Kalki Avatar and Kaliyuga – Vishnu Puranam

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Illustration Courtesy : http://rajandraws.wordpress.com/

Reference : Vishnu Puranam Page : 327 onwards. 4th Amsa 23rd and 24th Adhyayas :

  1. The 23rd Adhyaya of the 4th Amsa of the Sri Maha Vishnu Puranam describes the Magadha kings from Jarasandha’s time till 1000+ Ad. See : Magadha from Jarasandha to Satavahanas to pre Qutb Ud Din period as per Vishnu Puranam
  2. The 23rd Adhyaya contains only 13 lines and stops with the Barhadratha dynasty (Jarasandha’s descendants).
  3. The 24 th Adhyaya starts with the Pradyotanas and ends with kings of Magadha just before Qutb Ud Din Aibak. This is 69 lines.
  4. Then from the 70th line begins a description of the worthlessness of the kings of that period.
  5. It also describes the ‘mleccha-aacharas’ among the people. (mleccha means foreigners).
  6. From the 74th line a poetic rhetoric restarts, that expresses a general disgust with the state of affairs. They are not prescriptions for behaviour only observations of a state of affairs. See Fig 1 for shlokas from 74 to 92.

Fig 1. The state of society in Kaliyuga : Vishnu Puranam

All of these lines are very true even today. Eg

  • Travel (Tourism) is the only reason for visiting the Tirthas (Places of Piligrimage).
  • BrahmaSutra is the only reason for a Brahmin (Not brahmacharya)
  • Only lies cause victory in material works
  • Charity is the only ethics (dharma).. etc

Now see Fig 2., which shows us shlokas from 93 to 102.

It tells us that thus the kings were those who were strong, independent of Varna. (This is still more than a thousand years before the British Christian Missionaries came to India and tried to “free” us from our “caste system”).

It tells of a decline in food habits (sweet based) and mode of dress. Hardly anyone lived beyond 23 years in Kaliyuga.

(This is another indication that the Kaliyuga we refer to now, was not the Kaliyuga referred to then.)

There was a revolution (viplavam) in the Shroutha Shastra Dharmas.

(Could this be a reference to Adi Sankaracharya?  Today we would call it a “reform” not a revolution.)

At this time was born in Shambala Village, with an Amsa of Vasudeva, in the house of the foremost brahmana Vishnuyasa, with 8 guna siddhis, in the form of Kalki, who destroyed the Mlecchas, Dasyus, People of Bad Practices, and established his own religion. (Shloka 99).  See Also  22 Avatars of Vishnu – Srimad Bhagavatam

  • One minor point is that when things got really bad, brahmins did take to arms as with Kalki and Parasurama.
  • A major point is a change in my world view : I always thought from childhood that Kalki Avataar was due some 4 lakh plus years from today.

This was because :

A note For those with faith :

  • Some believe that Kalki Avataar is due and some believe that Kalki Avataar is ongoing now. There are also those who believe firmly in Sri Yuktheshwar’s  Yuga Durations.
  • I never argue with faith, so please continue with your respective beliefs. I myself changed my mind just a few days ago. And it is quite a dizzying thought and a slightly unnerving one.
  • This post is for those who want to know what is said in the Vishnu Puranam and are curious about my interpretation of the same. It is also for those who wish to try their hands at their own interpretations. Hare Krishna! Harih Om!

Fig 2. Sri Maha Vishnu Puranam : Kalki Avataram

See Also :

How many kinds of Yugas are there?

22 Avatars of Vishnu – Srimad Bhagavatam

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