In Raag Aasaa, Baabaa Nanak makes the declaration that the present age of the Kali Yuga (also called the dark or iron age) we live in is like a chariot of fire, and it's charioteer is none other than the falsehood. We all are seated in it. That is, we all are the passengers of this burning chariot. If that's not enough, the driver of this chariot is indicated to be the falsehood!

• kljuig rQu Agin kw kUVu AgY rQvwhu: Kalyug rath agan kaa koor aggi rathvaah: This age of Kali Yuga is the chariot of fire, and falsehood is the charioteer (sggs 470).
• haumY ivic sd jlY srIrw: Haumai vichi sada jalai sareeraa: In egotism, the body is forever burning (sggs 1068).
• jgqu jlµdw riK lY AwpxI ikrpw Dwir: Jagat jalandaa rakh lai aapanee kirapaa dhaar: (O Lord) The world is going up in flames - shower it with Your Mercy, and save it! (sggs 853)

Why the Kali Yuga is equated to a "chariot of fire" in the Gurbani (Sri Guru Granth Sahib, SGGS)? Within the majority of us is burning the fire of "five thieves" (the faults of false ego-sense or Haume — lust, anger, greed, attachments, self-conceit and their numerous variations such as selfishness, jealousy, stubborn mindedness, slander, untruthfulness and so on). Thus, calling this present age the "chariot of fire" is symbolic of the collective, predominant, demoniac mentality of the people of the world.

• klI AMdir nwnkw ijMnW dw Aauqwr: Kalee andar Nanakaa jinnaan daa aoutaar: In this Kali Yuga, O Nanak, the demons have taken birth (sggs 556).
• AMqir pMc Agin ikau DIrju DIjY: Antar panch agan kiou dheeraj dheejai: The fire of the five passions burns within the man; how can he be calm? (sggs 905).
• sic kwlu kUVu vriqAw kil kwlK byqwl: Sach kaal koorr varatiaa kal kaalakh betaal: There is a famine of Truth; falsehood prevails, and the blackness of the Kali Yuga has turned people into demons (sggs 468).
• hMsu hyqu loBu kopu cwry ndIAw Aig ]pvih dJih nwnkw qrIAY krmI lig: Hansu het lobh kop chaare nadiaa agg. Pavahi dajhai Nanakaa tareeai karmee lagg: Cruelty, material attachment, greed and anger are the four rivers of fire. Falling into them, one is burned, O Nanak! One is saved only by holding tight to good deeds (sggs 147).

The Kali Yuga is characterized by quarrel and conflicts, disagreement, cheating, deceit, cynicism, hypocrisy, duplicity, misinformation, darkness (ignorance), corrupt alliances, fall in moral fiber and Dharma, bad deeds, etc. Further, we are relatively short-lived, not very intelligent or fortunate, and we are constantly disturbed and agitated by anxieties and worries. In addition, our minds are egoistic, constantly flickering, turbulent, swift, restless, obstinate, and so strong that it often overcomes even one's own intelligence. This age of Kali Yuga's other features are such that in this age people have difficulty to concentrate and meditate on God; their involvement in various other wasteful activities prevent them from aspiring to know about God; material possessions rather than noble values are the sole criterion for judging the greatness of people; moral code of conduct, adherence to truth and righteousness is replaced by falsehood and immoral behavior; might and power derived from wealth and corruption are able to control the world and are the basis of all rule and law; devotion to the Lord is difficult to pursue, people perform unmeaning rituals (Karamkaand), and so on. The effects of Kali Yuga in terms of decline in good Karma, moral values and code of conduct are clearly evident. Clearly, the present age is seem to be a bitter struggle for a life of short duration!

• kiljug mih DVy pMc cor JgVwey: Kalijug mahi dharre panch chor jhagarraae: In this Kali Yuga, the five thieves (i.e., all evil passions) instigate alliances and conflicts (sggs 366).
  
