2 Kalki: Myth Or Messiah
"Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya, Glanirva Bhavathi Bharatha, Abhyuthanam Adharmaysya, Tadatmanam Srijami Aham'. Praritranaya Sadhunam, Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam Dharamasansthapnaya Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge." This famous shloka from the Bhagavad Gita has been a source of hope for many. In this shloka, Lord Krishna reveals His true form to Arjuna during the battle of Kurukshetra and says, "Whenever there is decay of righteousness O! Bharatha and a rise of unrighteousness, then I shall manifest Myself!"
"For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age."
Here the Lord describes that He is born on this Earth from time to time to relieve the humanity from evil. He takes avatars whenever the evil takes over. The duty of the avatar is to destroy evil and re-establish Dharma. Therefore, Lord Vishnu, the preserver and protector, has a special role here. He re-incarnates on Earth every time there is a turbulence and sets everything in order.
Lord Vishnu is said to take approximately 25 avatars. Some also say there are only ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. These ten avatars are Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narsimha, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki.
The Kali-yuga
According to Hindu belief , universal time is comprised of four great periods, or yugas: Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. Currently, humans are living through the Kali-yuga period, which is roughly 432,000 years long. This period began after the Battle of Kuruksetra during the end of the reign of King Pariksit, some 5,000 years ago. Therefore, there are approximately 427,000 years of the Kali-yuga left before Kalki is said to come.
At the beginning of the Kali-yuga, 3102 BC, the Lord Krishna disappeared from the earth, leaving a golden age for humans in his stead. This era of glory is predicted to last 10,000 years until the shortcomings of man supersede the legacy Krishna left behind. Thereafter, the lesser qualities of human nature , particularly their greed and materialism, will grow in strength. People will lose all interest in spiritual matters and those devotees who still cling to the Gods will be ridiculed and persecuted – "hunted down in the cities for sport like animals"
Things are then said to go from bad to worse. Governments and police will become rife with corruption, human decency will erode, and there will be neither protection nor solution to crime. Everyone will fight with and against each other - there will be constant war. The world will become terrible. It is said to become a place where people are only born to suffer and chaos will abound.
Kalki Purana Prophecies
The Kalki Purana prophesizes that the materialistic adherents of the Kali-yuga will be Kalki's main targets:
"All these relatives [agents] of [the personification of the age of] Kali are the destroyers of sacrifice [religious ritual], study of the Vedas, and charity because they transgressed all the Vedic principles of religion. They are the reservoirs of mental distress, disease, old age, destruction of religious principles, sorrow, lamentation, and fear. These descendants of Kali are found wandering everywhere throughout the kingdom of Kali, destroying the people of the world. Such people are misguided by the influence of time, very restless by nature, full of lusty desires, extremely sinful, very proud, and violent even to their own father and mother. [Even] those who are known as twice-born [ spiritually initiated] are devoid of all good behavior, without any observance of proper etiquette, and always engaged in the service of the lowest classes."
THE APPEARANCE OF LORD KALKI
There are many incarnations of the Supreme Being as stated in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.26): "O brahmanas, the incarnations of the Lord are innumerable, like rivulets flowing from inexhaustible sources of water." However, out of all the various incarnations of the Supreme, the Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.28) specifically states "krishnas tu bhagavan svayam," which means that Lord Sri Krishna is the original Supreme Personality of God.
All others are His plenary portions, or parts of His plenary portions, who descend into this material world to carry out certain responsibilities and to do specific things. is especially the case when the planets are overly disturbed by miscreants and atheists.
In Kali-yuga many years go by in which constant disturbances and social upheavals are allowed to happen, but the Vedic literature predicts that at the end Lord Kalki will make His appearance to change everything, as described in the following verses:
"Thereafter, at the conjunction of two yugas Kali-yuga and Satya-yuga, the Lord of the creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son of Vishnuyasha. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers." (Bhag.1.3.25)
"Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of Shambhala village, the great soul Vishnuyasha." (Bhag.12.2.18)
"At the end of Kali-yuga, when there exist no topics on the subject of God, even at the residences of so-called saints and respectable gentlemen of the three higher castes, and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the lowborn shudra class or those less than them, and when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser." (Bhag.2.7.38)
The Return of Kalki:
After 432,000 years, the Kali-yuga is said to be brought to an end by the return of Vishnu/Krishna in the avatar of Kalki, the 22nd incarnation of God. Riding on the Devadatta, his noble white steed, Kalki will come down from heaven brandishing a fiery sword (the Weapon of Parabrahman) to kill the Godless and the wicked."
Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift white horse Devadatta and, sword in hand, travel over the earth exhibiting His eight mystic opulences and eight special qualities of Godhead. Displaying His unequaled effulgence and riding with great speed, He will kill by the millions those thieves who have dared dress as kings."
Kalki has been described in other religions as well.
Christainity
The Second Coming of Christ
The mythos surrounding Kalki has clear parallels to the eschatology of other major religions, notably the Christian beliefs surrounding the second coming of Christ. As Revelations 19 reads:
"Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse! Its rider is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems; and he has a name inscribed that no one knows but himself… From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty…Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against the rider on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed in its presence the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were killed by the sword of the rider on the horse, the sword that came from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh."
Buddhism
The name Kalki is a metaphor for eternity or time. Its origins may lie in the Sanskrit word kalka which means foulness or filth. Hence, the name translates to the "destroyer of foulness", "destroyer of darkness", or "destroyer of ignorance". Another etymology from Sanskrit is "white horse".
In Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, 25 rulers of the Shambhala Kingdom held the title of Kalki, Kulika or Kalki-king. During Vaishakha, the first fortnight in Shukla Paksha is dedicated to fifteen deities, with each day for a different god. In this tradition, the twelfth day is Vaishakha Dwadashi and is dedicated to Madhava, another name for Kalki.
Sikhism
When we see many sinful acts before our eyes; when we see adultery here and there; when we see that thieves and robbers are enjoying; when we see that poor and hardworking people are not getting even proper food; when we see that everyone is insecure in this society; when we see our politicians living corrupt lives; when we see world powers attacking on armless countries; when we see powerful countries shedding blood of innocent children, women and men of other countries; what can we do?
We think that we have not enough power to fight against all these evils. We think that we cannot save ourselves from sinful-powers.
Is there not a light of hope for poor people? If so, this world would be like a hell. No one would be happy with anyone. Powerful, crazy and inhuman powers would rule. The poor would suffer forever.
Some intellectuals show the light of hope. They tell people to believe in golden future. The time is coming when innocent people will find themselves secure and happy. The time is coming, when a messiah will come into this world to save the innocents. The time is coming, when the savior will give us a chance to live happily.
Yes, this makes us happy. We think that there will be a time, when we would live a secure life; when we would enjoy freedom.
But, this is not enough. We are human. We want to take revenge from cruel persons; from inhuman politicians/kings. We want to see them being killed. We want to see their palaces being destroyed.
The old 'rishis' of 'Bharat' (India) knew these feelings of harassed people. They came forward to give people the hope. They said that the messiah would come and punish the culprits. The messiah will come, but it will take much time.
People asked, "When will our defender come into this world?"
'Rishis' replied, "There are sins in this world, but there could be more sinful life. You must be happy that you are not living in the world, which is most sinful hell. The savior will come, when there would be more and more sins".
'Rishis' told that in the end of 'Kalyug', the savior will come to save this world and punish the culprits. The end of 'Kalyug' will be the beginning of 'Satyug'.
'Nehkalank Avtaar' will be the savior. 'Nehkalank' is also known as 'Kalki'. This is predicted by 'Vishnu-puraan', a famous Hindu religious book. There is a city of 'Sambhal' in U.P. state of India. It is said that 'Kalki Avtaar' will appear first in this city.
In 'Sri Dasam Granth Sahib', story of 'Kalki avtaar' has been given. We must know the fact that 'Sri Dasam Granth Sahib' is not predicting about arrival of 'Kalki Avtaar'. Insteed, it is just translating the believe of 'Vashanav sampardaaye'.
What do you think about Kalki ? Wheather he is a myth or messiah ? Please tell me by comments ? If you like it you can vote my novel/chapter.
Stay tuned because next story may give you more brief about the fact.
