[3-189] Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Yudhishthir again asked Maarkandeya Jee in all his humility about the future course of the government of Prithvi. He said - "We heard about the destruction and rebirth at the end of Chatur-Yug, I am curious to know about the coming Kali Yug as what might happen in Kali Yug. When morality and religion will be at an end, what will remain there? What will be the prowess of the people during that time? What will be their food, how they will entertain themselves? For how long they will live at the end of the Yug; and at what limit the Sat Yug will start? Tell me everything in detail."

Maarkandeya Jee said - "Listen to what has been heard by me and seen by me and what has been known to me by intuition by the grace of God. In the Sat Yug everything is free from deceit and sin, greed and immorality. Morality stands with all the four legs. In the Tretaa Yug, sin took away its one leg and morality remained standing on three legs only. In the Dwaapar Yug sin and morality are half and half; but in Kali Yug morality stands on its one leg only - three parts are of sin in man's lives. O Yudhhishthir, The life of man decreases in each Yug and so also his energy, intellect, and physical strength. All castes will follow morality in Kali Yug but with deceit. men will conceal the truth, and because of their short lives they will not be able to acquire much knowledge; and because of short of knowledge they will not have wisdom. That is why greed, ignorance, lust etc will develop towards one another. Even they would want to take one another's life also.

Braahman and Kshatriya, because of less merits, will become like Shoodra, the lower people will rise to intermediate ones, while the intermediate ones will descend to the lower ones. They will best regard the clothes made of flax and the grain of Kora-Dushakas (Paspalum Frumentacea). Men will regard their wives as their only friends. men will live on fish and milk and goats and sheep, as cows will be extinct then. At that time, although they will be doing religious duties, but they will be greedy. people will seek one another lives instead of their company. They will grow their grains on the banks of rivers and streams. After a while those places will also be barren. The father will enjoy what belongs to his son and vice versa. Kings will boast for their wisdom in spite of lack of knowledge, will take pride in punishment because of their greed and inability of protecting their subjects. They will rob their wives and wealth by repeated attacks.

And when the end of the Kali Yug will come, the right hand will deceive the left and the left hand will deceive the right. Young will betray the old, and men with false reputation will contract the learned. The whole world will eat only one kind of food. Sin will increase and virtue will diminish. Braahman, Kshatriya and Vaishya will orders will disappear and there will be no order. When the end will approach wives will not serve their husbands, and at such times men will seek the countries where wheat and barley will be staple food. Both men and women will be free in their own actions and will not tolerate each others acts. No one will regard his preceptor. Life o man will be 16 years. Girls of 5-6 years will become mothers and boys of 7-8 will become father. When the end of the Yug will come, the wife will not be contented with her husband, nor the husband with his wife.

Men will be filled with anxiety about their living. men will kill Braahman and will enjoy their properties. When men will kill each other then the end of the Yug will come. Everything will become opposite to normal. Men will insult the gods, Shoodra will not serve the other three Varn, flowers will be begot within flowers and fruits will be begot within fruits, then the Yug will come to the end. At that time the clouds will pour rains unreasonably. At that time ceremonial rites will follow in the due order, and Shoodra will quarrel Braahman. The Earth will soon be filled with Mlechchh and Braahman will fly to woods because of the fear of taxes. Disciple will not hear their Guru's instructions and even would like to kill them. When the Yug will come to the end all the points of the horizon will ablaze and stars an other stellar groups will lose their brilliancy. Strong winds will blow all around and confuse and innumerable meteors will flash through the sky. There will be seven Suns in the sky. And the Sun will, from the time of his rising till setting, will be enveloped by Raahu. Indra will rain continuously. Crops will not grow in abundance. Women will be sharp in speech, pitiless and fond of weeping and will never obey their husbands. When the end of Yug will come, sons will kill their mother and father. Women will live uncontrolled and will kill their husbands and sons. Crows, snakes, vultures and other animals will make frightful sounds. people will wander all over the Earth calling "O Father, O Father". Men will neglect their friends, and relatives.

