Kali yuga, according to Hindu philosophy, is an age when evil prevails over righteousness. Etymologically, ‘Kali yuga’ comes from Sanskrit language, where ‘Kali’ means vice/evil and ‘yuga’ means age. Hence, Kali yuga is the ‘age of vice’.
In Kali yuga, people are vicious by nature and they do more wrong than right. They are selfish, greedy, and inclined to harm others for their personal gains. All kinds of evil flourish in this age and there is continuous conflict, confrontation and war, wherein vice is often victorious. Not just the humankind but the entire cosmos is corrupted, and the natural calamities of all kinds visit the planet Earth from time to time.
Hindu philosophy talks of the cycle of ages starting with Satya yuga and ending with Kali yuga. In between lie two ages: Treta yuga and Dwapara yuga. Hence, four yugas in total. Satya yuga is the age of Truth (Satya), where everything is good and right. People are in perfect peace and happiness. Generosity abounds and everybody seeks others’ good. Even if any evil pops up, it is easily crushed by the reigning righteousness. Hence, virtue prevails over vice in Satya yuga. In Treta yuga, 25% of corruption enters the world. Vice opposes virtue, but still virtue is victorious. Ramayana is said to have taken place in Treta yuga. In Dwapara yuga, another 25% is also corrupted. So, 50% is good and 50% is bad in this age. Virtue prevails over vice only with the help or blessing of Gods. Mahabharata is said to have taken place in Dwapara yuga. Pandavas were victorious over Kauravas only with the help of Lord Krishna. In Kali yuga, still another 25% is corrupted, totaling to 75% of corruption. Hence, evil prevails over righteousness. The present age is the age of Kali yuga, and evil is said to be ever-progressing which will ultimately lead to cosmic catastrophe and utter destruction, and then the restart of the cycle of the four yugas.
Towards the end of Dwapara yuga, the great war of Mahabharata is said to have been fought. Before the war, all of dharma (righteousness) rested with the Pandavas: a quarter with Yudhishtira, a quarter with Bhima, a quarter with Arjuna, and a quarter with Nakula and Shahadeva combined. But with the dawn of Kali yuga, Bhima gave himself to gluttony, Arjun to conceit, Nakula to pleasure and Shahadeva to arrogance. Only Yudhishtira clinged tenaciously to his quarter of dharma. This 25% dharma possessed by Yudhishtira is what is said to be sustaining the world during this time of Kali yuga.
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