It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). In the Brahmaloka planet, the residents, they have got their one day. One day means daytime. Not nighttime. Twelve hours, say. That is equal to..., their twelve hours is equal to our millions of years. Sahasra-yuga. Sahasra-yuga means 4,300,000's of years multiplied by 1,000. That is called sahasra-yuga. Such is the, such duration of time is equal to twelve hours in the Brahmaloka planet. So even if you go to the Brahmaloka planet... (to Satsvarūpa:) You read that. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna. Read it.
Yuga means
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 3
SB 3.16.22, Purport:
Śrīdhara Svāmī describes tri-yuga as follows: yuga means "couple," and tri means "three." The Lord is manifested as three couples by His six opulences, or three couples of opulences. In that way He can be addressed as tri-yuga. The Lord is the personality of religious principles. In three millenniums religious principles are protected by three kinds of spiritual culture, namely austerity, cleanliness and mercy. The Lord is called tri-yuga in that way also. In the age of Kali these three requisites to spiritual culture are almost absent, but the Lord is so kind that in spite of Kali-yuga's being devoid of these three spiritual qualities, He comes and protects the people of this age in His covered incarnation as Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is called "covered" because although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself, He presents Himself as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, not directly Kṛṣṇa. The devotees pray to Lord Caitanya, therefore, to eliminate their stock of passion and ignorance, the most conspicuous assets of this yuga. In the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement one cleanses himself of the modes of passion and ignorance by chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, as introduced by Lord Caitanya.
SB 3.24.26, Purport:
Another explanation of tri-yuga is that He has three pairs of divine attributes, namely power and affluence, piety and renown, and wisdom and dispassion. According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, His three pairs of opulences are complete riches and complete strength, complete fame and complete beauty, and complete wisdom and complete renunciation. There are different interpretations of tri-yuga, but it is accepted by all learned scholars that tri-yuga means Viṣṇu. When Kardama Muni understood that his son, Kapila, was Viṣṇu Himself, he wanted to offer his obeisances. Therefore, when Kapila was alone he offered his respects and expressed his mind as follows.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 3.16-17 -- New York, May 25, 1966:
There are different kinds of worship. So either this worship or this prayer, they are called temple worship. Temple worship. Vandanam, offering prayer, is another sort of temple worship. So that is recommended. That was recommended in the Dvāpara-yuga.
Dvāpara-yuga means just during the Mahābhārata time. Mahābhārata time, five thousand years before, that was the end of Dvāpara-yuga. Then, after the battle of Kurukṣetra, this Kali-yuga has begun, Kali-yuga, this age, present age which we are passing on. In this age, this Kali-yuga will exist... From the Vedic scriptures we understand, it will exist for four hundred thousand years, four hundred thousands of years, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of years, not twenty-seven, thirty-two. Out of that, we have passed only five thousand years. So there is balance still, four hundred twenty-seven thousands of years, to finish this Kali-yuga, this age of...
Lecture on BG 3.27 -- Madras, January 1, 1976:
And here within this material world, within this universe, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you go to the highest planetary system, Brahmaloka. The Brahmaloka means you cannot calculate one day's life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years, and multiplied by one thousand, such year, is only twelve hours of Brahmaloka life. Similarly, twenty-four hours, one month, one year... So it is very, very long duration of life there, where Brahmā lives. But still, you have to die. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). So mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate.
Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Bombay, March 21, 1974:
We know, everyone, how things are going on. People are hungry, no eating substance. And what to say of sleeping? Or what to speak of...? Nobody's married timely, either boys or girls. And nobody's secure. Nobody knows what will happen next moment. This is called Kali-yuga.
Kali-yuga means mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. Asmin yuge, kali-yuge, alpa āyuṣaḥ, they are living very short time. The duration of life (is) reducing. Anyone can know. His forefather, his grandfather, lived for, say, hundred years. His father lived for eighty years. And he's going to live for sixty years. In this way, the duration of life will be reduced up to twenty years. That is already foretold. If a man lives for twenty to thirty years, he will be considered very old man. That day is coming.
Lecture on BG 4.5 -- Montreal, June 10, 1968:
Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Brahmaṇaḥ means of Brahmā and the living creatures there in the Brahmaloka, the highest, topmost planet. So in that planet the people or the living entities who are living there, their duration of life is like this. What is that? Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. Now yuga means these four yugas, Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So these four yugas... Satya-yuga means eighteen lakhs of years. Eighteen hundred thousands of years. And Tretā-yuga means twelve hundred thousands of years. And Dvāpara-yuga means eight hundred thousands of years. And Kali-yuga means four hundred thousands of years. This is the rough calculation. Eighteen, then twelve, then eight, plus four. How many years? Eighteen plus twelve becomes thirty, and thirty plus eight, thirty-eight, and four. That means forty-three-hundred thousands of years makes one yuga, divya-yuga.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:
That is called yoga. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). And in the Tretā-yuga, by performing great sacrifices, yajñas. And in the Dvāpara-yuga, by temple worship. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt: in the Kali-yuga, this age...