• kil kwlK AMiDAwrIAw: Kal kaalakh andhiaareeaa: In this Kali Yuga, there is only pitch darkness(sggs 210).
• kil kwqI rwjy kwsweI Drmu pMK kir aufirAw: Kal kaatee raaje kaasaayee dharam pankh kar udariyaa: This Kali Yuga is the scalpel, the kings are butchers, and the Dharma has taken wings and flown away (sggs 145).
• iesu kiljug mih krm Drmu n koeI: Is kalijug mahi karam dharam an koee: In this Kali Yuga, no one is interested in good Karma, or Dharmic faith (sggs 161).
• kil klvwlI kwmu mdu mnUAw pIvxhwru: Kal kalavaalee kaam mada manooaa peevanahaar: The Kali Yuga is the vessel, filled with the wine of lust, the mind is the drunkard (sggs 553).
• QorI bwq Alp supny kI bhuir bhuir Atkwvis ry: Thoree baat alap supane kee bahur bahur atakaavas re: This meager, short-lived dream, this thing - you are engrossed in it, over and over again (sggs 1000).
• AMDy kw nwau pwrKU klI kwl ivfwxY: Andhhe kaa naao paarakhoo kalee kaal viddaanai: The blind man is known as an appraiser; this Kali Yuga is so strange! (sggs 229).
• kiljug mih Gor AMDwru hY mnmuK rwhu n koie: Kalijug mahi ghor andhaar hai manamukh raahu na koi: In this Kali Yuga, there is utter darkness; the Manmukh (material or ego being) cannot find the way (sggs 1285).
• iek GVI n imlqy qw kiljugu hoqw: Ik gharree ns milate taa kalijug hotaa: When I could not be with You for even just one moment, the Kali Yuga dawned for me (sggs 96).
• kljug mih bhu krm kmwih: Kalajug mahi bahu karam kamaahi: In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, many rituals are performed (sggs 1129).
• dulB kil dunI hW: Dulabh kal dunee haan: It is so difficult to find God in this world, in this Kali Yuga (sggs 409).
• kil klvwlI mwieAw mdu mITw mnu mqvwlw pIvqu rhY: Kal kalavaalee Maya madu meethaa man matavaalaa peevat rahai: The Kali Yuga is the wine-bottle; Maya is the sweet wine, and the intoxicated mind continues to drink it in (sggs 350).
• hovY prvwxw krih iD|wxw kil lKx vIcwir: Hovai paravaanaa karahi dhingaanaa kal lakhan veechaar: Those who act like tyrants are accepted and approved - recognize that this is the sign of the Kali Yuga (sggs 902).
• kwim k®oiD fUby AiBmwnI haumY ivic jil jweI: Kaam krodh doobe abhimaanee houmai vich jal jaaee: In lust and anger, the proud ones are drowned (i.e., in all evil passions). They are burnt in their egotism (sggs 1265).
• joie Ksmu hY jwieAw ] pUiq bwpu KylwieAw ] ibnu sRvxw KIru iplwieAw ]1] dyKhu logw, kil ko Bwau ] suiq muklweI ApnI mwau ]1] rhwau ] pgw ibnu hurIAw mwrqw ] bdnY ibnu iKr iKr hwsqw ] indRw ibnu, nru pY sovY ] ibnu bwsn KIru iblovY ]2] ibnu AsQn gaU lvyrI ] pYfy ibnu, bwt GnyrI ] ibnu siqgur bwt n pweI ] khu kbIr smJweI ]3]3]: Joi khasam hai jaaiaa...: The wife gives birth to her husband. The son leads his father in play. Without breasts, the mother nurses her baby. ||1|| Behold, people! This is how it is in the Kali Yuga. The son marries his mother. ||1||Pause|| Without feet, the mortal jumps. Without a mouth, he bursts into laughter. Without feeling sleepy, he lays down and sleeps. Without a churn, the milk is churned. ||2|| Without udders, the cow gives milk. Without travelling, a long journey is made. Without the True Guru, the path is not found. Says Kabeer, see this, and understand ||3||3|| (sggs 1194).
  

