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Kali Yuga

Kali Yuga

According to most interpretations of Hindu scriptures, including the Vedas, the Kali Yuga (lit. Age of Kali , also known as Iron Age) began at the end of Krishna's bodily lifespan (approximately 5100 years ago, 3102 BCE) and will last exactly 432,000 years — placing its conclusion in the year 428,899 CE (it began with a year 0). Kalki, the 10th and final avatar of Vishnu, is expected to appear at this time, riding a white horse and wielding a flaming sword with which to strike down the wicked. Kali Yuga is the last of four Yugas—upon its conclusion, the world will 'reboot' into a new Satya Yuga (Golden Age). This involves the end of the world as we know it and the return of Earth to a state of paradise. Kali Yuga began at midnight (00:00) on 18 February 3102 BCE according to the Surya Siddhanta, which is an astronomical treatise that forms the basis of all Hindu and Buddhist calendars. Kali Yuga is sometimes referred to as the Iron Age because it was also the time when forging iron was discovered. Throughout the Kali Yuga, human civilisation degenerates further.

Problems that arise

There is an increase in material technology but there is a huge decrease in spirituality. Kali Yuga is the only Yuga in which irreligion/atheism is more powerful and popular than religion. Only a quarter of each of the four virtues of Dharma (penance, truthfulness, compassion and charity) is carried out by humans now. Nobility is determined only by the wealth of a person. Law and justice are determined by one's prestige and power. The poor become enslaved by the rich and powerful. Words such as charity and freedom are constantly used by the people, yet are never done.

Warfare

"Civilised" warfare is gone and humans fight like Asuras and Rakshasas. Unlike in the other Yugas where there would be a daily ceasefire by sunset to mourn the losses, cremate the victims, and to reflect on the war, Kali Yuga battles are fought constantly, just for the sake of winning. Sadism also flourishes.

Nobility/respect

In Kali Yuga, people are no longer respected for intelligence, knowledge or spiritual wisdom. Instead, material wealth and, to a lesser extent, physical strength, are what make a person highly regarded. Even though respect is shown superficially among the people, no one sincerely respects anyone. Everyone believes that the ultimate goal in life is to be respected, hence becoming wealthy and physically strong.

Changes in the people

Throughout the age, humans become shorter in height and weaker physically as well as mentally and spiritually. There is false preaching of false Gods, idols and gurus. Many people lie and claim themselves to be prophets and God-like beings. In addition, everybody will modify the definitions of fasting, meditation and austerity, so that they suit their needs. However, by doing this, they are not following the strict moral code and law of the Vedas, therefore they will hardly gain anything.

Changes in men

In Kali Yuga, men question the power of Brahmins, religious ceremonies, the existence of Gods, and the authority of the Vedas. There is no longer any respect towards elders or children. Jealousy grows in each man and they despise, hate, and are ready to kill one another over a few coins. The actions of men and savage beasts are alike.

Changes in women

Women in this era shall be immoral and licentious by nature because they are neglected and left unprotected. Although earlier they are treated as inferior to the male and always abused, later on they begin to dominate politics and other affairs. Women begin to eat too much. They lose their shyness and begin to betray their husbands by having affairs. Many women engage in prostitution. Because of this, a high and unwanted number of children are born, so abortion is introduced.

Lives of each of the castes

Earlier on in Kali Yuga, there is discrimination among the castes, particularly on the Shudras. Gradually, however, this is inverted with the Brahmin and Kshatriyas becoming the most discriminated against. Eventually the only caste that remains is the Shudra.

Life of the Brahmin

Most of the Brahmins stop performing religious activities. Like everyone else, they lose all their morality, eat meat (even beef), and start to take in intoxicants. Their respect and dignity is lost. When the mleccha are meant to perform sacrifice, they do not. The sacrifices change from fruits, water, and other pure substances to drugs, meat and material wealth. Only a few will isolate themselves from the rest of the destructive world and follow God. This number will decrease nonetheless as the Kali Yuga goes on. Gradually the last remaining Brahmin family will be living in Shambhala, where Kalki will be born.