When these terrible times will be over, the new creation will start with four Varn. God will be pleased. When the Sun, Moon and Brihaspati will be in the same Sign in Pushya Nakshatra, the Sat Yug will start. Rain will fall seasonably, not unreasonably, stars and stellar groups will be auspicious, planets will revolve in their orbits properly and all around will be peace, prosperity and health. At that Time, a Braahman named as Kalki will take birth in a village named Sambhal in a Braahman family. He will always be assisted by weapons, vehicles, warriors and arms at his will. he will be the king of kings and ever victorious. He will restore peace and order, He will start a new Yug and all Mlechchh will be slain."

[3-190] Maarkandeya continued - "After killing thieves and robbers, Kalki will do an Ashwamwedh Yagya, will give away this Earth to Braahman and will enter the forest. People of Earth will imitate his conduct. When the thieves and robbers will be killed everywhere will be prosperity. When once this Sat Yug will start, all people will start to perform sacrifices and all Varn will be engaged in their duties. All seeds will grow abundantly on Earth. King will be ruling Earth virtuously.

So, O Yudhishthir, these are the Sat, Tretaa, Dwaapar and Kali Yug periods. I have told you everything. I told you about the periods between these Yug (Sandhyaa and Sandhyaansh) also, past, present and future too, as told by Vaayu in Vaayu Puraan which is greatly regarded by Rishi. being immortal I have seen all this many times, so what I have seen and felt, I have told it to you. Now I will tell you something else to clear the doubts about Dharm. Then you should follow your Dharm, because who is virtuous he is happy here as well as in the other world too. So now you listen these good words (Subhaashit) of mine which I tell you now. Never humiliate any Braahman, because a Braahman, if angry, can destroy the three worlds."

Duties of a King

Vaishampaayan Jee continued - "Hearing these words of Maarkandeya Jee, Yudhishthir spoke - "If I have to protect my subjects, which method I should adopt? How should I behave that I should not fall from my duties." Maarkandeya Jee said - "Be kind to all creatures, devote yourself to their good, always speak truth, keep your passions under control, always protect your people, always do good to other and do not commit sin. Never be proud and behave with humility. In this way you control the whole Earth, rule it happily and be happy. I have told you all, there is nothing which is unknown to you of any past, present and future. That is why do not think about the present calamity. Who are wise, do not get overwhelmed by their bad Times, because even Devtaa cannot evade Time. Time afflicts everybody. If you will suffer from this affliction, your virtues will also suffer. You just practice what I have told you."

Vaishampaayan Jee said - "After having listened to all this all Yudhishthir and Krishn etc got very happy and hearing about past filled with wonder."

Greatness of Braahman: Story of Pareekshit

[3-191] Janamejaya said - "Please tell me the greatness of Brahman in detail as Maarkandeya Rishi told to son of Paandu." Vaishampaayan Jee said - "Yudhishthir said to Maarkandeya Jee - "Please tell me about the greatness of Braahman." Maarkandeya Jee said - "Listen to it as they behaved in olden days. There was a king named Pareekshit in Ayodhyaa belonging to Ikshwaaku Vansh. Once he went for hunting and chased a deer. Chasing him, he was left alone, and the deer took him too far. The King got hungry and thirsty. He looked here and there in that dense forest and found a beautiful pond. He disembarked from his horse, both took bath in it and got refreshed. He gave some grass, stalks and lotus for the horse to eat and he himself sat on the banks of the tank. While he was lying there, he heard some sweet music. Hearing that music he thought - "I don't see any human footprint here, then from where is this sound of music coming?" At the same time he saw a maiden who was plucking flowers and singing at the same time. Plucking the flowers, she came near the King, so the King asked her - "O blessed one, who are you and whose daughter are you?" She replied - "I am a maiden." The King said - "Would you marry me?" The girl replied - "Yes, but you will never ask me to cast my eyes on water." The King said - "So be it" and married her.

