Swami Vivekananda’s Quotes On Kali Yuga

According to Hindu philosophy and scriptures, Kali Yuga or Age of Kali (Hindi: कलियुग, Bengali: কলি যুগ) is the fourth and the last stage of the cycle of the world. The first three stages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yugam, and Dvapara Yuga. It is considered that Kali Yuga is the age of vice and sin, and in this period men become the most selfish and cruel. Well, that was the general Hindu concepts on Kali Yuga. Now in this article we’ll find out Swami Vivekananda‘s quotes and opinion on Kali Yuga.

• According to Manu a child who is born of lust is not an Aryan. The child whose very conception and whose death is according to the rules of the Vedas, such is an Aryan. Yes, and less of these Aryan children are being produced in every country, and the result is the mass of evil which we call Kali Yuga.^[Source]
• Blessed are you! Blessed, blessed is the revered Gurudeva who initiated you into Yoga. Blessed is the land of Bhârata where, even in this fearful Kali Yuga, there exist leaders of Aryan races like yourself. Even at an early period of life, you have by your simplicity, sincerity, character, philanthropy, severe discipline, conduct, and the preaching of knowledge, acquired that immaculate fame throughout the world of which we feel so proud. (in a lecture at Almora in 1897)^[Source]
• Degradation of Brahminhood and Kshatriyahood. The Puranas said there will be only non-Brahmins in the Kali Yuga, and that is true, becoming truer every day. Yet a few Brahmins remain, and in India alone.^[Source]
• Gift is the only Karma in Kali Yuga. None attaining knowledge until purified by Karma.^[Source]
• One of my waggish old monks says, “Sir, it is no use living in this Kali-Yuga when ducks catch cold from damp and rain, and frogs sneeze!”^[Source]
• People have become so degraded in this Kali Yuga that they think they can do anything, and then they can go to a holy place, and their sins will be forgiven.^[Source]
• Praise be to Vyâsa, the great author of the Mahâbhârata, that in this Kali Yuga there is one great work.^[Source]
• Says our Vyasa, “In the Kali Yuga there is one Karma left. Sacrifices and tremendous Tapasyâs are of no avail now. Of Karma one remains, and that is the Karma of giving.”^[Source]
• Says Vyasa: Giving alone is the one work in this Kali Yuga; and of all the gifts, giving spiritual life is the highest gift possible; the next gift is secular knowledge; the next, saving the life of man; and the last, giving food to the needy.^[Source]
• Smritis are not final authority. If there is any thing in a Smriti which contradicts the Vedanta, the Smriti is to be rejected — its authority is gone. These Smritis, we see again, have varied from time to time. We read that such and such Smriti should have authority in the Satya Yuga, such and such in the Tretâ Yuga, some in the Dwâpara Yuga, and some in the Kali Yuga, and so on.^[Source]
• The Hindus have enough of religious teaching and teachers amidst themselves even in this Kali Yuga, and they do not stand in need of dead ghosts of Russians and Americans.^[Source]
• The Tapas and the other hard Yogas that were practiced in other Yugas do not work now. What is needed in this Yuga is giving, helping others.^[Source]
• Tirthas (places of pilgrimage) and Sannyasins of the Kali-Yuga — you know what they are.^[Source]