The present age is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement. Nobody agrees with any other man. Everyone has got his own theory; everyone has got his own philosophy. So therefore it is called Kali-yuga. And if I don't agree with you, you fight with me. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. So this is the only method recommended in this age: kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. Simply by chanting the holy name of God, one can attain perfect self-realization, which was attained by the yoga system in the Satya-yuga, which was attained in the Tretā-yuga by performing great sacrifices, and which was performed in the Dvāpara-yuga by large-scale temple worship.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Sydney, February 16, 1973:
We have been put into this condition, changing condition; therefore we are not happy. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to get ourselves out of this changing condition to the eternal condition. It is very, I mean to say, what is called, intelligent question: Why there is Kali-yuga? Kali-yuga means these ages are change. Just like the same way, as there is summer season; after summer season, there is rainy season; after rainy season there is winter season. Similarly, there are four yuga, namely Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. Satya-yuga means perfect age. Then Tretā-yuga—one-fourth less of perfection. Then Dvāpara-yuga—three-fourth, er, half less; and then Kali-yuga—three-fourths less. Three-fourths bad elements and one-fourth good elements, and that is also very rare. But if you, if we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become transcendental. We have nothing to do with these seasonal changes of Kali-yuga.
Lecture on BG 8.15-20 -- New York, November 17, 1966:
Now, here is a nice description of the highest planet of this universe. What is that? Now, sahasra-yuga-paryantam. Sahasra-yuga means... One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years. Then that means 4,300,000's of years. That is the duration of one yuga. And sahasra-yuga... And sahasra means thousand. That 4,300,000 of years, just multiply it by another one thousand. Now we calculate. I am not mathematician. You can calculate what is that duration. So that duration, long duration, forty-three, five zero, into one thousand, that means forty-three, five zero, again three zero. Now, what is that duration? That is calculated to be twelve hours of Brahmā. As you have got twelve hours from morning, six, to evening, six. So this duration of period in the Brahmaloka is forty-three and five zero into three zero. Just imagine.
Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:
Then add twelve hours again, four hundred billion. That means altogether eight billions of years. That is one day, Brahmā's. Then calculate one month. Then calculate one year. Such hundred years he lives. So that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. One yuga means forty three lakhs of, hundred thousands of years. Sahasra means thousand times. That is... Everything is stated there. You can learn. You can understand. So that is called Brahmaloka. And it is also stated, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). Even if you reach to the Brahmaloka... You can get long duration of life. There is no doubt. But again, punar āvartinaḥ, you have to die and you have to go to another body and another planet. But I am eternal. We are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). By destruction of this body, maybe after two hours or four minutes... There are many, many living entities, they live for some minutes, some second, some years.
Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Miami, February 25, 1975:
Everyone is very much puffed up. This is material condition. Even the most insignificant person, he thinks of himself as very important. Nobody wants to submit to anyone. This propensity is very prominent in this age, Kali-yuga.
Therefore it is called Kali-yuga, means disagreement. "Why shall I accept your proposition? I am also independent, I can think independently." This is the general propensity. But to understand the transcendental subject matter, one has to become submissive. That is the first qualification because the disease is that nobody is submissive. Nobody wants to be lower than anybody else. Although he is insignificant, he has no value, but still—this is called māyā—he thinks himself to be very elevated, learned.
Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:
Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ means Brahmā. You have understood Brahmā's duration of life. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam arhad yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). The Brahmā's one day, twelve hours, you cannot calculate. Sahasra-yuga-par... Yuga means forty-three lakhs of years and multiply it by one thousand, and then it comes to be twelve hours of Brahma's ayuḥ. Such Brahmā lives only...yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya (Bs. 5.48). Mahā-Viṣṇu is exhaling and inhaling. When he is inhaling, so many Brahmas are going within, and when He is exhaling, so many Brahmās are coming, means so many brahmāṇḍas are coming. This is the position.
Lecture on BG 13.23 -- Bombay, October 22, 1973:
Now it is opening, beef shop, big, big beef shop. This time has already come, gradually, and it will be increasing. Unless you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. This Kali-yuga is suffering. So you cannot get comfortable life in this Kali-yuga being godless. Because Kali-yuga means godless. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10).
So therefore everyone should take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to save himself from the onslaught of Kali-yuga, which will increase day by day.
Lecture on BG 18.67 -- Ahmedabad, December 10, 1972:
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). "My dear Arjuna, even if you are promoted to the highest planetary system Brahmaloka, that is not happiness." In the Brahmaloka, the duration of life is so long that you cannot calculate even one day. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years. And multiply it by one thousand. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahaḥ. Now calculate. That duration is one day of Brahmā. One day means twelve hours. Similarly, another twelve hours, night. Day and night. Then again, thirty days, one month. Similarly, twelve months equal to one year. Such one thous..., one hundred years is the duration of Brahmā.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:
So there was big meeting of the sages, and Sūta Gosvāmī was on the chair. So amongst the audience, one sage, his name was Śaunaka, he was putting questions to the speaker and he was answering chapter by chapter. So one question was there, that in this age, Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the age of dissension, disagreement. Nobody agrees with anybody. Everyone is independent. That is the sign of... They don't... Unless they are forced, they don't care for any authority. Of course, we care or do not care, the authority is there. If I do not care, then I will be forced to care. That is the law of nature. So in this age, the question was, "What is the best form of religion by which one can become elevated to spiritual emancipation?" The best form of religion. So somebody may recommend that Hindu religion is best, or others may recommend that Christian religion is very good and others may say, "Oh, Muhammadan religion is very good," and others may say, "Buddhist religion is very good."
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:
"O my dear Govinda! Because I do not see You, therefore every moment is appearing to Me as twelve years." Yuga means twelve years. "Every second is appearing to be a long duration of time." Everyone, you have got experience. If you love somebody and if you are expecting your lover, every moment you think, "Oh, it is full one day." You see. This is due to love. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. Nimeṣa means a moment. "My dear Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, a moment is appearing to Me as long as twelve years." Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam: "And My tears pouring water just like torrents of rain." That means He's crying, "Hā Kṛṣṇa, I could not see You." Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitaṁ śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam: "Oh, I see the whole world void and vacant." You see. He does not see anything.
