Śukadeva Goswāmī recommends that there are so many rules and regulations, which is difficult also to follow, especially in this age, Kali-yuga. We are in this age very much irresponsible.
- prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ sabhya
- kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ
- (SB 1.1.10)
First of all, our life is very short; we are not living for many days. Our forefathers lived for a hundred years at least, but we are living fifty, sixty, average. In our India our the average age is thirty-five years, and I do not know what is the average age in your country. Because you are prosperous, your duration of life may be average greater than India. But either you may . . . your average may be fifty or sixty years, ours may be thirty-five years, so the average years of living is reducing in this Kali-yuga. Actually in this age one should live at least one hundred years, but because we do not follow hygienic rules, do not live nicely, extravagantly, therefore the duration of life is reduced. And we are proud that we are improving. We are proud of our so-called scientific education that is improving. What you are improving? You cannot live even for hundred years. So this is called māyā. Actually we are decreasing, but we are thinking improving.
So kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ, alpāyuṣaḥ. And gradually the duration of life will be reduced to twenty to thirty years. These are all stated in the śāstras. Śāstra means which is correct to the point. Just like this śāstra, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it was compiled five thousand years ago, but the statements which are there, they are correct to the point, without any mistake, without any illusion. That is called śāstra. There cannot be any mistake. Just like in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you'll find that in the beginning of this age Lord Buddha will appear: kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati (SB 1.3.24).