Hindus await the arrival of the Kalki-Avatar as promised by in the Scriptures when the Kali age (age of darkness) ends and the Krita age (age of light) begins. Below is one of the Scriptures that speaks of Kalki’s coming:
“When the practices taught by the Vedas and the institutes of law shall nearly have ceased and the close of the Kali age shall be nigh, a portion of that divine being who exists of his own spiritual nature in the character of Brahma, and who is the beginning and the end, and who comprehends all things, shall descend upon the earth. He will be born as Kalki in the family of an eminent Brahmin of Shambala village, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties.
By his irresistible might he will destroy the barbarians and thieves, and all whose minds are devoted to iniquity. He will then re-establish righteousness upon earth; and the minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, the Age of Purity” (Vishnu Purana 4:24).
All Scriptures agree that when conditions reach a critical point in human affairs, and humanity is sinking to its lowest depths, then the Lord will come again. When the Lord comes, in all Scriptures, He will bring a new Golden Age (the Krita Yuga). This prophecy is concerned with two related but separate events:
“ . . . He will be born as Kalki in the family of an eminent Brahmin of Shambala village, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties.”
“ . . . He will then re-establish righteousness upon earth; and the minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, the Age of Purity.”
On the day of Sravana month sukla 6 (August 17), the appearance day of Lord Kalki is observed according to the Pancaratra texts. Famous as the last of the ten major avatara-s of Lord Vishnu, He has yet to make His appearance in this cycle of time, a time so dangerous that we are encouraged in the Srimad Bhagavatam to worship Him for protection:
"May Kalki-deva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared as anincarnation to protect religious principles, protect me from the dirt of the age of Kali." This prayer becomes more and more relevant as the age of Kali and its degradation progresses. In fact we are now approaching the 51st Centennial of the Age of Kali in early 1999, which promises to be interesting if one is inclined to believe astrological predications. Regardless of the details, each and every year is a gradual step into darkness and chaos. Only the recitation of the name and pastimes of the Lord Kalki and His incarnations can free us from the shackles of the Age of Kali.
Although described elaborately in the Brahmanda-purana, the Bhagavatam describes Lord Kalki's pastimes briefly: .... 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 governement is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the low-born sudra class or those less than them, and when nothing is known about the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.
Lord Vishnu--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving living beings, and the Supreme Soul of all--takes birth to protect the principles of religion and to relieve His saintly devotees from the reactions of material work. Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of the Sambhala village, the great soul Visnuyasa.
Thereafter, at the conjunction of the two yugas, the Lord of creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the con of Visnu Yasa. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers. Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift 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.
After all the imposter kings have been killed, the residents of the cities andtowns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and oher decorations of Lord Vasudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. When Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodneess, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth. When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Saya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness.
When the moon, the sun and Brhaspati are together in the constellation Karkata, and all three enter simulatenously into the lunar mansion Pusya--at that exact moment the age of Satya, or Krta, will begin.
“When the practices taught by the Vedas and the institutes of law shall nearly have ceased and the close of the Kali age shall be nigh, a portion of that divine being who exists of his own spiritual nature in the character of Brahma, and who is the beginning and the end, and who comprehends all things, shall descend upon the earth. He will be born as Kalki in the family of an eminent Brahmin of Shambala village, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties.
By his irresistible might he will destroy the barbarians and thieves, and all whose minds are devoted to iniquity. He will then re-establish righteousness upon earth; and the minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, the Age of Purity” (Vishnu Purana 4:24).
All Scriptures agree that when conditions reach a critical point in human affairs, and humanity is sinking to its lowest depths, then the Lord will come again. When the Lord comes, in all Scriptures, He will bring a new Golden Age (the Krita Yuga). This prophecy is concerned with two related but separate events:
“ . . . He will be born as Kalki in the family of an eminent Brahmin of Shambala village, endowed with the eight superhuman faculties.”
“ . . . He will then re-establish righteousness upon earth; and the minds of those who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as pellucid as crystal. The men who are thus changed by virtue of that peculiar time shall be as the seeds of human beings, and shall give birth to a race who shall follow the laws of the Krita age, the Age of Purity.”
On the day of Sravana month sukla 6 (August 17), the appearance day of Lord Kalki is observed according to the Pancaratra texts. Famous as the last of the ten major avatara-s of Lord Vishnu, He has yet to make His appearance in this cycle of time, a time so dangerous that we are encouraged in the Srimad Bhagavatam to worship Him for protection:
"May Kalki-deva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who appeared as anincarnation to protect religious principles, protect me from the dirt of the age of Kali." This prayer becomes more and more relevant as the age of Kali and its degradation progresses. In fact we are now approaching the 51st Centennial of the Age of Kali in early 1999, which promises to be interesting if one is inclined to believe astrological predications. Regardless of the details, each and every year is a gradual step into darkness and chaos. Only the recitation of the name and pastimes of the Lord Kalki and His incarnations can free us from the shackles of the Age of Kali.
Although described elaborately in the Brahmanda-purana, the Bhagavatam describes Lord Kalki's pastimes briefly: .... 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 governement is transferred to the hands of ministers elected from the low-born sudra class or those less than them, and when nothing is known about the techniques of sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme chastiser.
Lord Vishnu--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master of all moving and nonmoving living beings, and the Supreme Soul of all--takes birth to protect the principles of religion and to relieve His saintly devotees from the reactions of material work. Lord Kalki will appear in the home of the most eminent brahmana of the Sambhala village, the great soul Visnuyasa.
Thereafter, at the conjunction of the two yugas, the Lord of creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the con of Visnu Yasa. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers. Lord Kalki, the Lord of the universe, will mount His swift 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.
After all the imposter kings have been killed, the residents of the cities andtowns will feel the breezes carrying the most sacred fragrance of the sandalwood paste and oher decorations of Lord Vasudeva, and their minds will thereby become transcendentally pure. When Lord Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, appears in their hearts in His transcendental form of goodneess, the remaining citizens will abundantly repopulate the earth. When the Supreme Lord has appeared on earth as Kalki, the maintainer of religion, Saya-yuga will begin, and human society will bring forth progeny in the mode of goodness.
When the moon, the sun and Brhaspati are together in the constellation Karkata, and all three enter simulatenously into the lunar mansion Pusya--at that exact moment the age of Satya, or Krta, will begin.
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