Kalki Purana

2021-07-09T07:37:40Z

183.171.82.16:

{{short description|narrative text in Sanskrit}}
{{Hinduism}}
The '''Sri Kalki Purana''' ({{lang-sa|कल्कि पुराण Sri Kalki Purāṇa}}) is a prophesied work in [[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit]] that details the life and times of [[Kalki]], the tenth and final Avatar of this earth. The narrative is set near the end of the ''[[Kali Yuga]]'' or Dark Age, as revealed by [[Ugrasrava Sauti|Suta]].

The extant text comprises three ''aṃśa''s (sections) consisting 7, 7 and 21 chapters respectively.<ref name="Rocher1986">{{cite book|last=Rocher|first=Ludo|editor=Jan Gonda|title=A History of Indian Literature |volume=Vol.II, Epics and Sanskrit religious literature, Fasc.3|year=1986|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|location=Wiesbaden|isbn=3-447-02522-0|page=183|chapter=The Purāṇas}}</ref> Although it is considered an [[Upapurana]] or 'Secondary Purana', it is derived from passages taken directly from the 18 'Major' [[Purana]]s, including the [[Vishnu Purana]] and the [[Bhagavata Purana]] ascribed to [[Vyasa]]. The dating of the text ranges from 9th century to later centuries.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Tibet Journal, Volume 22|publisher=Library of Tibetan Works & Archives|page=36|year=1997|quote=Emil Abegg based on the reference to struggles between Visnuism and Buddhism, suggests that parts of the Kalki-Purana might date back to the 9th century}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala, Vol. 103|year=1972|pages=3–12|publisher=[[Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala]]|quote=Then in all probability the Kalki-Purana may have been composed during the ninth and tenth century A.D|url=http://www.dharmicscriptures.org/Kalki%20Purana.pdf}}</ref>

==Significance==
As a prophesied work, the Kalki Purana writes details about events believed by Hindus to occur in the future. The work is essentially a derivation of passages collected from various Puranas describing the same subject. The work primarily describes the onset and exponential increase of evil and sin on the earth during the ''[[Kali Yuga]]'', and the life of [[Kalki]], who is said to bring an end to the darkness of the ''Kali Yuga'', destroying evil and sin, and beginning a new ''[[yuga]]'' (age) of sinlessness and peace known as the ''[[Satya Yuga]]''.

The text is a text of the Vaishnavism tradition in Hinduism, where Brahma and other gods approach Vishnu for protection from the evils of the ''Kali Yuga''.<ref name="Rocher1986p183">{{cite book|author=Ludo Rocher|title=The Purāṇas|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n0-4RJh5FgoC |year=1986|publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|isbn=978-3-447-02522-5|pages=183 with footnotes}}</ref> After listening to stories of persecution of his Dharmic Devotees, Vishnu promises to be born as Kalki in the family of Sumati and Vishnuyasha, in a village called Shambhala.<ref name="Rocher1986p183"/> He studies the Vedas and other texts, then marries a princess named Padmavati of Simhala ([[Sri Lanka]]) kingdom. Kalki and his army then fight various wars and destroy all those who had persecuted and driven [[Dharma]] out of their land. After the annihilation of the evil and restoration of the good, Kalki returns to Shambhala. This marks the end of ''Kali Yuga'', and the start of the new cycle of existence, with ''Satya Yuga''. Kalki then returns to heaven, according to Kalki Purana.<ref name="Rocher1986p183"/> The new cycle begins thereafter. The Puranas state that this era would be a union of spirituality and science. <ref name="Rocher1986p183" />

Kalki is also found in Buddhist texts, such as ''[[Kalachakra Tantra]]''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Buddhism in Practice: (Abridged Edition)|publisher=Princeton University Press|year=2015|author=John Newman| editor= Donald S. Lopez Jr.|page=203}}</ref><ref name=Sopa83>{{cite book|title=The Wheel of Time: Kalachakra in Context|pages=83–84 with note 4|first=Lhundub |last=Sopa |publisher=Sambhala}}</ref> The Buddhist texts mention a king named Kalki from Shambhala who leads an army to destroy the Muslim persecutors of dhamma; then after the victory of good over evil and attainment of religious freedoms, Kalki ushers in a new era.<ref name="JIN2017p49">{{cite book|author=Yijiu JIN|title=Islam|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-PzDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA49|year=2017|publisher=BRILL Academic|isbn=978-90-474-2800-8|pages=49–52}}</ref><ref name="Dahla2006p90">[a] {{cite book|author=Björn Dahla|title=Exercising Power: The Role of Religions in Concord and Conflict|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i_rWAAAAMAAJ|year=2006|publisher=Donner Institute for Research in Religious and Cultural History|isbn=978-952-12-1811-8|pages=90–91}}, '''Quote:''' "(...) the Shambala-bodhisattva-king [Cakravartin Kalkin] and his army will defeat and destroy the enemy army, the barbarian Muslim army and their religion, in a kind of Buddhist Armadgeddon. Thereafter Buddhism will prevail.";<br>[b] {{cite book|author=David Burton|title=Buddhism: A Contemporary Philosophical Investigation|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=phddDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT193 |year=2017|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-1-351-83859-7|page=193}}<br>[c] {{cite book|author=Johan Elverskog |editor=Anna Akasoy|display-editors=etal|title=Islam and Tibet: Interactions Along the Musk Routes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZfWXIfbynwYC&pg=PA293 |year=2011|publisher=Ashgate Publishing |isbn=978-0-7546-6956-2|pages=293–310}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Buddhism in Practice |edition=Abridged |publisher=Princeton University Press|year=2015|author=John Newman| editor= Donald S. Lopez Jr.|pages=202–205}}</ref> The much later-era Buddhist text ''[[Vimalaprabha]]'', which comments on ''Kalachakra Tantra'', also mentions Kalki.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Wheel of Time: Kalachakra in Context|pages=56–78, 83–86 with notes|editor=Geshe Lhundub Sopa |author=John Newman| year= 1985 |publisher=Sambhala}}</ref>