Lecture on SB 1.2.18 -- Los Angeles, August 21, 1972:
"Feeling separation of Govinda." How? "One moment is equal to twelve years," yugāyitam. One yuga means twelve years. One moment appearing. Sometimes we have got experience, if we want to see something, it is called expectant psychology. I am expecting something, somebody, that my friend or my lover is coming. So on the door, if there is "koot," "Oh, you have come? No, no. He has not come." The one moment is twelve years. Such kind of separation, when we feel for Kṛṣṇa, that means all dirty things are over. And something for Kṛṣṇa, something for sense enjoyment, that means still the dirty things are there. But the more we engage our time, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā, the dirty things becomes cleansed, gradually. Just like when you are hungry, you are given foodstuff, you eat. The more you eat, your hunger is satisfied.
Lecture on SB 1.3.24 -- Los Angeles, September 29, 1972:
So out of that 432,000's of years, we have passed only five thousand years. We have passed only five thousand years. The Kali-yuga has begun from after the death of Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
During the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the Kali-yuga could not enter. He was so strong king. Kali-yuga means these four principles: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating. This is Kali-yuga. Before the beginning of Kali-yuga, there was no such thing in the world, all over the world. With the beginning of the Kali-yuga, these things have begun: illicit sex, intoxication... Now it is so spread that every home, every house, every country, is full of these four principles of sinful life.
So tataḥ sampravṛtte kalau sammohāya sura-dviṣām (SB 1.3.24). Sura-dviṣām. Dviṣa means, "I don't like to see you." That is called dviṣa. Dveṣa. Icchā-dveṣa.
Lecture on SB 1.5.23 -- Vrndavana, August 4, 1974:
This nature... Just like everything material... Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It appears for some time like bubbles in the ocean, few seconds. Again finished. The whole cosmic manifestation in which we are millions and millions of years, it is just like a bubble in the ocean. It is just like a bubble. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā.
So Nārada Muni confirms that "Formerly, in the millennium..." That is Brahmā's night. When Brahmā's night comes, everything becomes devastated in water. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). First of all sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three hundred thousands of years. Multiply it by one thousand. That is the period of manifestation. Now, what is the period? Forty-three lakhs of years, and multiply it by a thousand. How many years?
Lecture on SB 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, April 24, 1975:
They have no scarcity of food. And live very pleasantly. For eating, sleeping, sex life, they have no problem. These are primary necessities of life. Why there should be problem for these things? But in the human society there is problem. That is called the effect of Kali-yuga. Effect of Kali-yuga means the so-called advancement of material civilization means to become godless, immoral, and they must suffer. That is going on.
So we are increasing our anarthas, anarthas, and we are becoming entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once we take a certain type of body, we enjoy or suffer for some time; then again we have to give up this body, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), and there is no guarantee what sort of body you are going to get. But it is certain that you are going to get a body.
Lecture on SB 1.7.11 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1976:
That madness wanted. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa: one moment appears to be one yuga. One yuga means twelve years. So yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam. Crying. There is tears in the eyes like the torrents of rain. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā... Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam. "I feel the whole world is vacant." Why? Govinda-viraheṇa me. This madness is wanted. Without Govinda, that madness. So that madness (was) fully exhibited in Vṛndāvana by the gopīs. They were mad after Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa left Vṛndāvana, went to Mathurā, they became so mad that they had no other business than cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam, simply crying torrents of rain. That is wanted. That is Vṛndāvana life. Not that seeking after sex in Vṛndāvana. That is... That means such person will have to take birth as monkey next life. Monkey.
Lecture on SB 1.7.30-31 -- Vrndavana, September 26, 1976:
That you cannot escape. Either you become a small insect or you become as powerful as Lord Brahmā, you have to die. There is no escape. Brahmā, he has the greatest amount of years to live. His life is... We have calculation in the Bhagavad-gītā, that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand. That is the one daytime duration of Brahmā. Ahar rātri means morning to evening. Morning to evening, that is sahasra-yuga, one thousand times of forty-three lakhs of years. Similarly night. Then day and night becomes one day. Similarly one month, and then twelve months, a year—such hundred years. So there is difference between our hundred years and his hundred years. Similarly, ant's hundred years and my hundred years different.
Lecture on SB 1.7.32-33 -- Vrndavana, September 27, 1976:
So these things are there, and it is the duty of the government to see how things are going on. But it is simply now dream. People are also not interested what is the aim of life, what is the mission of this human form of life; neither there is guidance. There are so many upadravas. That is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means that people will be more and more unhappy. Prāyeṇa alpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. The first thing is that the duration of life will decrease, alpa-āyuṣa. And manda, all bad men. Hardly we'll find any good men. Manda. Manda means bad and slow. Both the meanings can be manda. Manda-gati. They're not interested in progressive life. That is also manda. Manda matayaḥ. And they have got their own opinions. They do not follow the standard path, and it is confirmed by the so-called leaders, yata mata tata patha, you can manufacture your own way of life. These are the situation of upadrava. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10).
Lecture on SB 1.16.36 -- Tokyo, January 30, 1974:
So generally the seasonal changes are accepted as Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga. Just like in each year we have got different seasons, changes, similarly, each millennium there are so many changes of Kali-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Satya-yuga.
So Satya-yuga means the age of truthfulness. Satya means truthfulness. And Kali-yuga means the age of disagreement, the age of disagreement. So at the present moment we are in the Kali-yuga. Everyone disagrees with the other. Even the so-called disciple also disagrees with the spiritual master. This is the influence of Kali-yuga. One becomes disciple of a spiritual master, then he whimsically disagrees. So why, if you disagree, why should you accept somebody as spiritual master? That is not very good. That is the way of not being successful. We are chanting every day that yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **.
