Kalki

For other meanings, see Kalki (disambiguation).

In Hindu traditions, Kalki (Sanskrit: कल्कि; also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the tenth and final Maha Avatara (great incarnation) of Vishnu the Preserver, who will come to end the Kali Yuga, (The Age of Darkness and Destruction). The name Kalki is often a metaphor for "Eternity" or "Time". The origins of the name probably lie in the word Kalka which refers to "dirt", "filth" or "foulness" and hence denotes the "Destroyer of Foulness", "Destroyer of Confusion", "Destroyer of Darkness", or "The Annihilator of Ignorance". Other similar and divergent interpretations based on varying etymological derivations from the ancient Sanskrit language, including one simply meaning "White Horse", have been made.^[1]

In the Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, some 25 rulers of the legendary Shambhala Kingdom have the title of Kalki, Kulika or Kali-king.^[2]

Kalki Avatar on his white horse

Maha Avatara

Hindu traditions permit numerous interpretations of what Avatars are and to what purpose they act. Avatara means "descent", and indicates a descent of the divine awareness into manifestations of the mundane form. Prominent religious leaders like Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda are considered avatars by some, but in most Hindu traditions there are only 10 Maha Avataras (Great Avatars), though the identities of the most recent are sometimes disputed (i.e. Buddha and Balarama). The Bhagavata Purana has a list of 25 Great Avatars.

All Hindu traditions declare all people to be manifestations of the divine essence, the Atman, and Avatars to be individuals who are far more acutely and extensively aware of this fact and its implications than most, and who have entered the mortal realms voluntarily to teach important truths to humanity, and who usually have extraordinary abilities to aid in these roles.

Kalki's Appearance and the End of Days Prophecy

As with the prophecies of many traditions there is some debate within Hinduism regarding the time of the appearance of the Kalki Avatar, as well as the Divine purpose that this appearance will signify.

Popular images of the Avatar depict him riding a white horse with wings known as Devadatta (God-given). In these images, Kalki is brandishing a sword in his right hand and is intent on eradicating the corrupt destitution and debauchery of kalyug. On his return, it is prophecied that he will vanquish the demon Kali, reconcile opposites, and renew the process of the Dharma (Paths of Virtue) and Creation, thus establishing the rebirth of righteousness and virtue.

According the the Kalki Purana, Kalki will be mentored by Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu. Parashurama himself performed a penance thousands of years ago for Lord Shiva, who in acknowledgement gave to him control over celestial weaponry with which to cleanse the Earth of Kshatriya corruption. Parashurama will teach Kalki how to perform similar penance to follow in his footsteps and achieve celestial abilities.

Origins of the Kalki prophecy

Copper engraving of Kalki from the late 18th century.

One of the earliest mentions of Kalki is in the Vishnu Purana, which is dated generally to be after the Gupta Empire around the 7th Century A.D.^[3] Vishnu is the Preserver, the sustainer of life in the Hindu trinity, balancing the processes of Creation and Destruction. Kalki is also mentioned in another of the 18 major Purana, the Agni Purana. Agni is the god of Fire in the Hindu pantheon, and symbolically represents the spiritual fire of life and the processes of transformation. It is one of the earliest works declaring Gautama Buddha to have been a manifestation of Vishnu, and seems to draw upon the Vishnu Purana in its mention of Kalki. A later work, the Kalki Purana, a minor Purana, is an extensive exposition of expectations and predictions of when, where, and why it is said he will come, and what he is expected to do. It has a very militant perspective, and celebrates the defeat of traditions that are deemed heretical for not adhering closely enough to the traditions of the Vedas, such as Buddhism and Jainism. A few other minor Purana also mention him.

