma, who annihilated the kṣatriya class twenty-one times in a previous age.
12.1.10
tasya cāṣṭau bhaviṣyanti
(10) The eight sons headed by Sumâlya who so will take birth from him, will enjoy as kings this earth for a hundred years.
12.1.11
(11) A certain twice-born brahmin [called Cânakya] who is trusted by the nine Nandas will overturn them, and with them being gone the Mauryas will rule the earth in Kali-yuga
that the brāhmaṇa mentioned here is Cāṇakya, also known as Kauṭilya or Vātsyāyana. The great historical narration Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which began with the events prior to the cosmic manifestation, now reaches into the realm of modern recorded history. Modern historians recognize both the Maurya dynasty and Candragupta, the king mentioned in the following verse.
12.1.12
dvijo rājye 'bhiṣekṣyati
tataś cāśokavardhanaḥ
[**]. (12) The brahmin will put Candragupta on the throne and his son Vârisâra will next be succeeded by As'okavardhana. 12.1.13
śāliśūkas tatas tasya
śatadhanvā tatas tasya
(13) Suyas'â will be born to him; Sangata, Suyas'â's [grand-] son [born to his son Das'aratha] will be S'âlis'ûka of whom next there will be Somas'armâ who will father S'atadhanvâ from whom there will be Brihadratha.
12.1.14
sapta-triḿśac-chatottaram
(14) These ten Maurya kings, o eminent hero of the Kuru-dynasty, will rule the earth in Kali-yuga for over one-hundred-thirty-seven-years.
Although nine kings are mentioned by name, Daśaratha appeared after Sujyeṣṭha, before the rule of Sańgata, and thus there are ten Maurya kings.
12.1.15-17
agnimitras tatas tasmāt
vasumitro bhadrakaś ca
tato ghoṣaḥ sutas tasmād
vajramitro bhaviṣyati
tato bhāgavatas tasmād
devabhūtiḥ kurūdvaha
śuńgā daśaite bhokṣyanti
(15-17) From Agnimitra [the son of Pushpamitra, the general who murdered Brihadratha] will follow Sujyeshthha from whom there will be Vasumitra with next Bhadraka and his son Pulinda. His son will be Ghosha to whom Vajramitra will be born; to him Bhâgavata will be born to whom there will be Devabhûti, o eminent Kuru. These ten S'ungas will enjoy the earth for more than a hundred [112] years after which this earth will fall under the rule of the Kânva-dynasty poor in qualities, o ruler of man.
According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the Śuńga dynasty began when General Puṣpamitra killed his king, Bṛhadratha, and assumed power. After Puṣpamitra came Agnimitra and the rest of the Śuńga dynasty, which lasted for 112 years.
12.1.18
(18) Vasudeva, a most intelligent minister from the Kânva-family, (through a female slave) killing the lusty S'unga king Devabhûti, will then himself assume rulership.
Apparently, because King Devabhūti was lusty after the wives of other men, his minister killed him, assuming leadership and thus beginning the Kāṇva dynasty.
12.1.19
(19) His son will be Bhûmitra and his son Nârâyana. These Kânva kings will rule the earth for three-hundred-forty-five more years in Kali-yuga.
12.1.20
(20) A low class man of the Andhra race called Balî will as a servant kill Sus'armâ, the [last] Kânva king and most degraded rule the earth for some time.
Here is a further description of how uncultured men infiltrated government administration. The so-called king named Balī is described as asattama, a most impious, uncultured man.
12.1.21-26
tasmāc cibilako nṛpaḥ
meghasvātiś cibilakād
aniṣṭakarmā hāleyas
purīṣabhīrus tat-putras
tato rājā sunandanaḥ
cakoro bahavo yatra
medaśirāḥ śivaskando
vijayas tat-suto bhāvyaś
ete triḿśan nṛpatayaś
ṣaṭ-pañcāśac ca pṛthivīḿ
(21-26) His brother, named Krishna, will then become the next ruler of the earth and the son of S'ântakarna, his son, will be Paurnamâsa. After Lambodara, his son, Cibilaka will be the king and after Cibilaka will be born Meghasvâti to whom there will be Athamâna followed by Anishthakarmâ. To Hâleya, his son, Talaka will appear to the son of whom named Purîshabhîru next Sunandana will be born to be the king. Cakora [his son] will be followed by the eight Bahus, among whom S'ivasvâti will be a great subduer of enemies. To Gomatî, his son, there will be born Purîmân, whose son will be Medas'irâ. S'ivaskanda born to him will have Yajñas'rî for his son after whom next Vijaya, his son, will father Candravijña along with Lomadhi. These thirty kings will rule the world for four-hundred-fifty-six years, o son of the Kurus [***].
The brother of Balī, named Kṛṣṇa, will become the next ruler of the earth. His son will be Śāntakarṇa, and his son will be Paurṇamāsa. The son of Paurṇamāsa will be Lambodara, who will father Mahārāja Cibilaka. From Cibilaka will come Meghasvāti, whose son will be Aṭamāna. The son of Aṭamāna will be Aniṣṭakarmā. His son will be Hāleya, and his son will be Talaka. The son of Talaka will be Purīṣabhīru, and following him Sunandana will become king. Sunandana will be followed by Cakora and the eight Bahus, among whom Śivasvāti will be a great subduer of enemies. The son of Śivasvāti will be Gomatī. His son will be Purīmān, whose son will be Medaśirā. His son will be Śivaskanda, and his son will be Yajñaśrī. The son of Yajñaśrī will be Vijaya, who will have two sons, Candravijña and Lomadhi. These thirty kings will enjoy sovereignty over the earth for a total of 456 years, O favorite son of the Kurus.