Life of the Kshatriya

Kshatriyas, the royal and warrior caste, become corrupt and lose their political power. Their leadership falls into the hands of unprincipled rogues, criminals, and terrorists, who use their power to exploit the people. The kings themselves become thieves. They would rather steal from their citizens than protect and defend them. New leaders emerge from the labour class and begin to persecute religious people, saints, teachers, intellectuals, and philosophers. Dictatorships are founded by the lower classes.

Life of the Vaishya

The Vaishyas, who represent the middle class, merchants, tradesmen and businessmen of society, are now the petty-minded people who conduct business transactions and merchants dishonestly. New types of business-related crimes are formed, such as fraud and counterfeiting. The traders become selfish and try to satisfy their wants before the consumer. The very few who are honest with their business are not successful and eventually become unemployed. Eventually even they resort to cheating to be successful.

Life of the Shudra

Shudras no longer respect any of the higher castes. They are the most worshipped caste in Kali Yuga. After the first 10,000 years in the Yuga, they will be the sole varna, or caste remaining on Earth. During this period, though they may change their occupations or external status, their thoughts, beliefs, wisdom, personality and spiritual insight do not change.

Exception

During Kali Yuga, there are a minority of people who are still strong supporters of Lord (or "God"). However, by around 7000 CE, which is ten thousand years after Kali Yuga began, the devotees of God would all have received moksha (liberation, gone to heaven), and evil on Earth and in humans and other creatures is omnipresent. There is total chaos.

Other Views of Kali Yuga

According to Sri Aurobindo, Kali Yuga lasts far less than 432,000 years. The followers of the Purna Yoga believe that the Mother successfully solicited the early termination of the Kali Yuga in 1969, and the abolition of pralaya (normal process of destruction of the universe at the end of a kalpa (Cosmic Cycle of Creation-Destruction)). According to Akilattirattu Ammanai the holy book of Ayyavazhi religion and source of Ayyavazhi mythology, this Kali Yuga is the seventh of the eight yugas. The Asura of this yuga Kaliyan was the sixth-fragment of Kroni the primordial manifestation of evil.

External links

- [http://www.indiaheritage.com/rendez/article1.htm The Hindu concept of Time]
- [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/kaliyuga.htm Golden period of 10,000 years in current Kali-yuga] Category:Four Yugas Category:Eight Yugas Category:Shabd paths

Hindu

:This article is about the followers of Hinduism; for other meanings of the word, see Hindu (disambiguation). This article discusses the Hindu people as adherents of Hinduism. For more information on the people of India, visit the Demographics of India. A Hindu is an adherent of Hinduism, the predominant religious, philosophical and cultural systems of Bharat (India) and Nepal. A popular name for India is Hindustan, or Land of the Hindus. While almost all Indians were known as Hindus to the outside world till the 20th century, this usage has become increasingly controversial in view of the religious diversity of the India and the subcontinent. There are close to 950 million Hindus living in the Indian subcontinent, where Hinduism was born. The Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal is the world's only Hindu nation. Although India has the largest population, it is a secular republic. There are a large number of Hindu communities in South East Asia, North America, the West Indies, Western Europe, the Middle East, East Africa and South Africa, mostly descendants of people from India. Many distinguished and native communities of Hindus exist in South East Asia, especially the island of Bali, Indonesia, and in parts of the West Indies.

