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Kalvarija – Things Prohibited In Kali Yuga

Kalivarjya includes those acts of a socio-ethical nature prohibited in the Kali Yuga from the Hindu religious point of view. Nirnaya Sindhi (17th century CE) alone contains a list of 55 prohibited acts or Kalvarija. One-fourth of these relate to Shrauta (Vedic) rituals. Others concern contemporary legal matters relating to sharing of property by daughters, widowed mothers and so on.

The majority of the items relate to the maintenance of the purity of marriage, moral family life, etc. the literature of Kalivarjya has grown since the 10th century CE. Some rules have originated from considerations of hygiene.

There are restrictions concerning the professions to be followed for one’s livelihood. Most of the restrictions apply in particular to the Brahmin community. These rules have not been enforced on groups falling outside the purview of the Vedic social framework. Efforts were also made to impose more localized restrictions on the Brahmin community, so that they would serve as living models of high standards of morality.

It appears that though society has been undergoing dynamic changes since the 18th century, under the influence of technological innovations and political revolutions, the Hindu lawmakers have made any significant change in the list of prohibitions. They have focused on Dharmashastra, while focusing on achara (practical life style) as well.