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Kali-yuga literally means age of the Vice ( or Satan ). There are four Yugas or periods of ages : Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dwapar-yuga and lastly Kali-yuga ( now ). Each yuga lasting for 4,32,000 years. This Kali-yuga is the worst of the four yugas. The most perfect being the Satya-yuga ( Satya means truthfulness ).
Hindu religious scriptures record that the Great War of the Mahabharata between Pandavas and Kauravas happened in 3139 BC. After winning the Mahabharata war, the Pandavas ruled Hastinapur for 36 years and 8 months i.e. upto 3102 BC. Then the king, Yudhistir, the eldest of the Pandavas, decided to go on Mahaprashthana ( the great exit from this material world )along with his four younger brothers and Draupadi. So they abandoned their kingdom and proceeded for the Himalayas. It is said that soon after their exit, the Kali-yuga began. So, this Kali-yuga began in 3102 BC.
While narrating the Srimad Bhagavatam to king Parikshit, sage Sukdeva predicted that the following vices will be seen in this Kali-yuga ( the dark age )...
(1) Religiousness, truthfulness, cleanliness, tolerance and mercy as well as duration of life, the strength and memory will deminish ;
(2) In Kali-yuga wealth alone will be the sign of good birth, behaviour and qualities and material power will be the only criterion in determining what would be just and right ;
(3) Marital relationships will be based upon outer appearances ;
(4) In business, deceit will be the standard ;
(5) An outer mark will be enough to determine a person's spiritual status ;
(6) Poverty will be taken for something unholy and hypocrisy considered a virtue ;
(7) Religious services will be attended for one's reputation ;
(8) The maximum duration of life of human beings in Kali-yuga will be fifty years ;
(9) When the vedic path fit for man has changed into an atheistic conception of duty, when the kings ( rulers ) predominantly act as thieves, the cows are no better than goats, family ties do not reach further than bonds of marriage, when the plants and trees have reduced in size, when Kali-yuga is running at its end and the people have become like asses, the Supreme Lord in disguise of Kalki-avtar will descend on this earth to defend the dharma.
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