In the Srimad Bhagavatam, its described how Pariksit Maharaja met the personification of Kali-yuga, who was at the time beating a cow and a bull. We tend to think of Kali as an age, or perhaps as an energy that causes the degradation of the people, and thus it may sound strange the idea that Pariksit Maharaja could physically meet him, but the fact is that all the different energies that compose the universe have their respective personifications. Just like the power of the sun is personified in the form of the demigod Surya, and the wind is personified as Vayu, all the different energies that compose the universe have their respective personifications, including things like envy, lust, death, and so on. Even our planet is personified in the form of Bhumi.

Just like in the case of the demigods, souls who have the right set of qualifications become the enjoyers and controllers of these energies, and this of course includes Kali. Thus, there is Kali-yuga, the age, and also Kali the personification of it, an embodied being who controls its influence.

The idea that someone could attack a cow and a bull sounded inconceivable to the sages, and they were further puzzled by the fact that Maharaja Pariksit just punished the culprit, instead of immediately putting him to death, as would be expected in such a serious crime. This is yet another example of the difference in values. Nowadays the situation is so hellish that most people see cow killing as normal, while just a few thousand years ago this sounded absolutely inconceivable.

Everything starts with Pariksit Maharaja seated in his capital, Hastinapura when the first news of activities such as meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling began to come.

Although the appearance of Kali-yuga is part of the cosmic order, Pariksit Maharaja was determined to check its influence as far as possible. All the vices of Kali-yuga have their foundation in these four activities, and thus by being very vigilant in stopping these activities in his kingdom, Pariksit Maharaja was able to minimize the effects of Kali-yuga, practically stopping its progression. The military activities described in this verse mean he was prepared to take out of power leaders who were not properly protecting their subjects from the degradation of Kali-yuga, by force if necessary.

It’s described that Pariksit Maharaja conquered not only all the lands of Earth (Bhārata varsa), but also other lands of Jambidwipa, including Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, the northern Kuru, Kimpuruṣa, etc. The verse reads:

“Mahārāja Parīkṣit then conquered all parts of the earthly planet — Bhadrāśva, Ketumāla, Bhārata, the northern Kuru, Kimpuruṣa, etc. — and exacted tributes from their respective rulers.” (SB 1.16.12)

Vedic cosmology is a complicated subject because the universe described in the Srimad Bhagavatam is multidimensional, and thus its structure appears different according to the level of consciousness of the observer.

All these different tracts of land are part of Jambidwipa, which is part of a larger structure, Bhu-Mandala, the intermediary planetary system. In the gross reality we live in, these different tracts of land are separated into different planets and we don’t have access to them.

Pariksit however had a much higher level of consciousness and was thus capable of accessing the other tracts of land that compose Jambidwipa. The word used in the verse is “varsani” (tract of land), which Prabhupada translates as “parts of the earth planet”. For us, the planet includes only what the Vedas describe as Bhārata varsa (the southern part of Jambidwipa), while for others with high consciousness, “the Earth” includes the whole Jambidwipa or even the whole Bhu-mandala since they are able to access all these other tracts of land, just like we can travel around the world.

It’s described that the Pandavas were also able to travel (and conquer) the other parts of Jambidwipa. It seems that Pariksit was the last king capable of doing so.

As he toured through the different tracts of land of Jambidwipa, he had the opportunity of hearing about the glories of the Pandavas and was certainly very pleased with these narrations. He was pleased even about hearing about himself, like how he was saved in the womb because these descriptions were also connected with Krsna. In the 5th canto, it’s described that the inhabitants of these different tracts of land are all devotees, who worship the Lord in different forms.

However, even as the king toured, Kali was exerting his influence. Starting from verse 18 there is a description of a dialogue between Earth, who assumed the form of a cow, and Dharma who assumed the form of a bull.

Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura comments that these were subtle forms that were not visible to common people. However, Pariksit could observe these events in his yogic meditation. In this way, the events described in these verses are not allegorical, this is a real conversation, but it happened in a higher level of reality that only Pariksit Maharaja and other great sages and devotees could access. Thanks to Suta Goswami, we have access to it through the pages of the Srimad Bhagavatam.

It’s described as the personality of Earth in the form of a cow who appeared to grieve like a mother who had lost her child. She had tears in her eyes, and the beauty of her body was lost. Dharma started to question her.

Dharma himself was in not good shape. The bull had lost three of his legs and was somehow standing in the last leg. This is indicative of how people become irreligious in Kali-yuga. It’s said that religious principles are reduced in the proportion of one quarter with the progression from Satyayuga to Treta-yuga, then in one quarter more with the start of Dwapara-yuga and then in one quarter more with the start of Kali-yuga. With the procession of the age of Kali, this last quarter is also gradually diminished, creating a hellish situation for everyone.

It’s important to note that the age of Kali is directly noticed only on our planet. Both in the higher and lower planets there is not a progression of the four ages like here. On the higher planets, people are always devoted to the Lord, and on the lower planets, they are always atheistic. Only on Earth do we have these two sides manifesting at different times with the progression of Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dwapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. However, the fact people become irreligious in Kali-Yuga affects people in other places indirectly. Because in Kali-yuga people don’t execute Yajnas, the demigods don’t receive sacrificial oblations and thus their power is reduced. Because families become degraded, their ancestors living in Pitrloka stop receiving oblations and thus fall from there, and so on.

The scene with Dharma and the Earth in the form of the bull and the cow is shown from a broader perspective with the arrival of Pariksit Maharaja there. By the verses in the 16th chapter, we may have the idea that both are just talking alone, but in the 17th chapter is revealed that Kali is also present, beating both with a club!

It’s described that Kali, although the most degraded, is dressed like a king, which indicates the situation of Kali-yuga when the most degraded people become the rulers and advance an agenda of exploitation and degradation of society.

It’s described that bull was as white as a white lotus flower. He was terrified of the śūdra who was beating him, and he was so afraid that he was standing on one leg, trembling and urinating. The cow was separated from her calves and her legs were being beaten by a śūdra. There were tears in her eyes, and she was distressed and weak. She was hungry and desiring to get some grass from the field.

Seeing this scene, Pariksit immediately got down from his chariot and prepared to kill Kali, but later allowed him to live when he surrendered.