Lecture on SB 6.1.3 -- Melbourne, May 22, 1975:
We have already explained that we accept the authoritative statement of śāstra. Now, Brahma's life is stated there. Arhat means his one day is equal to our four yugas. Four yugas means 4,300,000 years, and multiply it by one thousand, sahasra-yuga-paryantam. Sahasra means one thousand. And yuga, yuga means the 4,300,000 years makes a yuga. And multiply it by one thousand: that period is Brahma's one day. Similarly, he has got one night. Similarly, he has got one month. Similarly, he has got one year. And such hundred years he will live. So how you can calculate? How it is within your experience? You will think something mysterious. No. Your experience is nothing. Therefore you have to take experience from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. Then your knowledge is perfect. That I have already said. Don't try to understand with your teeny experience everything. Then you will be failure.
Lecture on SB 6.1.8 -- New York, July 22, 1971:
You have to take the medicine through the physician, not independently. In your country there is law that you cannot purchase from the drug shop any medicine without being prescribed by the medical man. Is it not? So the prescription should be taken from the experienced physician to cure the disease. So in this age, Kali-yuga... It is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and misunderstanding. This is the age. For nothing there is misunderstanding and quarrel and fight and war, for nothing. So in this age the medicine for delivering the conditioned souls from miserable, materialistic way of life is prescribed in the śāstras. What is that? Harer nāma, simply chanting of the holy name of Hari, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam: (CC Adi 17.21) "In this age, simply this harer nāma kevalam, only." There is no other alternative.
Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Chicago, July 6, 1975:
And next business was gambling, dice playing, bandy-akṣaiḥ. Everything was there. It was... Of course, these historical incidences, and, some thousands and thousands of years ago happened. But because it is material world, these things were there at that time also. Now it has increased. Kali-yuga means it has increased. The same thieves, cheater, everything were there at that time. It was rare incidences. But now it has become daily affair due to the Kali-yuga. So his business was kaitavaiḥ. Kaitavaiḥ means cheating. Cheating. Now what kind of cheating? The cheaters will round, surround one man, and he says, "Have you seen some gold lump falling down? I have seen. One is lost." Then another man will come, "Sir, I have got this gold lump. If you pay me something, I will give you." But that is not gold, actually, but he creates a situation that "Somebody lost his gold lump. Now he has got. He wants to sell me. All right, I give you ten rupees.
Lecture on SB 7.6.3-4 -- San Francisco, March 8, 1967:
Therefore meditation is out of question at the present age. I am not speaking from my own whims. It is stated in the śāstra. In the śāstra it is said that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Meditation on Viṣṇu was possible in the golden age, or in the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means at that time the people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. And they were all perfect in religious life. There was no flaw. Then came the Tretā-yuga, when they were perfect three-fourths and the duration of life reduced to ten thousand years. The next yuga, next millennium, is called Dvāpara-yuga, when the life of people, half religious, half pious, half vicious, and the duration of life reduced to one thousand years. And this age is called Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and misunderstanding. The duration of life has reduced to one hundred years. Not even one hundred years.
Lecture on SB 12.2.1 -- San Francisco, March 18, 1968:
And in this past, in the future, we shall all remain individuals." That past, present, and future, he explained. Another place Kṛṣṇa says, vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Atītāni, atītāni means past. Vartamānāni ca, "and present." So that is yogic power. One can know past, present, and future.
So here Śukadeva Gosvāmī is speaking about this Kali-yuga. The Kali-yuga means the fourth age. There are four different kinds of ages: Satya-yuga, Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. Just like there are six seasons, or four seasons in a year, similarly, in one day of Brahmā there are one hundred cycles of four yugas. Four yugas means forty-three thousand..., forty-three hundred thousands of years. It is a very long period. That is the duration of four yugas. Similarly, one thousand yugas passes, then one day of Brahmā finished, twelve hours. It is a big calculation. Anyway, there are four yugas, this Satya-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, Tretā-yuga, and Kali-yuga. So in the previous chapter, some description of these yugas have been described. Now here, in this chapter...
Lecture on SB Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975:
Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, it is said there in the Fifteenth Chapter, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Vedic knowledge means to understand God. This is Vedic religion.
Later on, with the progress of Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the dark age or the sinful age or the age for argument, unnecessary talks and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. That is going on. Since the last five thousand years, the Kali-yuga has begun, and the beginning of Kali-yuga was cow-slaughtering. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was touring all over the world, he saw one black man was attempting to kill one cow. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw this and immediately... The cow was trembling for being slaughtered. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw, "Who is this man, trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" So immediately he took his sword. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means that... Kṣat means injury, and trāyate—it is called kṣatriya.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 8.128 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 24, 1977:
People are living not as they used to live formerly. In this age, Kali-yuga, the maximum years one can live: hundred years in this Kali-yuga. Hundred years. In the Dvāpara-yuga it was one thousand years. In the Tretā-yuga it was ten thousand years. In the Satya-yuga it was hundred thousand years. It is reducing. Kali-yuga means the duration of age will reduce, the memory will reduce, the bodily strength will reduce, mercifulness will reduce. In this way everything will reduce. This is Kali-yuga. Supply of foodstuff will be reduced. This is Kali-yuga. So mandāḥ. Everyone is bad, not full strength. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo. And everyone has got a sumanda-mata. Mata means opinion or system which is also sumanda. Not only mandāḥ but sumanda. Everyone is manufacturing a type of Bhagavān, a type of religious system. That is not bona fide at all. Sumanda-matayo. Mandāḥ sumanda matayo. And everyone is unfortunate, manda-bhāgyā, unfortunate in this sense: they do not know what is the aim of life, how human life should make progress.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.172 -- New York, December 14, 1966:
So when you are transcendental to this material goodness, that stage is called Vāsudeva stage. And Vāsudeva stage, that means God realization.