Origins of the word Hindu

The origin of the word Hindu is still disagreed upon by historians and linguists. It is generally accepted as having originally been a Persian word for someone who lives around or beyond the river Indus, which is called Sindhu in Sanskrit, and meant any inhabitant of the Indian subcontinent, before the Partition of India. The term Hindu (Indu or Intu in China) is still used in some languages to denote an Indian. The Greek term "India" was originally pronounced Hindia, in classical Greek, there was no character for "H". In Persian and Arabic, the term "Hind" denotes the Indian subcontinent. Until about 19th century, the term Hindu implied a culture and ethnicity and not a religion. When the British government started periodic census and established a legal system, need arose to define Hinduism as a clearly-defined religion, along the lines of Christianity or Islam. Some scholars like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, defined it as a religion based on the Vedas, using the analogy of Bible being the basis of Christianity and Koran being the Muslim scripture. That even an atheist may be called a good Hindu is an example of the fact that Hinduism is far beyond a simple religious system, but actually an extremely diverse and complicated river of evolving philosophies and ancient traditions.

Who is a Hindu?

Prior to the arrival of Muslims from Arabia and European colonists, there was no distinct definition of religion in India. Reform movements like the Samanas were not far from the Jain and Buddhist orders, and such groups provided the wheels of philosophical evolution and cultural change. While strict social ordering existed in the Brahmanical system, it was never necessary for anyone to worship a particular form of God, perform a particular set of rituals, speak a particular language, or read only one book. Without doing any of these, a person was a common native, citizen of the land, a Hindu. Vegetarianism arose as a reform movement, and was never imposed on all people, which would have divided them. The colonial British government introduced the census as is today, and for legal purposes set worded definitions and distinctions between populations living interwoven for thousands of years. This practice, once established, was exploited for political power by various communities, with distinct religions getting special privileges and recognitions as opposed to members of a sect, reform movement or of the larger mass of people. These bookish definitions fail to alter, however, centuries-old practices and relationships between communities, which though not free of divisive conflicts, are certainly not victims of any schisms. Many Hindus identify the Supreme Being as the Lord Vishnu and are known as Vaishnavas; many others believe the Supreme Being is the Lord Siva and are known as Saivites; while some believe in the female Principle Shakti as supreme, and are called Shaktists while in other branches of Vaishnavism and Shaivism, Shakti is God's Power personified. The fourth major group, the Smarta, call the Supreme One Brahman, which manifests into personal forms of God, such as Vishnu or Siva. However, no barrier or distinction or rivalry of any nature exists between any of these. Each naturally respects all gods, only choosing to see the Supreme in one particular form. Hinduism, especially its history and heritage are vital as a strong, defining element of Indian Nationalism, and the political identity and expression of India's Hindus.

Hallmarks of Hindu Society

Ethnic and Cultural Fabric

Hinduism has one of the most ethnically diverse body of adherents in the world. Hinduism, its religious doctrines, traditions and observances are very typical and inextricably linked to the culture and demographics of India. The ancient religion finds its roots amongst the Indo-Aryan peoples who migrated to the subcontinent from Central Asia in ancient times, and the peoples of the vast Indus Valley Civilization, the oldest known human civilization in the Indian subcontinent. Large tribes and communities of indigenous origins, and the Dravidian communities are also closely linked to the earliest synthesis and formation of Hindu civilization. Peoples of Mongoloid roots living in the states of north eastern India and Nepal were also a part of the earliest Hindu civilization. Immigration and settlement of peoples from Central Asia and peoples of Indo-Greek heritage have brought their own influence on Hindu society. For example, the staunchest defenders of Hindu India against Muslim invaders were the Rajputs of modern Rajasthan, who were immigrants from Central Asia. The Mehr community of Rajasthan and Gujarat is also proud of its Central Asian roots, but more fiercely proud of its Hindu traditions and faith. The scriptures and earliest practices are identified as of a particularly Indo-Aryan nature, but the roots of Hinduism in southern India, and amongst tribal and indigenous communities is just as ancient and fundamentally contributive to the foundations of the religious and philosophical system. Today, almost all Hindus belong to the ethnic communities living in the 28 states and 7 union territories of India, and the provinces of Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Ancient Hindu kingdoms arose and spread the religion and traditions across South East Asia, particularly Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia and Vietnam. A form of Hinduism particularly different from Indian roots and traditions is practised in Bali, Indonesia, where Hindus form 90% of the population. Indian migrants have taken Hinduism and Hindu culture to South Africa, Fiji, Mauritius and other countries in and around the Indian Ocean, and in the nations of the West Indies and the Caribbean. Many Europeans, Africans and Americans have adopted spiritual and religious exercises inspired by Hinduism in North America, Western Europe and Southern Africa. The ISKCON is a growing congregation of the devotees of Lord Krishna, mainly in the United States but spreading across the world, embracing people and working in countries completely unassociated with India.