==Events Depicted in the Kalki Purana==

===''Kali Yuga''===
[[File:Kalki1790s.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kalki and his horse, Devadatta.]]
{{See also|Kali Yuga}}
Chronologically Krishna is described as the eighth [[Avatar]] of Lord [[Vishnu]]. This happens in ''[[Dvapara Yuga]]''. When the first stage of the ''[[Kali Yuga]]'' begins, the [[Varna in Hinduism|varna system]] will deteriorate. Soon after this, the second, third, and fourth stages of the ''Kali Yuga'' begin. During the second and third portions, men will forget the name of God and no longer offer [[Yagna]] to the [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]]. During the fourth portion, cannibalism will be virtually universal among the humans. To solve this problem the pious Devas will gather before [[Brahma]] for a solution. Near the end of this ''[[yuga]]'', the Devas will then journey to [[Vaikunta]] to seek help from Lord [[Vishnu]]. Lord Vishnu will then descend to Earth to end the ''Kali Yuga''.

===Life on Earth===
Shri Kalki will be an [[avatar]] of Lord [[Vishnu]] the supreme [[Parabrahman]]. He will marry his eternal consort [[Lakshmi]] who is the Heavenly [[mother]]. He will then undertake the mission to complete the end of ''[[Kali Yuga]]'' and rid the world of all wicked kings and false prophets, evil people and to usher in the age of ''[[Satya Yuga]]''. Prophecies are said to be talking about Pralaya at the end of ''Kali Yuga''.

=== Parashurama Avatar :- The Guru of Kalki Avatar ===
The Parashurama Avatar, which was the sixth Avatar of Lord Vishnu, according to this Purana, is predicted to be the Guru of Acharya ('''Teacher''') of the Kalki Avatar, which is the Tenth Avatar of Lord Vishnu. In this Purana, Parashurama teaches the [[Vedas]] to the Kalki Avatar, so that he can develop a sense of morality and ''Dharma'' before his fight against evil. Parashurama also teaches the ''[[Dhanurveda]]'' to him so that he can fight off evil properly, and with correct techniques of warfare.

===Destruction of Evil===
[[File:Dasavatara10.png|thumb|left|Kalki on horse]]
One of the main reasons Lord [[Vishnu]] comes to earth as Kalki is to destroy and defeat evil forces on earth. He begins this with the battle, and eventual massacre, of the Sunyavadis, who have misled the people, at the city of Keekatpur. A war would later begin with [[Kali (Demon)|Kali]], fighting against Kalki and the [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]]s. Thus, Kali will be defeated at the hands of [[Dharma]], the personification of the ''[[Satya Yuga]]'' which is evil's polar opposite.<ref>. Raja Shashidhwaja, a great devotee of [[Vishnu]], has been granted a boon by Lord Vishnu of defeating Kalki on the battlefield.</ref>

===''Satya Yuga''===
{{See also|Satya Yuga}}
After the defeat and destruction of evil on earth, the ''[[Satya Yuga]]'' dawns. Kalki will bring forth a golden age. Kalki will divide the earth into kingdoms among his generals. Sumati and Vishnuyasha, his parents, will then travel to the holy place of Badrikashram, where they will live. They have no death. They will go to Vaikuntha with Kalki. Having finished his mission of restoring peace, Kalki will rule.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* himanshu aneria, Kalki Purana, Fusion Books (1969) {{ISBN|81-288-0588-6}}

==External links==
{{commons|Kalki}}

==See also==
*[[Ramayana]]
*[[Mahabharata]]

{{Puranas}}

[[Category:Puranas]]

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Kalki Purana