So there are three incarnation of guṇāvatāra, then manvantarāvatāra. Manvantarāvatāra means... There is seventy-one yugas. One yuga means about 4,300,000's of years. Four million and 300,000's of years, that makes a complete yuga. Such seventy-one yuga is the duration of a Manu. That is called Man... And each Manu is also an incarnation, Manvantarāvatāra. And such Manu takes place, fourteen Manus take place, during one day of Brahma. So Manvantarāvatāra. Then yuga avatāra. Yuga avatāra... In each yuga, during that 4,300,000's of years, there are yuga avatāra. They are the incarnation. They come. They are called yugāvatāras. And then there is śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Śaktyāveśa-avatāra, they are counted just like Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ. They are counted amongst the śaktyāveśāvatāras.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.330-335 -- New York, December 23, 1966:
Tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham. The incarnation of God comes... When there is discrepancy all over the world about religious principle, the incarnation comes. So Lord Caitanya says that in the Satya-yuga this incarnation of God in white color, He preached meditation, dhyāna. Therefore meditation is for the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when cent percent people are pure. That is called Satya-yuga. And Tretā-yuga means 75% are pure, 25% impure. And Dvāpara-yuga means 50%, 50% pure and 50%... And Kali-yuga means 75% impure and 25% may be pure. (laughter) This is Kali-yuga. And we are thinking we are advancing. Such a foolish civilization, they are less than 25% pure, they do not know what is purity, and they think that they are advancing in civilization. Civilization means to purify. The Aryans, Aryans means advance. And what way advance? Advance in eating? Advance in sleeping? No. Advance in purification. They are called Aryans. And the most advanced purified is called the brāhmaṇa.
Festival Lectures
Initiation Lectures
Lecture & Initiation -- Seattle, October 20, 1968:
It is not that a different type of religious system we have introduced. It is a great necessity of the present day. Because we say that either you follow scripture, Bible, or you follow Koran or you follow Vedas, the aim is God. But at the present moment, due to the influence of this Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement. So in this age people are embarrassed in so many ways. First disqualification is that they do not live for long time. The average duration of life in India is thirty-five years, and I do not know exactly what is the average age here, but in India the people are overcrowded. They have no such intelligence, or they did not care to go outside India, colonize. Everyone went there to exploit, but they never thought of exploiting other places. That is their cultural... They do not try to encroach upon others' property.
General Lectures
Lecture to College Students -- Seattle, October 20, 1968, Introduction by Tamala Krsna:
That is the effect of mantra. So this mantra, this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, is called the mahā-mantra. Mahā-mantra means the greatest of all mantras. And this is the only suitable mantra for this age. This age is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of disagreement. Nobody agrees. Even husband, wife does not agree, what to speak of others. The father, son does not agree. Nobody agrees with anyone. This is the age like that. So in this age of disagreement you cannot say that this type of religion is nice, that type of religion is nice. That is finished now. You have to take this mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And you'll find it that very soon you are coming to the light.
Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:
This age is called, according to the Vedic language, Kali. Kali-yuga means the age of disagreement and dissension. So in the Vedas it is recommended that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇu (SB 12.3.52). In the Golden Age... Of course, the kṛte, the Sanskrit word, exactly there is no English translation, but generally we have got a conception of Golden Age. So take it for granted that kṛte, kṛte means in the age when everyone was pure. Cent percent, people were pure. That is called Kṛta-yuga. The next yuga is called Tretā, when seventy-five percent of the people, they were pure, and twenty-five percent were not pure. And then Dvāpara. Dvāpara means fifty percent-fifty percent pure and fifty percent nonpure.
Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:
That is called Kṛta-yuga. The next yuga is called Tretā, when seventy-five percent of the people, they were pure, and twenty-five percent were not pure. And then Dvāpara. Dvāpara means fifty percent-fifty percent pure and fifty percent nonpure. Then this age is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means seventy-five percent or more than seventy-five percent, they are impure, and twenty-five percent, I mean to say, that is in book, but actually ninety percent or more than that are impure and maybe five percent pure. This is the situation of this age. And they are also living very short time. In this age, life, duration of life, is reduced, memory is reduced, man's compassion is also reduced. Similarly, there are so many things, they are reduced. Although we are thinking that we are advancing, but actually the most important things we are reduced.
Lecture 'Nobody Wants to Die' -- Boston, May 7, 1968:
There are different processes mentioned in the Vedic literature that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇu (SB 12.3.52). Kṛte means in the Satya-yuga. There is no English translation, what is called Satya-yuga, but people have got imagination, "Golden Age," or something like that. Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means cent percent people are pure. And Tretā-yuga means seventy-five percent people are pure and twenty-five percent impure. And Dvāpara-yuga means half and half-half pure, half impure. And Kali-yuga means almost impure. Impure. Ninety-nine percent impure. This is Kali-yuga. So, for spiritual salvation, for transcendental realization, it is said when... Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇu. When people were cent percent pure, at that time, the process of meditation was successful, because this meditation requires fully purification of the body. Otherwise, simply closing your eyes, if you meditate and sleep... I've seen, practically. They are meditating (snores). I have seen. Perhaps you have also seen.