• kil mih gurmuiK auqris pwir: Kal mahi gurmukh outharas paar: In Kali Yuga, only the Gurmukhs cross over (sggs 229).
• gurmuiK haumY Agin invwrI: Gurmukh houmai agan nivaaree: The Gurmukh puts out the fire of egotism (sggs 943).
• kiljuig rwm nwmu boihQw gurmuiK pwir lGweI: Kalijug raam naam bohithaa guramukh paar laghaaee: In this Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the boat, which carries the Gurmukh across (sggs 443).
• klI kwl ivic gurmuiK pwey: Kalee kaal vich gurmukh paaye: In the Kali Yuga, the Gurmukhs obtain it (i.e. Naam) (sggs 666).
• gurmuiK nwmu jpY auDrY so kil mih Git Git nwnk mwJw: Gurmukh naam japai oudharai so kal mahi ghat ghat Nanak maajhaa: One who, as Gurmukh, chants the Name of the Lord, is saved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga. O Nanak, God is permeating the hearts of each and every being (sggs 748).

• chu jugI kil kwlI kWFI iek auqm pdvI iesu jug mwih: Chahu jugee kal kaalee kaandhee ik outam padavee is jug maahi: Of the four ages, Kali Yuga is called the Dark Age, but the most sublime state can also be attained in this age (sggs 651).

The Gurbani declares that if anything can cool the fire of this Kali Yuga is the God's Name and singing of the Kirtan with the Saadh-Sangat (Holy Company of the Self-realized Gurmukhs). The Gurmukhs have often described the method of chanting God's Name as the royal highway to realization of God. For the majority of people who are caught in the web of worldly miseries (Kali Yugi nature) the divine Name is the panacea. Just like a spark of fire reduces a mountain of cotton to ashes in no time, the divine Name is capable of counteracting all sins when chanted. The spiritual practice of chanting God's Name as in Jap (Simran or meditation) removes man's ignorance, which is the cause of bondage. This process can be likened to cleansing a mirror covered by dust. When the veil of ignorance is lifted the devotee understands that God resides in him as the All-pervading Self, which liberates him from bondage.

• kil qwqI TWFw hir nwau: Kal taatee thaandhaa har naaou: The Kali Yuga is hot; only the Lord's Name is soothing and cooling (sggs 288).
• nwm qqu kil mih punhcrnw: Naam tatt kal mahi punahacharanaa: In this Kali Yuga, only the Lord's Name will be of any real use to you (sggs 254).
• hir nwmu pdwrQu kiljuig aUqmu hir jpIAY siqgur Bwie jIau: Har naam padaarath kalijug ootam har japeeai satgur bhaai jeeou: The wealth of the Lord's Name is the most exalted in Kali Yuga; so chant it according to the Way of the True Satguru (sggs 444).
• kljug mih rwm nwmu hY swru: Kalajug mahi raam naam hai saar: In Kali Yuga, the Lord's Name is the most sublime (sggs 1129).
• swDsMig kil kIrqnu gwieAw]nwnk qy qy bhuir n AwieAw: Saadhasng kal keeratan gaaiaa. Nanak te te bahuri na aaiaa: In Kali Yuga, those who sing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy - O Nanak, they do not have to endure reincarnation again (sggs 253).
• DMnu su kiljugu swDsMig kIrqnu gweIAY nwnk nwmu ADwru hIE: Dhann s kalijug saadhsang keeratan gaaeeai Nanak naam adhaar heeo: Blessed, in this Kali Yuga, is the holy Saadh Sanggat, where the Lord's Praises are sung. O Nanak, the Naam is my only Support (sggs 382).
• kljug mih kIrqnu prDwnw: Kalajug mahi keeratan paradhaanaa: In Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are most sublime and exalted (sggs 1075).
• kil kIriq sbdu pCwnu: Kal keerat sabad pashaan: In the Kali Yuga, realize the Shabad (sggs 424).
• ijauNkr mYlI AwrsI iskl ibnw nihM muK idKweI: Jiounakar mailee aarasee sikal binaa nahim mukh dikhaaee: It is similar to the fact where we know that without cleansing of the mirror, the face cannot be seen in it (Vaar Bhai Gurdaas Jee, 1).

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Friday, August 22, 2008 1:56 PM (PST)

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