Linguistics of Hinduism

Although the Vedas, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana have been written in the ancient language of Sanskrit. Hinduism has several important religious and philosophical works written in other ancient languages like Tamil, Pali, Prakrit, and modern languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telegu, Gujarati, Marathi and Bengali. The approximately 950 million Hindus who live in the Indian subcontinent are the people who speak the 18 official languages of India, Tamil in Sri Lanka, Gurkhali in Nepal, some 5-10 more unofficial languages and over 1,000 dialects. Most of modern discourses, essays and analysis of Hindu religion and society, and re-telling of its greatest epics, are published in the English language. Millions of Hindus are known to be well-versed with that language.

Dietary Habits and Doctrines

Hindus are often stereotyped as a vegetarian people. In fact, Hindus have only one specific rule - against the consumption of beef. Even in this case there are exceptions. Most Hindus in northern India eat all meats save beef. Buffalo Milk and milk products are extremely important to those living in India. Hindus living on the coasts of western and eastern India eat fish and shellfish. The cuisine of Hindus is enriched by regional and ethnic differentiations, and there is almost no universal rule. Pork is accepted in South India, while Malayalee Hindus eat beef. Hindus in the north east of India and some distinguished communities have been known to eat these meats as a part of the staple diet. Many Hindu communities have different ideological doctrines that inspire very specific dietary allowances and prohibitions. Vegetarianism has gained immense popular strength since medieval times, arising from the principle of ahimsa, or total non-violence to all forms of life. Inspired by a stricter, regimental adherence to vegetarianism in Jainism and Buddhism, Hindus across the country, but especially in the Indian state of Gujarat and many states in South India are puritanical in their adherence.

Ceremonies, Observances and Pilgrimage

Young male members of the Brahmin and Kshatriya caste may perform a coming of age ceremony, the Upanayana commonly known as Janoy, or the thread ceremony. The Janoy is many strings rolled together to resemble an umblical cord to symbolise the New birth as a student and from this day on he belongs to the Guru, who takes the place of mother and father. The Upanayana is akin to being born again. This ceremony was performed before the boy went up to the Guru's ashram (school). In a ceremony administered by a priest, a young boy shaves his hair off (or just some portions, as deemed appropriate) and a Janoy is Hung from around his shoulder to his waist line. The ceremony varies from region to community, and includes reading from the Vedas and special mantras and slokhas. The boy also swears to obey his Guru and also takes oaths to confirm that he will not take intoxicants, speak the Truth, serve the Guru,and to stay celibate. Rites of initiation exist for the other castes, but differ from region to region. Many North Indian Hindu women fast on Karvachauth, or the day before the full moon, and on other auspicious months to pray for the long life, safe being and prosperity of their husbands. Many religious Hindus make piligrimages to the holy Tirthas, especially Lord Siva's lingam in Amarnath and Anantnag, the holy cities of Haridwar, Kashi, Allahabad, Mathura and Ayodhya. The Kumbha Mela, or the gathering of between 10 to 20 million Hindus upon the banks of the holy rivers, as periodically ordained in different parts of India by Hinduism's priestly leadership. The most famous is the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh. It is considered the largest gathering of human beings in the world. Hundreds of millions of people annually visit the rivers and temples near them, and wash and bathe themselves to purify their sins, make sacrifices and win pivous credits.

