"Punishment and Reward of Kali"

Skandham-1.

 

 Chapter-17.

 

Slokam- 1 to 45. 

 

 

 

Punishment and Reward of Kali

 

 

 

 (1) Sûta said: "It was there [at the Sarasvatî river] that the king observed that a cow and bull were beaten with a club as if they had no owner, by a s'ûdra [one of the lowest class] dressed up as a king. (2) The bull, that was as white as a lotus, was terrified of being beaten by the s'ûdra and urinated and trembled out of fear, standing on one leg only. (3) The cow also, on itself a religious example but now rendered poor and distressed from the s'ûdra who had beaten her legs, was without a calf and had tears in her eyes being very weak hankering after some grass to eat. (4) From his with gold embossed chariot Parîkchit, well equipped with bow and arrows, with a thundering voice inquired: (5)'Who are you, that under my protection, at this place, you think you can violently kill the helpless! Although you appear to be of strength having dressed up like a man of God as if you're an actor, you behave like someone who never saw the light of culture [to be twice born]. (6) Do you think that because Lord Krishna and the carrier of the bow the Gândiva [Arjuna] are out of sight, you can secretly beat an innocent cow? Being a culprit that way you deserve to be killed!'

 

 

 

 (7)'And you', he said turning to the bull,'are you just a bull that, as white as a lotus moving on one leg, has lost three legs or are you some demigod in the form of a bull causing us grief? (8) Never under the protection of the arms of any of the kings of the Kuru dynasty has there been grieving on this earth, except with for you having tears in your eyes because of someone else. (9) O son of Surabhi [the celestial cow], in my kingdom there will be no lamentation, so do not fear the s'ûdra, and mother cow, do not cry; as long as I am alive as the ruler and subduer of the envious, everything will be good for you. (10-11) O chaste one, he will lose his fame, longevity, fortune and a good birth, in whose state the living beings are terrified of miscreants. It is certainly the supreme duty of the kings to subdue in order to end the misery of the ones who suffer and therefore I shall kill this most wretched man so violent against other living beings. (12) Who is he who could cut off your legs, o son of Surabhi - as it happened with you it has never happened before in the state of the kings that live following Lord Krishna. (13) Just tell me, o bull, for you are honest and without offenses, about him who mutilated you and tarnished the reputation of the sons of Parthâ. (14) Those who make the offenseless suffer may fear me wherever they are, as I will curb the actions of the miscreants and restore the good fortune of the honest ones. (15) The upstart who offends innocent living beings, I shall forthwith defeat, whether he's a demigod from heaven with armor and decorations or not. (16) It is certainly the holy duty of the head of state to always protect the ones who live in loyalty and rule safely according to the scriptures over others who are in fact straying,'

 

 

 

 (17) The personality of religion said: 'All you said speaking for the freedom from anxiety of the sufferers just befits one of the Pândava dynasty by whose qualities even Lord Krishna acted as a servant. (18) O greatest among the human beings, from the bewilderment of the person by all the differences of opinion, we cannot tell what would be the cause of all human suffering. (19) Some who deny all kinds of duality declare that it is from one self that one suffers, others say that it is from the superhuman, while still others say that it is all due to the activities of material nature or of adopting outside authorities. (20) Some also concluded that it defies explication and comprehension; which of them herein is right, o sage amongst the kings, you may judge by your own power of intelligence'."

 

 

 

 (21) Sûta said: "Parîkchit, who attentively heard the personality of religion thus speak, o best among the brahmins, mindfully replied. (22) The king said: 'O knower of the duties, with you in the form of a bull do you as the personality of religion profess that [just like with a guru taking up the karma] the position of the one acting against the religion also becomes the position of the one identifying the problem. (23) In other words: the Lord His ways with the material world are inconceivable and to all it is clear that nor thinking nor speaking is of avail. (24) Austerity, cleanliness, compassion and thruthfullness [tapas, s'auca, dayâ, sathya] are the legs that established the age of truth [Sathya Yuga, the'old days'], but from irreligiosity three of them broke in pride, too much association with women and intoxication. (25) At present, o personality of religion, you are hobbling along on the one leg of truthfulness while quarrel personified [Kali], flourishing on deceit, irreligiously tries to destroy that leg too. (26) A great burden was taken from the face of the earth by the Supreme Lord personally and others also - His all-auspicious footprints brought good fortune everywhere. (27) Lamenting with tears in her eyes, the unfortunate and chaste one [mother earth] deserted by Him, is now enjoyed by the lower-class who, devoid of the culture of learning, pose themself as rulers in my place.'

 

 

 

 (28) Thus the personalities of religion and mother earth were pacified by the great warrior, who took up his sharp sword in order to kill Kali, the root cause of irreligion. (29) Knowing that the king prepared to kill him, abandoned Kali, under the pressure of fear, the royal dress and fully surrendered himself bowing his head at the feet. (30) Out of compassion, he who is kind to the poor and capable of handling worship, with a smile refrained from killing the one fallen at the feet of the hero of whom it is said that he is worthy of being sung. (31) The king said: 'Do not fear as you surrendered with folded hands; we certainly inherited the fame of Arjuna, but there can be no question either of being allowed to stay in my kingdom as you are the friend of irreligion. (32) With you present in the body as a god of men, everywhere all the irreligion of greed, falsehood, robbery, incivility, treachery, misfortune, cheating, quarrel and vanity will be abound in the masses. (33) Therefore, o friend of irreligion, you do not deserve to remain with the religion and truth in a place of sacrifice where one duly and expertly is offering in service to the Lord of Sacrifices. (34) In such sacrificial ceremonies the Supreme Personality of God, the Lord, is being worshiped as the soul of all worshipable deities, in the form of which He spreads welfare, for He is the inviolable Supersoul to all desires being inside as well as outside like the air is to all the moving and unmoving.'

 

 

 

 (35) Sûta said: "That way being addressed by king Parîkchit, the personality of Kali was trembling seeing him ready with a raised sword speaking like Yamarâja, the Lord of Death. (36) Kali said: 'Wherever that I may live under your order, o Emperor, I will always see the reign of your bow and arrows as well. (37) Therefore please, o chief of the protectors of the religion, allot me a place where I for certain may find a permanent residence under your rule'."

 

 

 

 (38) Sûta said: "Thus being petitioned, gave he Kali at that time the permission to dwell in places where the four sinful activities of gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter [dyûtam, pânam, striyah, sûnâ] were taking place. (39) Next to that gave the master him, upon his insistent begging, the place where there is gold as gold by passion is the fifth sin bringing falsity, intoxication, lust and enmity. (40) Thus were under the direction of the son of Uttarâ the five dwelling places given to Kali where indeed irreligion is encouraged. (41) For that reason should a person desiring his well-being never resort to any of these places, especially not those on the path of liberation, the royalty, the state officials and the teachers. (42) By encouraging activities restoring the three lost legs of austerity, cleanliness and compassion of the bull, was [by King Parîkchit] the earth perfectly improved. (43-44) Of him is the present rule; the throne that was handed over by the grandfather king [Yudhishthhira] who desired to withdraw in the forest. From that rule, that sage among the kings and chief of the Kuru dynasty, is now known in Hastinâpura as the most fortunate and famous emperor. (45) Because of this experience of the son of Abhimanyu, the king, may, thanks to his rule over the earth, you all have the initiation of the performance of sacrifices like this."