12.1.27
saptābhīrā āvabhṛtyā
(27) From the city of Avabhriti then will follow seven Âbhîra kings, ten Gardabhîs, and sixteen Kanka kings who as earthly rulers will be most greedy.
12.1.28
tato 'ṣṭau yavanā bhāvyāś
maulā ekādaśaiva tu
(28) Then will eight Yavanas follow, fourteen Turushkas and furthermore ten Gurundas and eleven Maulas.
12.1.29-31
kilakilāyāḿ nṛpatayo
bhūtanando 'tha vańgiriḥ
bhaviṣyanty adhikāni ṣaṭ
(29-31) These [first six dynasties] will rule the earth for one thousand ninety-nine years, and the eleven Maulas will rule for three hundred years, my dear. With them all dead and gone in the city of Kilakilâ for one-hundred-and-six years the kings Bhûtananda followed by Vangiri with next S'is'unandi and then his brother Yas'onandi and Pravîraka will rule.
12.1.32-33
puṣpamitro 'tha rājanyo
durmitro 'sya tathaiva ca
(32-33) To them [the Kilakilâs] thirteen sons will be born called the Bâhlikas after whom Pushpamitra and next his son king Durmitra as well as also seven Andhras, seven Kaus'alas and also the rulers of Vidûra and the Nishadhas then in the same period will reign.
12.1.34
kariṣyaty aparo varṇān
(34) In the province of Mâgadha Vis'vasphûrji will appear, who like another Purañjaya will turn the people of all classes into inferior Pulindas, Yadus and Madrakas [low-class, uncivilized men, see *4].
12.1.35
prajāś cābrahma-bhūyiṣṭhāḥ
(35) The unintelligent king, who protected in the city of Padmavatî will rule over the earth from the source of the Gangâ to Prayâga, will, predominantly being unbrahminical with the citizens, ruin the almighty class of the kshatriyas.
12.1.36
saurāṣṭrāvanty-ābhīrāś ca
(36) The twice-born living in the provinces S'aurâshthra, Avantî, Âbhîra, S'ûra, Arbuda and Mâlava will [at that time] fall away from their vows and the ones ranking first among the people will become no better than s'ûdras.
12.1.37
sindhos taṭaḿ candrabhāgāḿ
bhokṣyanti śūdrā vrātyādyā
mlecchāś cābrahma-varcasaḥ
(37) The lands at the river Sindhu, as well as the districts of Candrabhâgâ, Kauntî and Kâs'mîra, will be ruled by uncivilized men [mlecchas], s'ûdras and others who, lacking spiritual strength, deviate from the standard.
12.1.38
(38) O King, these mostly ignorant earthly caretakers dedicated to irreligious and unrealistic practices will, with fierce tempers [competing to rule] at the same time allow their subjects hardly any freedom [economically].
12.1.39-40
alpa-sattvālpakāyuṣaḥ
rajasā tamasāvṛtāḥ
prajās te bhakṣayiṣyanti
(39) Destroying the lives of women, children, cows and converted people, they, then elated, then moderate and [then again] depressed, will, coveting the wives of other men, mostly miss the goodness and have short lives [or careers]. Lacking in sacrifice not being fit for the job they, these ignoramuses posing as kings, under the sway of passion and ignorance, will virtually devour the citizens.
These verses give a concise, accurate description of the fallen leaders of this age.
12.1.41
tac-chīlācāra-vādinaḥ
anyonyato rājabhiś ca
(40) The people in the cities will, led by these rulers their character, behavior and speech, plagued by these so-called 'kings' and by each other, find their lives ruined [in wars, economic collapse and natural disasters, see also kles'a, Kali-yuga and B.G. 16: 6-12].'
At the end of the Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is stated that Ripuñjaya, or Purañjaya, the first king mentioned in this chapter, ended his rule about one thousand years after the time of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Since Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared approximately five thousand years ago, Purañjaya must have appeared about four thousand years ago. That would mean that Viśvasphūrji, the last king mentioned, would have appeared approximately in the twelfth century of the Christian era.
Modern Western scholars have made the false accusation that Indian religious literature has no sense of chronological history. But the elaborate historical chronology described in this chapter certainly refutes that naive assessment.
Thus end of the Twelfth Canto, First Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Degraded Dynasties of Kali-yuga."
Footnotes:
.
** The paramparâ adds: 'The great historical narration S'rîmad Bhâgavatam, which began with the events prior to the cosmic manifestation, now reaches into the realm of modern recorded history. Modern historians recognize both the Maurya dynasty and Candragupta, the king mentioned in the following verse.' [pp. 12.1.11]
*** According an academic translator of the Bhâgavatam, Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare [1989, Morilal Banarsidass], this period would be found short before the beginning of the christian year count. Analyzing this text in reference to historical sources he, stating that there are many discrepancies with the cultural [manipulated?] records, also concludes that historically the Kanva-dynasty would have only ruled for forty-five years from 75 to 30 B.C., and not for the three hundred forty five as the Sanskrit text states here. According to him this part of the Bhâgavatam would have been of a later date and consist of a mishmash of hearsay historical knowledge, which is a position contested by the paramparâ of course since it is more likely to err in the discordance of worldly interest than in the harmony of a consciousness motivated by spiritual discipline.
*4 The total span of generations covered here from the first Purañjaya to the last one in the line of the Kali-yuga decay, so would have stretched from about 2000 B.C. to about the twelfth century AD.
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