← Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1962)

Chapter 17: Punishment and Reward of Kali

Verse 39 of 41
SB 1.17.39

punaś ca yācamānāya jāta-rūpam adāt prabhuḥ tato 'nṛtaṁ madaṁ kāmaṁ rajo vairaṁ ca pañcamam

Synonyms

punaḥagain; caalso; yācamānāyaunto the beggar; jāta-rūpamGold; adātgave away; prabhuḥthe king; tataḥwhere by; anṛtamfalsehood; madamintoxication; kāmamlust; rajaḥon account of passionate mood; vairamenmity; caalso; pañcamamthe fifth one.

Translation

The personality of Kali asked for something more and on his begging so the King gave him permission to live where there is gold. Because wherever there is gold there are falsity, intoxication, lust, enviousness and at last all enmity.

Purport

Although Maharaj Parikshit gave Kali permission to live in four places, it was very difficult for the personality of Kali to find out the places. Because during the reign of Maharaj Parikshit there was no such place at all. Therefore Kali asked the king to give him something practical which may be utilised for his nefarious purposes. Maharaj Parikshit thus being requested by him gave permission to live in a place where there is gold because wherever there is gold there are all the abovementioned four things and over and above them there is enmity also. So the personality of Kali became gold standardised. According to Srimad Bhagwatam stocking of gold any where means encouraging falsity, intoxication, prostitution enviousness, and enmity. Even gold-standard exchange and currency is bad. Gold standard currency is based on falsehood because currency is not on the par of the reserved gold. The basic principle is falsity because currency notes are issued more in value than the actual reserved gold. This artificial inflation of currency by the authorities encourages prostitution of state economy. Price of consumers Commodity becomes artificially inflated on account of bad money or artificial currency notes. Bad money drives away good money is an economical law. Instead of paper currency actual gold coins should be used for exchange and this will stop prostitution of gold. Gold ornaments for women may be allowed by control not by quality but by quantity. This will discourage lust, enviousness and enmity. When there is actual gold currency in the form of coins, the influence of gold for producing falsity, prostitution etc. will automatically cease and there will be no need of anticorruption ministry for another term of prostitution and falsity of purpose.

Verse 39 of 41