He sported with her for some time and then sat in silence. In the meantime his troops also reached there. He sat in a nice vehicle along with his newly wedded wife and set off to his capital. Arriving there he began to live with her in privacy. He became so much secluded that even the nearest people could not meet him. The Ministers asked his maids - "What do you do there?" Those women said - "We see here a very beautiful woman. The King lives with her. He has taken a vow to her that he would never show her water." Hearing this His Chief Minister created an artificial garden with many trees, flowers and fruits. He created a tank whose water was like Amrit, in it. He covered that tank with a net of pearls. One day somehow he could see the King and said to him - "This is a beautiful forest without water, you may sport here happily." At this the King went to that forest with his wife and sported with there for a long time but hungry and thirsty. There he saw a bower of beautiful Maadhavee creepers. Seeing it, the King entered it with his wife. There he saw a tank also full of water which was transparent and as bright as Amrit.

Seeing that tank King got very happy and sat near it with his wife. He said to her - "You may plunge in this clear water happily." Hearing this she plunged in that tank but never appeared above the surface. The King got surprised at her disappearance, he searched for her here and there but could not find her anywhere. He then ordered to empty the tank. The tank was emptied, there he found a small from sitting at a hole. Seeing that frog the King got very angry, he ordered to kill all the frogs and announced that whoever wanted to see him he should come to him with a gift of dead frogs. Now everybody, all over his kingdom, got busy in killing frogs. So all the frogs came to the King, and the King of the frogs came to him in the guise of a sage and said to the King - "Please do  not be angry, be kind. Do not kill we innocent frogs. Prosperity of those people whose soul is ignorant suffer from declination. Please promise that you will not be angry with the frogs, but why do you commit such a sin? What will you get out of killing these frogs."

King Pareekshit was filled with anger because of his very dear wife's death, he said to the King of frogs - "I will not forgive the frogs, rather I will kill them all. These wicked have eaten my dear wife. They deserve to be killed. Do not speak on their behalf." Hearing this from Pareekshit, the frog got very sad, he again said to him - "Please be kind, O King. I am the King of the frogs and my name is Aayu. She who was your dear wife, was my daughter. her name was Sushobhanaa. In fact this is the example of her bad conduct. Many kings have been deceived by her." King Pareekshit said - "I want to have her as my wife, give her to me." The frog gave his daughter to Pareekshit and said to her in anger - "Serve this King well. Since you have deceived many kings by your untruthfulness your children will not be respectful to Braahman." The King did not mind it, he was very happy to receive her as his wife as if he has got the kingdom of three worlds. He bowed down to the King of the frogs in respect, then choking with joy and tears he just said - "I am very grateful." After this the frog returned to the place from where he had come.

Over the course of time they had three sons - Shal, Dal and Bal. Pareekshit crowned his eldest son Shal on the throne and went to forest. One day Shal went for hunting and chased a deer. He asked his charioteer to drive fast. At this the charioteer said - "Do no chase this deer, It cannot be caught by you. If, perhaps, Vaamee horses are yoked in your chariot then only you might catch this deer." Hearing this Shal asked him to tell him all about Vaamee horses, otherwise he would slay him. When the charioteer heard this he got alarmed. He was afraid of the king as well as of Vaam Dev's curse too, so he did not speak anything. Shal lifted his sword and said - "Tell me quickly about them, otherwise I will kill you." The poor charioteer got too much frightened of the King, so he said - "Vaamee horses belong to Vaam Dev and they run at the speed of the mind." The King ordered him to go to Vaam Dev's residence. As they came to Vaam Dev's residence, Shal said to Rishi - "O Holy One, A deer is running away from me, please give me a pair of Vaamee horses so that I can catch him." Rishi said - "I give you a pair of the Vaamee horses, but after the use you should return them to me." The King took the horses, yoked in his chariot and set off to pursue the deer. After leaving his Aashram he said to his charioteer - "This Muni does not deserve these Vaamee horses. These horses should not be returned to Rishi." He caught the deer, came back to his palace and tied those horses in his inner apartments.

