Ancient Hindus perceived that time was circular, not linear. The circle of ages was known as Yugas. Four Yugas make up a full cycle that is called Mahayuga. Each cycle of Mahayuga presents specific spiritual lessons for those alive during that time. In 2015, we wrote Predictions from the Kali Yuga. This article updates those predictions for 2019.
The Kali Yuga is the fourth and present age of our time. This is a dark age of conflict and spiritual degradation. In this time, people drift further and further from the Divine.
Degradation continues until society is destroyed. This ushers in the next Golden Age, which begins creation of another cycle of four Yugas.
Goddess of Destructive Power
During the Kali Yuga, Shiva and Kali work in tandem. Kali is a goddess of death – physical death, but also of the death of self-centered reality. She ushers in destruction by encouraging sin, ignorance, and decay.
This sets the table for her consort Shiva the Destroyer. When the world falls to darkness, he swoops in for vengeful cleansing.
Below, we revisit 10 Kali Yuga predictions from our 2015 article. Have things gotten better, or worse?
Prediction 1: quality of life declines
Religion, truthfulness, cleanliness, and tolerance will fade. People will dier earlier. Their physical strength and memory will weaken.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.1
sri-suka uvaca
tatas canu-dinam dharmah
satyam saucam ksama daya
kalena balina rajan
nanksyaty ayur balam smrtih
Quality of life status
The World Inequality Report of 2018 found that inequality has increased worldwide. Globalized capitalism spreads poverty and social conflict, while the richest 1% get richer.
The result: a sharp decline in public wealth. We’ve seen sharp cuts in education, health care, and even infrastructure.
2015 Prediction | 2019 status |
---|---|
Less people into religion | Young adults around the world are becoming less religious (source). |
Truthfulness declines | The Internet has allowed the rise of anonymous predators, troll armies and other tactics used to influence and deceive, the deception gets worse by the day (source). |
Cleanliness declines | Asian beaches are flooded with raw sewage; meanwhile, the streets of San Francisco are also ovverun with human waste |
Tolerance declines | America is divided along racial and political lines. In Xinjiang, Muslims live in a police state. In Yemen, years of civil war between rival religious factions has left 24 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. |
Physical strength declines | Obesity is running wild in North America, Oceania and Europe; the Chinese are getting fatter; the Indians are also suffering from rampant obesity as well. |
Memory declines | The children of today suffer from very short attention spans thanks to rampant overuse of iPads, Xboxes, video games, social media and Netflix. |
Prediction 2: power corrupts
Wealth alone will determine social standing. Law and justice will be applied on the basis of one’s power.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.2
vittam eva kalau nṝṇāḿ
janmācāra-guṇodayaḥ
dharma-nyāya-vyavasthāyāḿ
kāraṇaḿ balam eva hi
Corruption status
There are many examples of powerful people getting exposed for twisted morals. These include:
- Dennis Hastert: former Speaker of the House charged with multiple counts of molesting young boys.
- Bill Clinton: known philanderer and accused rapist.
- David Copperfield: famous magician accused of drugging and raping a woman.
- Harvey Weinstein: Hollywood mogul who used his power in exchange for sex.
Sexual deviancy in the halls of political power came to light during the Franklin Coverup. But this story was covered up, rather than followed up on.
Prediction 3: superficiality sets in
A person’s spiritual position gets decided by external symbols. The amount earned determines one’s social value. One clever at juggling words will get revered as a learned scholar. Success in business will depend on deceit.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.4
lińgaḿ evāśrama-khyātāv
anyonyāpatti-kāraṇam
avṛttyā nyāya-daurbalyaḿ
pāṇḍitye cāpalaḿ vacaḥ
Superficiality status
Social media breeds superficiality. It started with Facebook. People got ‘hooked’ on the instant gratification gained by getting ‘likes’. Today the need for ‘likes’, ‘Tweets’ or ‘upvotes’ has led to ravenous attention-seeking. For example, check out r/gonewild, where regular women post nudes for the thrill of the upvotes.
Indeed, because of social media, sex has become completely frivolous. Tinder has become a McDonald’s of love. Young women can easily earn a living selling nudes on Snapchat. Instagram prostitution is big business. Women earn as much as $20,000 for a getting plowed across Dubai.
Social media has not brought further away from the divine. It’s taken the depth out of life. With lack of depth, the result is anxiety, lower self-esteem, and hyperactivity.
Prediction 4: slovenly hypocrites rule
A person will seen as unholy if he does not have money. Hypocrisy will take the place of virtue. Slovenliness will be the norm.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.5
anāḍhyataivāsādhutve
sādhutve dambha eva tu
svīkāra eva codvāhe
snānam eva prasādhanam
Slovenly hypocrisy status
Government leaders rule on behalf of business interests — not the needs of the people. If there’s any doubt, the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers are proof.
The Paradise Papers show how corporations like Nike, Apple and Facebook avoid taxes. They also show assets in tax havens held by the British queen, the rock star Bono and others.
These papers prove how laws, sanctions and wars are for special interests. The rich and powerful do not work for us, nor do they care much about the countries they rule.
Former World Bank whistle blower Karen Hudes laid it clear in 2013:
“They want us enslaved to debt. And they want all our governments enslaved to debt. They want our politicians addicted to financial contributions they funnel into their campaigns. Since the elite also own all the big media companies, the mainstream media never lets us in on the secret. There is something wrong with the way that our system works.”
