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. In
the Hindu Trimurti, Vishnu is the preserver and
sustainer of life, balancing the processes of creation and destruction. Kalki
is also mentioned in another of the 18 major Puranas, 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. A few other minor Purana also mention him.The Agni Purana explains that when the evil men
who pose as kings begin to feed on human beings and try to destroy the
righteous, Kalki, as the son of Vishnuyasha, and Yajnavalkya as his priest and
teacher, will destroy these evil men with His weapons. He will establish moral
law in the form of the fourfold varnas, or the suitable organization of society
in four classes. After that people will return to the path of righteousness.
(16.7-9) The Agni Purana also relates that Hari,
after giving up the form of Kalki, will go to heaven. Then the Krita or Satya Yuga will return as before.
The Vishnu Purana also explains that, "When
the practices taught in the Vedas and institutes of law have nearly ceased, and
the close of the Kali age shall be nigh, a portion of that divine being who
exists of His own spiritual nature, and who is the beginning and end, and who
comprehends all things, shall descend upon earth. He will be born in the family
of Vishnuyasha, an eminent brahmana of Shambhala village, as Kalki, endowed
with eight superhuman faculties. By His irresistible might he will destroy all
the mlecchas (Barbarians) and thieves, and all whose minds are devoted to
iniquity. He will reestablish righteousness upon earth, and the minds of those
who live at the end of the Kali age shall be awakened, and shall be as clear 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 will follow
the laws of the Krita age or Satya Yuga, the age of purity. As it is
said, 'When the sun and moon, and the lunar asterism Tishya, and the planet
Jupiter, are in one mansion, the Krita age shall return.'" (Book Four,
Chapter 24)
The Padma Purana relates that Lord Kalki will end
the age of Kali and will kill all the wicked mlecchas and, thus, destroy the bad
condition of the world. He will gather all of the distinguished brahmanas and will propound the highest
truth. He will know all the ways of life that have perished and will remove the
prolonged hunger of the genuine brahmanas and the pious. He will be the
only ruler of the world that cannot be controlled, and will be the banner of
victory and adorable to the world. (6.71.279-282)
The Bhagavata Purana states, "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 , and when the power of government is transferred to the hands of ministers
elected from the evil men, and when nothing is known of the techniques of
sacrifice, even by word, at that time the Lord will appear as the supreme
chastiser. (2.7.38) It further describes Lord Kalki's activities as follows:
"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." (12.2.19-20)
The Kalki Purana combines all of the elements from the puranas above. He
is one who has power to change the course of time stream in the favour of the
good. He will be one to whom the power to change the destiny of the world will
be given.It states the evil family of the demon Kali will spring from the back of Brahma. They will descend to earth and cause mankind to turn
towards depravity. When man stops offering yagna
to the gods, Vishnu himself will descend to earth to
rid the world of evil. He will be reborn as Kalki to noted Brahmin family in
the city of Shambhala. As a young man, He will be
mentored in the arts of war by Parashurama, the sixth incarnation of
Vishnu. He will then set out across the world battling evil kings and false
prophets. He finally defeats Kalki and brings about the Satya yuga. Having completed His mission,
He will assume his four-armed form and return to heaven as Vishnu.
Followers
of Tibetan
Buddhism have
preserved the Kalachakra
Tantra in which
"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.
- Rulers will become unreasonable: they will levy taxes unfairly.
- Rulers will no longer see it as their duty to promote spirituality, or to protect their subjects: they will become a danger to the world.
- People will start migrating, seeking countries where wheat and barley form the staple food source.
- Avarice and wrath will be common. Humans will openly display animosity towards each other.
- Ignorance of dharma will occur.
- People will have thoughts of murder with no justification and will see nothing wrong in that.Sin will increase exponentially, whilst virtue will fade and cease to flourish.
- People will take vows and break them soon after.
- People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks and drugs.
·
Gurus will no longer be respected and their
students will attempt to injure them. Their teachings will be insulted, and
followers of Kama will wrest control of the mind from all human
beings.
·
Brahmins
will not be learned or honoured, Kshatriyas will not be brave, Vaishyas will
not be just in their dealings and Shudras will be allotted unreasonable
'caste-based' duties which they will avoid.