Symptoms of Kali yuga?

Dharma · May 21, 2001

"A group of men, women and children were on their way to a big city from their village home. Their journey took them through a very big, dense forest, replete with wild animals and eerie sound. As fate would have it they lost thrier way in the midst of the forest.

You can form a fair picture of the secene:there was utter chaos-children in the blackness of the night-indecisive and confused parents and grownups couldn't comfort them.

The impending doom was temporarily mitigated by the arrival of an army corporal, adept in the ways of survival, and completely familiar with the forest. Duty, however spared him limited time and since he was to go in a different direction, he patiently told them how they could get out of the dark, dense forest. He taught them the techniques of survival, and he taught them the art of making a torch-light from the dry twigs.

The overjoyed travellers heaped their thanks on the corporal, who soon went his own way.

Typical human error soon took its toll on the travellers. Each one of them wanted to take the credit for leading the others out of the forest. Egos clashed. Inevitably, various factions were created consisting of a leader and his small band of supporters. The immense enthusiasm amongst the leaders led to different interpretations of the way out of the forest. Thae fracas resulted in the travelers neglecting the lit torch provided by the corporal. The torch extinguished in the melee.

Now none of them knew how to light the torch. They had been counting the proverbial chickens well before the eggs had hatched. They had not paid enough attention to the corporal while he had explained. More confusion and fighting prevailed.

It was soon daybreak. each leader with his band of supporters went his own way. They kept going round in circles. Tradition has decreed that we pay obeisance to our saviors. So it happened with this group. Artists of the group sculpted images of the corporal, whereas others drew his portrait on the bark of trees with clay. They began worshipping these, fervently praying for a way out of the forest. None of the travelers ever made an attempt to recollect the advice of the corporal. Death soon overtook them in the form of hunger or as prey to the wild denizens of the jungle. So it has been with life."

From "The Dharma of Kalki"

A favorite is this version (with some embellishments) of a story told by Acharya Sri Ananada Giri at a Vara Yajna in USA 1998:

The Condition of Man

Once upon a time a man was passing his time in a deep dark forest. He would go there to be alone with his thoughts.

One day he sensed that he was not alone. He looked behind him and saw that there was a ferocious tiger in the bushes waiting to pounce on him and drag him off for dinner.

The man began to run. The tiger began to run after him. Faster and faster they ran, the hunter and the hunted. The man could feel the great beast's hot breath on his back and neck.

Help! Help! He screamed to no one in particular. Just as the tiger was about to spring upon the man, apparent salvation came. The man ran right into a very deep hole. Down he fell into the darkness. "Oh Thank God! breathed the man, He was so relieved. But not for long, for there right beside him, sunning herself in a tiny sliver of sunshine that had somehow penetrated the deep dark pit was a snake of the worst variety. He was coiled and ready to strike at the intruder.

The threat of the tiger paled in comparison to what the mighty serpent had in store for the unfortunate fellow.

Caught between the snake below and the tiger above, the future looked pretty dim for the man. But in a moment, relief came as he noticed a small vine hanging above him. Leaping up he grabbed it and held on for dear life.

How relieved he was, until he saw that a rat had come by and had started gnawing away at the vine.

As he pitifully stared up at the rat who was gnawing on the vine that was keeping him safe from the serpent below, and the tiger who was prowling above, some honey dripped down from a tree above and fell onto his lips.

And he licked his lips, smiled and said, "Ah, how sweet life is."

[This message has been edited by Dharma (edited 05-21-2001).]