SB 12.3.39 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

नित्यमुद्विग्नमनसो दुर्भिक्षकरकर्शिता: । निरन्ने भूतले राजननावृष्टिभयातुरा: ॥ ३९ ॥ वासोऽन्नपानशयनव्यवायस्न‍ानभूषणै: । हीना: पिशाचसन्दर्शा भविष्यन्ति कलौ प्रजा: ॥ ४० ॥

Verse text

nityam udvigna-manaso durbhikṣa-kara-karśitāḥ niranne bhū-tale rājan anāvṛṣṭi-bhayāturāḥ vāso-’nna-pāna-śayana- vyavāya-snāna-bhūṣaṇaiḥ hīnāḥ piśāca-sandarśā bhaviṣyanti kalau prajāḥ

Synonyms

nityam — constantly ; udvigna — agitated ; manasaḥ — their minds ; durbhikṣa — by famine ; kara — and taxes ; karśitāḥ — emaciated ; niranne — when there is no food to be found ; bhū — tale — upon the surface of the earth ; rājan — O King Parīkṣit ; anāvṛṣṭi — of drought ; bhaya — because of fear ; āturāḥ — anxious ; vāsaḥ — clothing ; anna — food ; pāna — drink ; śayana — rest ; vyavāya — sex ; snāna — bathing ; bhūṣaṇaiḥ — and personal ornaments ; hīnāḥ — lacking ; piśāca — sandarśāḥ — appearing just like ghostly demons ; bhaviṣyanti — they will become ; kalau — in the Age of Kali ; prajāḥ — the people .

Translation

In the Age of Kali, people’s minds will always be agitated. They will become emaciated by famine and taxation, my dear King, and will always be disturbed by fear of drought. They will lack adequate clothing, food and drink, will be unable to properly rest, have sex or bathe themselves, and will have no ornaments to decorate their bodies. In fact, the people of Kali-yuga will gradually come to appear like ghostly, haunted creatures.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

In the age of Kali, people's minds will always be agitated. They will become emaciated by famine and taxation, my dear King, and will always be disturbed by fear of drought. They will lack adequate clothing, food and drink, will be unable to properly rest, have sex or bathe themselves, and will have no ornaments to decorate their bodies. The people of Kali-yuga will gradually appear like ghostly, haunted creatures.

Purport

The symptoms described here are already prevalent in many countries of the world and will gradually spread to other places engulfed by impiety and materialism.