Parikshi meets Kali - Kaliyug

The Pandavas ruled in Hastinapura for a long time. They ruled under the kingship of Yudhishtira and under the protection of Sri Krishna. But when the Lord left the earth altogether, they became despondent and retired to the Himalayas to lead lives of austerity and penance. Parikshit, the grandson of the Pandava price Arjuna, was placed on the throne of Hastinapura. He was a wise and noble ruler, and worked hard for the welfare of his people.

One day, he was strolling on the banks of the river Saraswati when he saw a strange sight. A lowly man, dressed in royal clothes, was kicking and torturing a white bull. A cow was standing close by and shedding tears. The bull has lost three of its legs and the wicked man was about to cut off its fourth leg too. Parikshit was very angry when he saw this. He turned to the man and said, ‘How dare you ill-treat these poor innocent creatures? Do you not know that I am King of this land, and that I can punish you even with death?’ then he turned to the trembling and shivering bull and cow. He spoke to them very kindly and soothing them, enquired how the bull had lost its three legs. The bull bowed its head before the king and said, ‘O King, you wonder who has caused my suffering. The answer to this even I do not know. Some say that beings in their ignorance cause their own happiness or sorrow.

Others say it is due to their past Karmas (actions). I do not know which is true’. Parikshit was surprised to hear the bull speak. He thought deeply. The realization came to him that the bull was none other than Dharma or virtue; the cow was Mother earth and the wicked man was Kali-the spirit of the Kali Yuga: the Iron Age in which we live. Parikshit then said to the bull, ‘You are indeed (the personification of) Dharma. Your four legs are Purity, Austerity and Charity. You are now standing on Truthfulness alone, and this too, Kali was about to crush’. Saying this, Parikshit turned to Kali with his sword drawn and was about to cut off his head, when Kali fell at his feet and begged to be heard. Now a king cannot kill any creature, which asks for his protection. So Parikshit had to listen to him. Then Kali said, ‘I am to be the ruler of the next age (Kali Yuga) which will be full of cruelty and falsehood. Such is the will of the Lord. So please spare my life’. Parikshit was touched by Kali’s humility and said, ‘Go. I grant you your life but let me not see you while I am ruling the kingdom.

Kali pleaded and said, ‘But I am must live somewhere give me some place to live in. So Parikshit allowed him to live in all houses of gambling and drinking, places where there is cruelty to women and animals and centers where gold is acquired and hoarded. To these he added the fields of falsehood, pride, jealousy, enmity and lust where Kali flourished and prospered. Now that we know we know the places where Kali resides, we must try to avoid them, and, like King Parikshit, we must try and restore to the poor bull, its three legs – Purity, Austerity and Charity.