(Pic Courtesy: Desaraju Lakshmi - photo taken at Srikurmam)

Wickedness, black, iron. (Glossary for the Vahinis)

The spirit of wickedness and vice known as Kali had already come in, with the end of Krishna Era; so, it was raising its poisonous hood, off and on; but, Parikshit was vigilant. He adopted measures to counterfoil its stratagems and machinations. He sought to discover the footprints of his grandfathers throughout his realm, in the reforms they introduce and the institutions they established; he reminded his people whenever occasion arose, of their nobility and aspirations; he told of Krishna, His Grace and Mercy, He shed tears of joy and gratitude whenever be related to them these stories. He was sincerely pining for the chance he had lost, to have the Pandavas and Krishna by his side.

He knew that Kali entered his kingdom and was endeavouring to fix its hold on the minds of men. When he became cognizant of its activities he investigated into the conditions favouring for its spread and win the active-cooperation of his Teachers and the Elders, he enacted special; laws to counteract the tendencies Kali aroused. When the elders advised him that such precautions need be taken only when wickedness emerged as crimes, Parikshit did not support that opinion. He was for greater alertness, He wanted to give the lead to his people. ‘Yatha Raja Tatha Praja’ (As the ruler, so the ruled) is the proverb, he said. He declared that Kali or wickedness can have sway only through the incompetence of the ruler, the loss of self-reliance among the people and the decline in the earning of Grace. These three are the factors that promote the plans of Kali. Without them, man cannot fall a prey to its wiles. Aware of this, Parikshit went round his kingdom and sought, day and night, to drive Kali out of his haunts. That is to say, he attempted to give no room to injustice, force, evil character, untruth and violence; his preventive plans were effective. He had so much quiet in his kingdom that he campaigned in the Bhadraswa, Ketumala, Uttarakuru and Kimpurusha regions. (Bhag Vahini, pp. 84-85)