Meanwhile Rishi thought - "This King is young and seeing my horses he might have been sporting with them, because he has not returned my horses yet." After a month passed Rishi said to his one of the disciples - "Go O Atreya to that King, and tell him that if he has finished his work with my horses, he should return them to me." Atreya went there and conveyed Rishi's message to him, the King replied - "This pair of horses deserves to be owned by a king, a Braahman does not deserve to keep them. What will he do of them? So go back." Atreya came back and told him what had happened at King's palace. Vaam Dev got very angry to hear this, so he himself went to the King and said - "O King, Give me my Vaamee horses back. You have finished your work which you could not finish without them. Do not be the subject of Varun's wrath, the death by his noose." Hearing this the King gave him a pair of bulls and said - "O Vaam Dev, Take this pair of bulls and go back, they are better for a Rishi. Ved carry persons like you."

Vaam Dev said - "Ved do carry persons like us but that is only in the world hereafter, but in this world, animals like these horses carry me and persons like me." King said - "Let these four bull carry you, four mules or four horses. Go with them. But the Vaamee horses have to be with Kshatriya, so they are not yours now." Vaam Dev said - "Braahman observe very terrible vows. If I have observed such vow, let four fierce and mighty Raakshas pursue you with the desire of killing you carrying you on a lance, having cut up your body in four parts." Hearing this the King said - "Let those, who take you as a Braahman and who want to take my life, along with your disciples, at my command, should prostrate in front of me with their lances." At this Vaam Dev said - "When you took my horses, you told me that you would return them to me, so you give them back to me and save your life." The King said - "Pursuing the deer is not a job of a Rishi. I do punish you for your untruthfulness. From this day I will obey your all commands and will attain the regions of bliss." Vaam Dev said - "O King, Know that a Braahman cannot be punished in thought, word or deed."

Maarkandeya Jee said - "As Vaam Dev finished his sentence, four terrible mighty Raakshas arose and approached the King carrying lances in their hands with the intention to kill him. Seeing them coming towards himself, the King cried aloud - "If, O Braahman, all the descendents of Ikshwaaku race, if my brother Dal, all these Vaishya acknowledge my sway, I will not give the Vaamee horses to Vaam Dev, because these men can never be virtuous." And while he was saying this, the Raakshas slew him and the King fell on the ground. His kinsmen crowned Dal as the King of Ayodhyaa. Now Vaam Dev addressed the new King - "All sacred books say that people should donate to Braahman. If you fear the sin, give me my Vaamee horses now." Hearing this Dal asked his charioteer to bring one of the poisonous arrows he had kept, so that he could kill Vaam Dev by it and dogs could eat his body. At this Vaam Dev said - "I know you have a son of 10 years of age, named Senjit. I tell that you shoot your son by your poisonous arrow."

Maarkandeya Jee said - "As Vaam Dev finished his words, the King's poisonous arrow killed the prince in his inner apartments. Dal said to his people - "Now you see my prowess, bring me another arrow, I will kill this Braahman." Vaam Dev said - "This arrow you are asking to bring, you will not be able to even aim at me, not even shoot at me." At this the King said - "O Ikshwaaku people, see me, I have taken the arrow, but I am incapable of shooting the arrow. I fail to kill this Braahman. Let Vaam Dev live long life." Vaam Dev said - "you must cleanse yourself of this sin (the intention to kill the Braahman) touching the queen with this arrow." The King did as Vaam Dev said to him. Then the queen said to Muni - "O Muni, Please allow me to instruct my husband from today, so that he can be happy and let me always serve Braahman. By following this I acquire sacred regions thereafter." Vaam Dev said - "O You of Beautiful Eyes, You have saved your race today. Ask any boon you wish for, I will grant you whatever you will ask for." The queen said - "I ask you that my husband should be free from this sin and you always think about his son's and his people's prosperity. This is the boon I ask for."

Maarkandeya Muni continued - "Hearing these words of the queen, Vaam Dev said - "So be it." And Dal also gave Muni his Vaamee's horses back and bowed to him with respect."