Pandal Lecture at Cross Maidan -- Bombay, March 26, 1971:
As I am repeatedly placing before you with all humbleness that this movement is very, very much essential, not only at the present moment, but also all the time. And specially in this age, Kali-yuga, the age of disagreements and quarrel. Kali-yuga means nobody agrees with anyone. Everyone has got his own opinion, however condemned it may be. And on that point everyone is prepared to fight with one. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. So putting different theories, philosophical speculations, will not solve the problems of the world, because not only during this age, but in all other ages also, there are different philosophers, different scriptures. That is the law of this material nature. Here there is no oneness. Duality. This world is meant for duality. So it is called dvaita. Dvaita means duality.
Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:
Similarly, if you become, if you be able to go to the highest planet of this universe, which is called Brahmaloka, then you get your duration of life... That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Sahasra-yuga means... One yuga, combination of this yuga, Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali, it, forty-three hundred thousands of years. And multiply it by one thousand—that is the duration of one day in the Brahmaloka.
So in different planets you have got different standard of living, you have different standard of duration of life. Just like there is so many distinctions even on this planet. Our standard of living and the standard of living of Europeans and Americans are different. Practically, a common man, when he goes to the Western country, from the materialistic point of view, one sees, "Oh, this is heaven.
Arrival -- Dallas, May 19, 1973:
Not believes. That is affirmed. Some of them say, "God is dead. Now we have to take to social work, political work. Let the subject matter of God be set aside." Especially in India. In India, the country where still God consciousness is so strong, the government wants that they should forget about this God business. So this is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means simply for fight on trifling things and forget God.
So anyway, apart from their business, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially meant for awakening the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness of every man. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there in everyone. Otherwise how these European, American young men, young girls, children, they are taking part in it? It is not that I have bribed them. Sometimes the Christian missionaries go to our country. They bribe the poorer classes of men, and they become Christians—not by understanding the philosophy or the religion.
Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:
The topmost planet, which is known as Brahmaloka, that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). Many millions of years, sahasra-yuga. One yuga means forty-three hundred thousands of solar years, and multiply it by one thousand. That becomes the duration of one day in the Brahmaloka. So in different planets, there are different duration of life, different standard of life.
So all these information we get from the Vedic scripture, just like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Upaniṣad, like that. And we follow the instruction. That is good for human society. Human society, if they do not follow the footprints of great ācāryas, great saintly persons, then there will be trouble.
Public Speech -- Bad Homburg, Germany, June 22, 1974:
It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā that sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). In the Brahmaloka planet, the residents, they have got their one day. One day means daytime, not nighttime, twelve hours, say. That is equal to... Their twelve hours is equal to our millions of years, sahasra-yuga. Sahasra-yuga means forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand. That is called sahasra-yuga. Such is the, the such duration of time is equal to twelve hours in the Brahmaloka planet. So even if you go to the Brahmaloka planet... You read that, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna. Read it.
Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:
Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). In trance, you'll find yogi picture, their trance, they are in meditation, completely silent, stop breathing and seeing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, within the heart. This is actual yoga system. But it was possible to be executed in the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means when people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. That was possible. Just like Vālmīki Muni. He executed yoga system for sixty thousand years. Because he was to live for one hundred thousands of years, so it was not very difficult to engage oneself for sixty thousands of years. But that is not possible in this age.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on John Dewey:
Prabhupāda: So in this way there is a regular history. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā a small instance of history is being given: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17), that the Brahmā's daytime, just like we have got solar calculation, twelve hours' daytime, so that twelve hours of Brahmā is calculated sahara-yuga-paryantam. One yuga means forty-three hundred thousands of years. Similarly, thousand times, that is Brahmā's twelve hours. So everything is relative. We are tiny people. We have got history of this world, some thousands of years, but Brahmā is greater than the human being. His history is different. Here everything is relative. My history is different from an ant's history. Similarly a man's history is different from Brahmā's history. So historical does not mean whatever you have calculated, that is history. History is relative according to the person. So these people, they have no information of the greater personalities than us, but we have got information from Vedic literature. In the higher planetary system, there the duration of life, standard of life is different from here.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Temple is open for everyone. Let them come and sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, hear Bhagavad-gītā. We don't say, "Oh, are you potter? No. You are not allowed." We don't say that. "Are you cobbler? Oh, you are not allowed." No. We don't say that. Everyone is welcome. Come on. And what is the business? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everyone can do it. And what is the next business? We read some nice philosophical portion from Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yes. You have got ears. (shouts:) But the rascals are not coming! That is their rascaldom. Because they will go to hell. We are offering the greatest facility, but they are so rascals they are not coming. This is a rascaldom civilization. What is difficulty there? You come, sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, take nice prasādam, hear philosophy, see nice pictures, decorated Deity. What is the difficulty there? But their brain is full with rascaldom. They will go to cinema, they will go to hotel, they will go to some other thing, but they will not come to temple, or church, or anywhere where these things are being done. This is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means they are so condemned that they don't take facility of the highest benefit.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Indonesian Scholar -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:
Scholar: What is His Divine Grace idea about Kali-yuga?
Prabhupāda: Kali-yuga means degraded age.
Scholar: It's the time for that.
Prabhupāda: Degradation.
Scholar: It's the time for that.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It has begun for the last 5,000 years. It's going on.
Scholar: And how long it will be?
