Text 11
nava nandān dvijaḥ kaścit
prapannān uddhariṣyati
teṣām abhāve jagatīṁ
mauryā bhokṣyanti vai kalau
nava — nine; nandān — the Nandas (King Nanda and his eight sons); dvijaḥ — brāhmaṇa; kaścit — a certain; prapannān — trusting; uddhariṣyati — will uproot; teṣām — of them; abhāve — in the absence; jagatīm — the earth; mauryāḥ — the Maurya dynasty; bhokṣyanti — will rule over; vai — indeed; kalau — in this age, Kali-yuga.
A certain brāhmaṇa [Cāṇakya] will betray the trust of King Nanda and his eight sons and will destroy their dynasty. In their absence the Mauryas will rule the world as the Age of Kali continues.
Śrīdhara Svāmī and Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura both confirm that the brāhmaṇa mentioned here is Cāṇakya, also known as Kauṭilya or Vātsyāyana. The great historical narration Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which began with the events prior to the cosmic manifestation, now reaches into the realm of modern recorded history. Modern historians recognize both the Maurya dynasty and Candragupta, the king mentioned in the following verse.