Chapter 4 provides a detailed list of conditions that call for a saint's incarnation. These signs include a breakdown of the social order, such as when Brahmins despise their own caste and Shudras try to become Brahmins. Other indicators mentioned in this chapter are when religious teachers are insulted, sectarian hatred grows, and people in every house consider themselves scholars without following religious tenets. The chapter also points to moral decay, such as when Brahmins openly consume liquor and meat and when people become obsessed with lust and hunger, turning away from the ultimate spiritual goal (Paramartha).
According to Chapter 4, what specific signs of societal decline necessitate the advent of a saint?
📖 Chapter 4