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News from Goloka: Srila Prabhupada, the Sun of the Golden Age bhasmibhutaani tatkSaNaat bhaviSyaMti darSanaacca snaanaadeva hi jaahnavi "Thereafter by the sight and touch of those who worship Me by My mantra, all those sins will be burnt." Sri Krsna then speaks of a 10,000 year-long Golden Age: madbhaktaaH saMti bhu-tale ekavarNaa bhaviSyaMti madbhakteSu gateSu ca "For 10,000 years of Kali such devotees of Mine will fill the whole planet. After the departure of My devotees there will be only one varna [outcaste]." According to Vedic scholars, the age of Kali was initiated after Lord Krsna's departure on February 18th, 3102 BC. 5,000 sinful years end on February 18th, 1898. The Golden Age begins: Srila Prabhupada is one year old. In other words, Srila Prabhupada's birth heralds the dawn of the Golden Age. By the sight and touch of his books (as Srila Prabhupada used to say, "Let one just touch the book"), saturated with Lord Krsna's Holy Names, the sinful world of Kali will be purified for the next 10,000 years. kalau nashta-drsam esa puranarko ’dhunoditah "This Bhagavata Purana is as brilliant as the sun, and it has arisen just after the departure of Lord Krsna to His own abode, accompanied by religion, knowledge, etc. Persons who have lost their vision due to the dense darkness of ignorance in the age of Kali shall get light from this Purana." Srila Prabhupada's November 23, 1976 letter to Balavanta: "I am very glad to hear how the book distribution is increasing more and more. This is our greatest weapon. The more the books are distributed, the more the ignorance of the Age of Kali will be smashed. The world is feeling the weight of this Hare Krishna Movement, especially in your country. We have to increase this book distribution work more and more to firmly establish this Movement, which is the only hope for the suffering living entities."
Full excerpt of Brahma Vaivarta Purana provided by Ekanath das
Kali-yuga - 10,000 years of Golden Age Predicted in Brahma-vaivarta Purana 4.129.* The fourth part of the Brahma-vaivarta is called "Krsna-janma-khanda". Chapter 129 is called "Golokarohanam", because it describes how Krsna returns to His abode. The general dialogue is between Lord Narayana and Narada Muni. This specific dialogue is between Lord Krsna and Mother Ganga. Verse 49 is a question by Ganga; verses 50-60 are Krsna's answer. he naatha ramaNaSreStha yaasi golokamuttamam asmaakaM kaa gatiScaatra bhaviSyati kalau yuge "Ganges said: O protector, Supreme enjoyer, on your departure for the perfect abode, Goloka, thereafter what will be my situation in the age of Kali?" kaleH paMcasahasraaNi varSaaNi tiSTha bhu-tale paapaani paapino yaani tubhyaM daasyaMti snaanataH "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: On the earth 5,000 years of Kali will be sinful and sinners will deposit their sins in you by bathing." bhasmibhutaani tatkSaNaat bhaviSyaMti darSanaacca snaanaadeva hi jaahnavi "Thereafter by the sight and touch of those who worship Me by My mantra, all those sins will be burnt." puraaNaani bhavaMti hi tatra gatvaa saavadhaanam aabhiH saarddhaM ca SroSyasi "There will be chanting of the name of Hari and reading of the [Bhagavata] Purana. Reaching such a place, attentively hear. [Note: In Puranic language, when "Purana" is used alone it refers to Bhagavata Purana. Otherwise it will specify Skanda Purana, Visnu Purana, etc.] harernaamaanukiirtanaat bhasmibhutaani paapaani brahma-hatyaadikaani ca "Sinful reactions including the killing of a brahmana can be nullified be hearing the Purana and chanting of the names of Hari in the manner of devotees." vaiSNavaaliMganena ca tRNaani SuSkakaaSthaani dahaMti paavako yathaa "Just as dry grass is burnt by fire, by the embrace of Vaisnavas all sins are burnt." paapaani paapinaamapi pRthivyaaM yaani tiirthaani puNyaanyapi ca jaahnavi "O Ganges, the whole planet will become a pilgrimage sight by the presence of Vaisnavas, even though it had been sinful" santi puteSu saMtatam madbhaktapaadarajasaa sadyaH putaa vasundharaa "In the body of My devotees remains eternally [the purifier]. Mother Earth becomes pure by the dust of the feet of My devotees." sadyaH putaM jagattathaa manmaMtropaasakaa vipraa ye maducchiSRbhojinaH "It will be the same in the case of pilgrimage sites and the whole world. Those intelligent worshipers of My mantra who partake My remnants will purify everything." te mat praaNaadhikaaH priyaaH tadupasparSamaatreNa puto vaayuSca paavakaH "They are more dear to Me than My life, who everyday meditate only on Me. The air and fire become pure simply even by their indirect touch." [Note: Sastra says that of all material elements, fire and air are always pure. Even though the air carries some impurities it always remains itself pure. This verse indicates that the Vaisnavas will purify even the pure elements of fire and air, therefore the purifying potency of the Vaisnavas referred to in this verse is not material but completely spiritual, i.e., the air and fire are already materially pure, therefore the Vaisnava's purity is spiritual and not material.] madbhaktaaH saMti bhu-tale ekavarNaa bhaviSyaMti madbhakteSu gateSu ca "For 10,000 years of Kali such devotees of Mine will fill the whole planet. After the departure of My devotees there will be only one varna [outcaste]." kaligrastaa bhaviSyati etasminnaMtare tatra kRSNadehaadvinirgataH "Devoid of My devotees, the earth will be shackled by Kali. Saying this, Krsna departed." Situation in Kali-yuga According to the Vedic scriptures, our current age, known as Kali-yuga, is one of spiritual darkness, violence and hypocrisy. Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.2.31) records Kali-yuga as having begun when the constellation of the seven sages (saptarsi) passed through the lunar mansion of Magha. Hindu astrologers have calculated this to have been 2:27 a.m. on February 20, 3102 BC. This took place some 36 years after Lord Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna.)
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