Prabhupāda: And it will remain for another 427,000's of years. The whole duration is 432,000's of years, out of which we have passed only 5,000 years. That means the balance is 427,000 years. So at the end, people will forget everything about God. There are descriptions of the Kali-yuga. So if we again come back to Kali-yuga, it is not very good for us. The symptoms have already begun. So actually, we must do something by which people may derive some benefit. Simply for formalities there is no value. And that, things are already mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. You have to simply follow the program, then life will be perfect. (Hindi) Fruit. Give them this prasādam, this fruit.
Room Conversation with Indian Guest -- October 4, 1973, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes, but Vedic literature, Vedic literatures, you see. These four yugas. Now, in the Bhagavad-gītā... We are talking always: Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). You study Bhagavad-gītā. You'll understand. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam. One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years. And multiply by... Eh?
Devotee: Mrs. Nair has come.
Prabhupāda: Let her come in, yes. And forty-three lakhs of years, multiply it by one thousand. Then how much it comes?
Guest (1): Forty-three multiplied by...
Prabhupāda: Forty-three lakhs multiplied by one thousand.
Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: How can I accept it? Because in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ: (BG 8.17) "The Brahmā's one day is equal to one thousand combination of yugas." The combination of yuga means forty-three-hundred thousands of years. So such thousand times makes Brahmā's one day of twelve hours. Similar period, his night. Then day and night, it becomes full twenty-four hours. Then such thirty twenty-four hours makes one month. Such twelve months makes one year, and such hundred years he will live. So how you can calculate? It is beyond your arithmetical calculation. We have to go through the śāstras. So this is in one universe. And there are millions of universes and millions of Brahmās. And all of them live, taking the advantage of one exhaling of Mahā-Viṣṇu. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48).
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 1, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Not twelve hundred yugas. One thousand yugas. One thousand. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17).
Dr. Patel: Sahasra-yuga means four yugas, (Hindi) like that...
Prabhupāda: That... Four yugas multiplied by one thousand.
Dr. Patel: By one thousand.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Patel: Four thousand.
Prabhupāda: So four yuga means forty-three lakhs of years. Now, add three zeroes. Forty-three lakhs of years, add three zeroes. Then how many?
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Christian method, the offering prayer. That is bhakti, that is bhakti. (German) (break) Kali-yuga means fight. Nobody is interested to understand the truth but they'll simply fight, "In my opinion, this." I say, "My opinion, this." You say, "His opinion." So many foolish opinions and fight within themselves. This is the age. No standard opinion. Everyone has got his own opinion. Therefore there must be fighting. Everyone says, "I think like this." So what is your value, your thinking like that? That is Kali-yuga. Because you have no standard knowledge. If a child says the father, "In my opinion, you should do like this." Is that opinion to be taken? If he does not know the thing, how he can give his opinion? But here, in this age, everyone is prepared with his own opinion. Therefore it is fight, quarrel.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with Devotees -- April 14, 1975, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Sil. Sil means cultured. A cultured man is called sil. Sushil. Sushil means very culture, very... Sushil. So kalo brahm... This is unnatural. Kalo brāhmaṇa kota śūdra bete mussulman, kanki chele... (indistinct) Now generally people, we saw, in our childhood, Europeans were very tall and now they are not coming (indistinct). Naturally when they'll not get sufficient nourishment, they'll be stunted. And Kali-yuga means decrease of nourishment, necessities of life decreasing. We see in such a rich man's house, there is no milk. Milk is one of the important nourishment foods. And there is no milk. So gradually there'll be no milk, no rice, no wheat, no sugar. These are stated. Where you'll get nourishment? And the mango, there'll be no pulp, only the seed. These are predicted. After all, you have to live by nature's gift, but these things will be finished. And Russia there is, already there is no rice. There is no fruit. There is no vegetable. Simply we eat meat.
Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: That I was explaining. Because you have a little desire to know, so that we have to take, a small fire, and we have to fan it. Then it will come, blazing fire. Kali-yuga means actually there is no brāhmaṇa, but whenever there is a little tendency of becoming brāhmaṇa, we take it, accept. Otherwise there is no question of pushing on this movement. Wherever there is little chance, we take advantage. That is our process. (break) Initiation means just to see, "Here is a little chance. He is coming forward. Take it, accept him, and fan it." This is initiation, not that "Now I am initiated, I become perfect." (break) Theological Union, when it was started.
Dharmādhyakṣa: Nineteen...
Room Conversation with Lt. Mozee, Policeman -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere. This is the age of forgetting God. We say it is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of misunderstanding. And that is, I said, dirty things within the heart. So God is so powerful that if we chant the holy name of God, then we become purified. So our movement is based on this principle, chant the holy name of God. We give all facilities to everyone without any distinction that "You come with us. Come in our temple, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and take little prasādam, refreshment, and gradually you become purified." So if the government authorities give us facilities for this business, that we hold mass saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and give them little prasādam, then we are sure the whole place will change.
Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Find out. First of all He spoke that... If you take history of Bhagavad-gītā, then it comes to forty millions of years ago, at least, He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. How do you calculate? The calculation is there. Any intelligent man can calculate because Brahmā's duration of life is mentioned there. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brāhmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). So one yuga means forty-three lakhs of years and multiply it one thousand. That is Brahmā's duration of one day. Now, in one day there are seven Manus. So Vivasvān Manu's age can be calculated—at least forty millions of years ago. So the Bhagavad-gītā is not a new thing. It was spoken five thousand years ago to Arjuna. That was not the first speaking. He says, "I first spoke to Vivasvān, the sun-god." Yes, show him. (Bengali) ...I am manufacturing something. Everything is there. "If you simply follow, a great, wonderful thing will be done." She is now in a position. Simply she has to take the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā and apply it practically.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: I have seen Gandhi's prayer meeting, and I attended. Utmost, five minutes reading Bhagavad-gītā, then again politics immediately. Immediately politics. I was in Delhi. I attended the meeting when Nawa Khalia (Noakhali?) fast. So this was his prayer. I have seen. And as a result of this, in that prayer meeting he was killed. (Hindi) So nature punishment are there. (Hindi) The last stage of Kali-yuga means you die.
