strÄ«-bÄla-go-dvija-ghnÄÅ› ca
para-dÄra-dhanÄdá¹›tÄḥ
uditÄsta-mita-prÄyÄ
alpa-sattvÄlpakÄyuá¹£aḥ
asaá¹ská¹›tÄḥ kriyÄ-hÄ«nÄ
rajasÄ tamasÄvá¹›tÄḥ
prajÄs te bhaká¹£ayiá¹£yanti
mlecchÄ rÄjanya-rÅ«piṇaḥ

 strÄ« - of women; bÄla - children; go - cows; dvija - and brÄhmaṇas; ghnÄḥ - the murderers; ca - and; para - of other men; dÄra - the wives; dhana - and money; Ädá¹›tÄḥ - showing interest in; udita-asta-mita - switching their moods from elated to depressed and then to moderate; prÄyÄḥ - for the most part; alpa-sattva - having little strength; alpaka-Äyuá¹£aḥ - and short life spans; asaá¹ská¹›tÄḥ - not purified by Vedic rituals; kriyÄ-hÄ«nÄḥ - devoid of regulative principles; rajasÄ - by the mode of passion; tamasÄ - and by the mode of ignorance; Ävá¹›tÄḥ - covered over; prajÄḥ - the citizens; te - they; bhaká¹£ayiá¹£yanti - will virtually devour; mlecchÄḥ - outcastes; rÄjanya-rÅ«piṇaḥ - appearing as kings.


Text

These barbarians in the guise of kings will devour the citizenry, murdering innocent women, children, cows and brÄhmaṇas and coveting the wives and property of other men. They will be erratic in their moods, have little strength of character and be very short-lived. Indeed, not purified by any Vedic rituals and lacking in the practice of regulative principles, they will be completely covered by the modes of passion and ignorance.

Purport

These verses give a concise, accurate description of the fallen leaders of this age.