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Canto 12 · The Age of Deterioration · 13 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Texts 12.1.6-8

Who is speaking and story frame

नन्दिवर्धन आजेयो महानन्दि: सुतस्तत: ।

शिशुनागा दशैवैते सष्ट्युत्तरशतत्रयम् ॥ ६ ॥

समा भोक्ष्यन्ति पृथिवीं कुरुश्रेष्ठ कलौ नृपा: ।

महानन्दिसुतो राजन् शूद्रागर्भोद्भ‍वो बली ॥ ७ ॥

महापद्मपति: कश्चिन्नन्द: क्षत्रविनाशकृत् ।

ततो नृपा भविष्यन्ति शूद्रप्रायास्त्वधार्मिका: ॥ ८ ॥

nandivardhana ājeyo

mahānandiḥ sutas tataḥ

śiśunāgā daśaivaite

saṣṭy-uttara-śata-trayam

samā bhokṣyanti pṛthivīṁ

kuru-śreṣṭha kalau nṛpāḥ

mahānandi-suto rājan

śūdrā-garbhodbhavo balī

mahāpadma-patiḥ kaścin

nandaḥ kṣatra-vināśa-kṛt

tato nṛpā bhaviṣyanti

śūdra-prāyās tv adhārmikāḥ

Translation

Ajaya will father a second Nandivardhana, whose son will be Mahānandi. O best of the Kurus, these ten kings of the Śiśunāga dynasty will rule the earth for a total of 360 years during the Age of Kali. My dear Parīkṣit, King Mahānandi will father a very powerful son in the womb of a śūdra woman. He will be known as Nanda and will be the master of millions of soldiers and fabulous wealth. He will wreak havoc among the kṣatriyas, and from that time onward virtually all kings will be irreligious śūdras.

Read the purport on Vedabase.io

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Authority Declines Without Godly Leadership

  1. 1

    Ajaya will father a second Nandivardhana, whose son will be Mahānandi. The ten kings of the Śiśunāga dynasty will rule for 360 years during the Age of Kali.

  2. 2

    Mahānandi’s son Nanda will possess millions of soldiers and fabulous wealth and wreak havoc among the kṣatriyas. From that time onward, virtually all kings will be irreligious śūdras.

  3. 3

    The purport describes authentic authority as saintly, powerful leaders representing the Supreme Godhead on earth. In the Age of Kali, this system collapsed as unauthorized, uncivilized men gradually took power.

Key points from the purport
  • Here is a description of how authentic political authority degenerated and disintegrated throughout the world.
  • There is a Supreme Godhead, and there are saintly, powerful men who have taken the role of government leaders and represented that Godhead on earth.
  • With the advent of the Age of Kali, however, this transcendental system of government collapsed, and unauthorized, uncivilized men gradually took the reins of power.

The purport's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

How it feels

Civilizational dread → Dispassion. Social and cosmic impermanence expose the limits of worldly plans.

Chapters 1–4 of Canto 12: The deterioration of Kali and universal dissolution. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The Degraded Dynasties of Kali-yuga

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The Twelfth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins with Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī predicting the kings of the earth who will appear in the future during the Age of Kali. Then he gives a description of the numerous faults of the age, after which the presiding goddess of the earth sarcastically berates the foolish members of the kingly order who perpetually try to conquer her.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 12.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. nandivardhanaḥNandivardhana
  2. ājeyaḥthe son of Ajaya
  3. mahā-nandiḥMahānandi
  4. sutaḥthe son
  5. tataḥthen (following Nandivardhana)
  6. śiśunāgāḥthe Śiśunāgas
  7. daśaten
  8. evaindeed
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Visarga · Subcreation

    How do living beings and their worlds appear? · Subject 2 of 10

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 12.1

    In this verse: “nanda”, “father”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 12.1

    In this verse: “wealth”

  • Rāja-dharma · Devotional leadership

    Serving and protecting through responsibility. · Theme in SB 12.1

    In this verse: “kings”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

Do I value saintly character in leadership as much as power and wealth?

Practice

Write one sentence distinguishing the purport’s description of authentic leadership from merely possessing soldiers and wealth.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayAuthority Declines Without Godly LeadershipThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 12.1.6-8? Get an answer from the verses themselves.