Followers of Tibetan Buddhism have preserved the Kalachakra Tantra, which forms a prominent part of the Tibetan traditions. In the Kalachakra Tantra Kalkin is a title of 25 rulers of the mystical realm of Shambhala. The aims and actions of some of these are prophesied in portions of the work. The 25th Kalkin as an emanation of Manjushri is said to brings about world-wide spiritual change. "At that time, all the families of men on the earth shall be fulfilled with dharma, pleasure and wealth. Grain shall grow in the wild and the trees shall bow with fruit - these things will occur."^[4]

Modern variations of the Kalki prophecy

Theosophy and Christianity

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Stone plaque of Kalki from the 18th century.

Some Theosophists and New Age speculators^{[attribution needed]} have declared the Kalki prophecies and those of the Maitreya Buddha of Buddhism, might actually refer to one and the same individual, and they and others have noted similarities of the Kalki prophecy to the Rider on the White Horse in the Christian book of Revelation who defeats the Antichrist. (Rev 19:11)^{[citation needed]} In such interpretations the sword of Kalki is equated to the two-edged sword that proceeds from the mouth of this apocalyptic figure, and is often symbolically interpreted to be the swordlike effectiveness of words of truth against all manner of lies and deceptions.^{[citation needed]} Kalki is also said to war with the twin demons Koka and Vikoka, similar to Gog and Magog who will attack the utopia established by the rider on the white horse at the end of his thousand year reign on earth. (Rev 20:7-8) Despite the similarities, the Kalki Purana states Koka and Vikoka are simultaneously killed by Kalki (as well as their master) long before the beginning of his thousand year reign as the king of Shambhala.^[5]

Claims of being Kalki

In the last few decades several leaders of relatively small religious movements in India, and a few outside of it, including some women, have at times claimed to be the Kalki Avatar of Hinduism, or their followers have declared them to be Kalki.

• Some adherents of the Bahá'í Faith have interpreted the prophecies as having referred to their messenger Bahá'u'lláh as the Kalki Avatar.^[6]

Other meanings of Kalki

• The name Kalki is also used as a relatively rare personal name that has been given to both male and female children, and recently, a rare and somewhat untamable leopard.^[7]

• Kalki was the primary pseudonym used by Tamil writer R. Krishnamurthy.^[8]

• Playa Kalki is a beach on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, also curiously known as "Alice in Wonderland".^{[citation needed]}

• Kalki is the name of the female lead character played by Tulip Joshi in Indian Director Manish Jha's widely acclaimed motion picture Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women, about a society where women have become rare because of infanticide, and are treated as a commodity.^{[9][10][11][12][13]}

See also

• Kalki Purana
• Kali (Demon)
• Koka and Vikoka
• Shambhala
• Kalachakra
• Suchandra

External links

Interpretations of the Kalki Avatar

• Kalki Avatar, the Coming Prophet (Essay by Swami Amar Jyoti)
• Kalki in Indian Mythology 1 2
• Religious Policies of the 25 Kalki rulers
• Kalki Temple in Jaipur
• Buddha & Kalki
• Kalki, The Last Avatar
• Hindu Prophecies: Translations from the Kalki Purana
• Comments on the Kalki Purana
• Messianic Themes in traditions of Northwest India
• The History of the Kalachakra Tantra
• The Archives of Alexander Berzin - Kalachakra Section
• Perspective on Kalki
• Kalki- mission complete
• The Avatar for Enlightenment

References

Hinduism
Dashavatara of Vishnu
Matsya · Kurma · Varaha · Narasimha · Vamana · Parashurama · Rama · Krishna · Balarama · Buddha · Kalki

Hindu deities and texts
Female deities	Devi · Saraswati · Lakshmi · Sati · Parvati · Durga · Shakti · Kali · Sita · Radha · Mahavidya · more...
Male deities	Deva · Brahma · Vishnu · Shiva · Rama · Krishna · Ganesha · Murugan · Hanuman · Indra · Surya · more...
Texts	Vedas · Upanishads · Puranas · Ramayana · Mahabharata · Bhagavad Gita
Hinduism · Hindu mythology · Indian epic poetry

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