Prediction 5: superficial gluttony
Beauty will depend on superficial appearance. Filling the belly will become the goal of life. The most audacious characters will gain honor as the most truthful. Being a father is all a man needs to be an expert. Religion becomes a tool to boost reputation.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.6
dūre vāry-ayanaḿ tīrthaḿ
lāvaṇyaḿ keśa-dhāraṇam
udaraḿ-bharatā svārthaḥ
satyatve dhārṣṭyam eva hi
dākṣyaḿ kuṭumba-bharaṇaḿ
yaśo ‘rthe dharma-sevanam
Gluttony status
Obesity levels are rising around the world.
There is a global obesity crisis. It’s powered by ad campaigns, junk food, sugar addictions and sedentary lifestyles.
There is a growing fat activist movement that insists weight is just a number. Obesity is a ‘mental construct’. Under this philosophy, people are encouraged to eat as much as they want.
This is similar to how Aleister Crowley defined the core tenet of Satanism. ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.’
Prediction 6: resource shortages
Plagued by famine and taxes, people will struggle to survive. They will eat leaves, roots, flesh, wild honey, fruits, flowers and seeds. Struck by drought, they will become completely ruined.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.9
śāka-mūlāmiṣa-kṣaudra-
phala-puṣpāṣṭi-bhojanāḥ
anāvṛṣṭyā vinańkṣyanti
durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ
2019 scarcity status
Humanity currently uses resources 50% faster than nature can regenerate. 80% of countries consume more biocapacity (croplands, fisheries, forests) than they produce. By the early 2030s we will need more than two planets worth of resources to meet demand. In the 1960s, we needed half a planet’s worth to meet demand.
In future, look out not only for global shortages of the following:
- Shortage of firewood
- Less available fresh water
- Exhaustion of mineral resources
- Shortage of arable land
- Depleted timber resources
Prediction 7: infrastructure breakdown
Citizens will suffer from cold, wind, heat, rain and snow. They will be further tormented by quarrels, hunger, thirst, disease, and severe anxiety.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.2.10
śīta-vātātapa-prāvṛḍ-
himair anyonyataḥ prajāḥ
kṣut-tṛḍbhyāḿ vyādhibhiś caiva
santapsyante ca cintayā
Infrastructure status
In early 2019, droughts dried up the rivers powering Cambodia’s hydroelectric dams. This caused a national power shortage. For months, the entire country endured daily 3-6 hour blackouts. What’s more, the price of electricity went up.
In Toronto (Canada’s most developed city), the sewer system hasn’t been updated in 25 years. Last year, severe rains resulting in raw sewage flowing freely through city streets.
In America, the country’s roads, bridges and dams need $4.5 trillion for upgrades.
Prediction 8: scarcity riots
Men will develop hatred for each other over a few coins. They will give up all friendly relations. People will be ready to lose their own lives and even kill their own relatives.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.41
kalau kakinike ‘py arthe
vigrihya tyakta-sauhridah
tyakshyanti ca priyan pranan
hanishyanti svakan api
2019 scarcity riot status
Many prophecies written by Nostradamus describe a future invasion of Europe by Muslims. Since 2015, over one million Muslim refugees have poured into Europe, and more are on the way.
As Europe’s poor slip further behind, these refugees add racial divisions. They fight for their share of resources, leaving locals with even less.
Prediction 9: moral collapse
Cities will become warzones. The populace is completely cut off from spirituality. Political leaders consume their citizens. Priests and intellectuals will fall into gluttony and sexual perversion.
Source: Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.32
dasyutkrishta janapada
vedah pashanda-dushitah
rajanas ca praja-bhakshah
sisnodara-para dvijah
Morality status
Kali the Destroyer amplifies degeneracy. She has done magnificent work in this era while collapsing traditional moral values.
- State sponsored indoctrination: primary school children to be taught about gay and transgender relationships from the age of 5.
- Pedophilia: young boys dancing in gay bars while dressed in drag.
- Wanton sex: young people have easy access to pornography; more young people are having sex; STD cases have skyrocketed.
Conclusion: things are way worse!
Compared to the conditions described in our 2015 Kali Yuga article, everything has gotten worse.
- Quality of life has declined
- People in power are corrupted
- Social media promotes superficiality
- Obesity levels have skyrocketed
- Resource shortages are getting worse
- Infrastructure is breaking down all over the world
- Scarcity riots are looming as migrants pour into Europe
- Degeneracy is celebrated; young children are welcomed to participate
Finding salvation in trying times
Vyasa wrote the Bhagavata Purana to provide the people of the Kali Yuga with help. It is a guide to work out salvation in these harsh times.
The story begins at the point where the forces of evil rule the universe. The Hindu God Krishna (the supreme God of compassion and love) emerges to bring truth back. He makes peace with the ruling demons. Then he comes to understand their ways and then he defeats them.
With his victory, hope, justice, freedom and happiness return to the world and a new Golden Age begins. Thus begins the cycle of four Yugas all over again.
The Bhagavata Purana also says that chanting the names of Krishna can help. This can free the chanter from material bondage. Thus opens the gates to the transcendental kingdom.
This is because reciting mantras brings thought into reality using sound vibrations. Each repetition is beneficial, but the cumulative effect is most beneficial. When you need strength and hope in these trying times, recite this mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,
Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare