Prabhupāda: So we have discussed the symptoms of Kali-yuga, this age called Kali-yuga. As there are seasonal changes, similarly, in the duration of this material existence, there are seasonal changes. That everyone has got experience. There is summer, there is winter, there is fall, there is spring. 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. By satisfying the spiritual master, one can satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Yasya prasādāt, "By the satisfaction of the spiritual master." Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam. One of the symptom is this, that spiritual master is so bona fide. Before accepting somebody as spiritual master you must know about his bona fides. That time is allowed. It is said in the śāstras that if you like to accept somebody as spiritual master, you should associate with him at least for one year, see how things are going on. If you follow, of course, others, that is also good. But personally it is advised that you just remain with the proposed spiritual master for at least one year, so that the spiritual master is also given chance to study you, whether you are acceptable. This is the process.
But when one leaves a spiritual master, the spiritual master, there may be some reason. That reason is also given in the śāstra: gurur api avaliptasya kāryākāryam ajānataḥ. Kārya akārya. If the spiritual master does not know what is actually to be done, what is actually not to be done, and he acts against the rules and regulation of the śāstra, then such spiritual master may be given up. But so long you do not find the spiritual master is doing against the principles of śāstra or guru, then if you give up the company of spiritual master, that is not good for you. That is your downfall. First of all, you must take sufficient time to study the movements of a spiritual master. Spiritual master is one—the spiritual master. Because there may be many spiritual master, but if their business is one—to satisfy Kṛṣṇa—although they're many, they're one. Although they're many, they are still one. The principle is one: to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Such is the position of spiritual master, that yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ, if you try to please your spiritual master, then God, Kṛṣṇa, becomes pleased. That is natural.
So in the Kali-yuga why there should be . . . in Kali-yuga even with the spiritual master there is disagreement. That is due to influence of Kali. That is my point. So this influence of Kali-yuga has been discussed in so many pages in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Last it was discussed that the good qualification of Kali . . . of human being . . . human being, I am speaking, because amongst the living entities, human being is considered to be the highest. So the Mother Earth was lamenting that people have lost their good qualification. They cannot be lost, but it is, by the influence of Kali-yuga, it is now covered. Satyam, śaucam, dayā, that twenty-six nice qualification. We have discussed all these things, here:
- satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā kṣāntis
- tyāgaḥ santoṣa ārjavam
- śamo damas tapaḥ sāmyaṁ
- titikṣoparatiḥ śrutam
- jñānaṁ viraktir aiśvaryaṁ
- śauryaṁ tejo balaṁ smṛtiḥ
- svātantryaṁ kauśalaṁ kāntir
- dhairyaṁ mārdavam eva ca
- (SB 1.16.26–27)
So many. So on account of this Kali-yuga, the good qualification of human society will be lost. Thinking this future of the present age, Mother Earth was lamenting and talking with Dharmarāja. At that time Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, er, Mahārāja Parīkṣit arrived on that spot, and this is the verse.
Tayor evaṁ kathayatoḥ: while the Dharmarāja and the earthly planet was talking between themselves, pṛthivī . . . pṛthivī. Tayor evaṁ kathayatoḥ, pṛthivī, the earthly planet and dharmayos tadā. Tadā: "that time," parīkṣit nāma rājarṣiḥ. Parīkṣit nāma rājarṣiḥ. There were many rājarṣis. Rājarṣi means although they're occupying the royal position . . . rāja. Rāja and prajā. Rāja means king or the ruler. Here is also regulative principle. Why a king is accepted? Why a governor is accepted? Why a president is . . .? Even in this day of democracy—they have abolished the system of monarchy—but still, they select somebody to become a monarch, a king, or to occupy the post of the king. That is called president. Why? Because unless there is one head, or on the head of the government, who can actually control? Control means whether citizens are following, executing the rules and regulation, the law of the state. Therefore a certain man, qualified man, who is . . . who enjoys the confidence of the people, he is accepted as the king. This is the position. So such president, king or the executive head must be a saintly person. Therefore here it is said, parīkṣit nāma rājarṣiḥ. Rājarṣi means those who are on the top of the government, he must be ṛṣi, saintly person. Just like this our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, the head of the institution must be a saintly person. Otherwise how he can become a controller? Controller there must be. That what is the qualification of the controller? He must be a saintly person. He must know what is the principle of life, what is the value of life, why one should be controlled by somebody else. These things are required to become qualified.