Dr. Patel: But the way the modern civilized nations are exploiting the resources of the world, another fifty years there will be no resources left, and civilization automatically will die out.
Prabhupāda: Wars. The occasional war, pestilence, famine, that's all.
Morning Walk -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: In other words, the question is that do people who have such types of low-grade desires take birth in the Kali-yuga. So the question is that, naturally, yes, everyone is taking birth according to their karma. But we can change our destiny by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just like if a sick man is offered medicine, so if he takes medicine, then he can become cured from his disease. Similarly, Kali-yuga means very high temperature, and the medicine is there in the form of the holy name, harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). So we have to take advantage. Otherwise everyone in Kali-yuga is condemned.
Prabhupāda: Have we not published that "You have created 747. All right, take credit. But you cannot make a mosquito with pilot. Can you?" "No." "So why..., how can you defy the supreme creator?" We are taking it, there is supreme creator.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: That was my policy from the very beginning, that if the Americans accept, then my mission will be successful. And that is being done gradually, and I am insisting that, preach in America vigorously. If America accepts, then whole world will accept. That's a fact. Anywhere, although America may be fallen, the ideal is American, everywhere. Because they have got money. Kali-yuga means money. If you have got money, then you have got culture, you have got education, you have got everything. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Formerly, they were attached, family, aristocracy, culture, education. Nowadays there is no such thing. Get money and you get everything. It is not? Somehow or other, if you have got control over money then you have got everything. Bring that black Bhāgavatam. What is that sound coming? There is goat?
Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Because we have no, that cātur-varṇa system. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). You have given up Kṛṣṇa's instruction, now you have to suffer. You do not train brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So anyone who is in power, he is good. That is Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means anyone gets vote, he's in power. They can misuse the power. There is no kṣatriya.
Dr. Patel: I think that is a wrong system (much airplane noise-indistinct) this open Democracy is not a (indistinct) by consensus...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Now, either democracy or monarchy, the population is śūdra. So either you make it democracy or any "crazy," śūdra will be on the power. So they can...
Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: ...Kali-yuga. Take little prasādam. Kali-yuga means this age. Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement.
Dr. Kneupper: Age of...?
Prabhupāda: Quarrel and disagreement. Because there is no standard idea, so I'll disagree with you, you'll disagree with me, and on slight provocation there will be fight. This is the age called Kali-yuga.
Dr. Kneupper: Do you see that nations will fight too? That there will be wars, things like that?
Prabhupāda: Yes, so many difficulties. Even there is no war, the natural disturbance and foolish government will create such situation that people will become mad in hopelessness.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:
Trivikrama: But still, the tendency... Kali-yuga means their tendency is away from...
Dr. Patel: It is Kali-yuga for all of us, for the good and the bad.
Prabhupāda: Kali-yuga means mandāḥ. Mandāḥ-two meaning. One is "slow"; another meaning is "bad." So mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). Four times this word used: mandāḥ, sumanda-matayo, manda-bhāgyā.
Dr. Patel: But one thing about Kali-yuga is that by doing small amount of good work or doing little bhakti, it has a greater amount of benefit than you would get otherwise in Satya-yuga, Dvāpara or Treta. Is it not, sir? No...
Prabhupāda: Good work or bad work, you have to enjoy, good or bad.
Dr. Patel: But in Kali-yuga a little bhakti will do much good than a good amount of tapaḥ in Satya-yuga, thousands or millions of years.
Morning Walk -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: "Because they are bereft of God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are doing, engaged in these big, big projects, although (they) live for twenty years or fifty years utmost, perhaps. And eternal life? They do not know." Vimūḍhān: "specially rascal." The cats and dogs are rascals, but they are animals. They cannot know anything. But they got this human form of life, and still, they are acting as rascal. Therefore vimūḍhān, "specially rascal." Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu. Such a rascal. (break) ...where charity is given, to be given, give him. That's all. Dātavyam. (break) "...by the people, for the people." And what is the people condition? They are naked. They have no good house, no food. And these men, they must have very good bungalow, very good, comfortable life. This is Kali-yuga, means "Plunder the citizens, take money from them, and live comfortably at the cost of the poor citizens."
Correspondence
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Yogesvara, Gurudasa, Digvijaya, Lesley, Yvonne, Jyotirmayi, Paul, Prithadevi, Purnananda, Tom, Lena, Dhananjaya, Inga, Mandakini, Tirthapada, Trivikrama, Yamuna, Jaya Hari -- Los Angeles 21 May, 1970:
Please accept my blessings. I thank you all very much for your Aksoy Treetiya card. This is the new years day of the appearance of Satya Yuga. Satya Yuga means the age when people did not know anything except the Absolute Truth or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
In Srimad-Bhagavatam we begin our reading by offering of obeisances to the Supreme Truth Satyam Param Dhimahi (SB 1.1.1), so those who are strictly on the Bhagavat line or in Krsna consciousness actually they are living in Satya Yuga age.
Our London Temple is replica of Vaikuntha, so live there peacefully, chant the regular beads, and follow the regulative principles.
| Page Title: | Yuga means |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 22 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=45, Con=17, Let=1 |
| No. of Quotes: | 65 |