Religion for the Common Hindu

To all Hindus, the Vedas are not the source of religious guidance. The Vedas and the Upanishads live on in the Hindu ethos as the inspiration of the ancient traditions, social practices and religious institutions of Hindu peoples. They were the basis of most commonly accepted social and religious practices in Hindu, and indeed Indian society. The Puranas are a wide collection of religious treatises, biographies and stories on the historical, mythological and religious characters in Hindu folklore, classic literature and sacred scriptures. There are often the source of popular Hindu folk tales and religious lessons. Yoga is an important connection to a Hindu to his religious and historical heritage. The art of spiritual and physical exercises are a distinguished native tradition pursued by millions of Hindus worldwide. Indian Vedic astrology is important to the conduct of any of life's important events such as marriage, applying for a post or admission, buying a house or starting a new business. To millions of Hindus, the kundali is an invaluable possession that charts the course of life for a man or a woman from the time of his birth, all ascertained by Vedic mathematics and astrology. The most popular Hindu scriptures are the Mahabharata, the holy war between good and evil. Lord Krishna's discourse to the warrior prince Arjuna, the Bhagavad Gita is the guide book on life for the common Hindu. It is the source of divine guidance and inspiration, where the reader learns to interpret Krishna's teachings in the personal and worldly contexts of life. Most Hindus consider this book as the main source of religious teaching. To hundreds of millions of Hindus, Lord Rama is more than just an incarnation of the Supreme, or simply a just king. He is the still living, thriving soul and identity of real Hinduism. Rama is the image of Hinduism, the Perfect Man, its conscience and undying hope of deliverance. The doctrines of moksha by the discharge of personal, social and religious duty has developed into a strong characteristic of fatalism, or acceptance of vagaries in life as the will of God, and not seeking to apply oneself to change institutions. Many untouchable Hindus have been criticized for not aggressively combating this evil against them, and the factors influencing the submissiveness of society to brahmin authority, epidemics, natural disasters and authoritarian government through the history of India has been attributed to fatalistic thinking.

Literature

- Elst, Koenraad: Who is a Hindu [http://koenraadelst.voiceofdharma.com/books/wiah/index.htm]
- Goel, Sita Ram: How I became a Hindu [http://voi.org/books/hibh/]

External links

- [http://www.voi.org/books/htemples2/app3.htm Meaning of the word Hindu]
- [http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Hinduism/id/22591 Who is a Hindu] Category:Hinduism

Krishna

:This article is about the Hindu deity. For other meanings, see Krishna (disambiguation). Krishna (IAST , the Sanskrit for "dark" or "black"), is according to common Hindu tradition the eighth avatar of Vishnu. In Gaudiya Vaishnavism he is seen as the Supreme God. God

Major aspects

Krishna appears under many names, in a multiplicity of stories, among different cultures, and in different traditions. Sometimes these contradict each other, though there is a common core story that is central to most people's knowledge of Krishna. Among his important or celebrated aspects are:
- Govinda Krishna, the lord of the cow-herders. He is contrasted in this to his brother Balarama representing the cultivators, who is sometimes called Halayudha - 'armed with a plough'.
- Krishna the focus of devotion (the lover, the attractive one, the flute player). He is frequently shown playing the flute, attracting and bewildering the gopis of Vrindavana.
- Krishna the child (Bala Krishna). Stories of his upbringing in Gokula and Vrindavan are a staple of children's tales in India.
- The incarnation of the Supreme Being, and the divine Guru, who teaches Arjuna how to take the right action in the Bhagavad Gita.

Texts, stories, and literature

Bhagavad Gita A number of local traditions and regional deities may have been subsumed into the stories and person of Krishna. Accounts of or ballads about Krishna occur in a large number of works. These include the Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita Govinda. Roughly one quarter of the Bhagavata Purana (mostly in the tenth book) is spent extolling his life and philosophy. The best known, or the most important stories of Krishna, include these:
- Krishna the butter-thief (Maakhanchor). One of the most popular children's stories is that of the butter-thief, the child stealing freshly made butter from his mother.
- The killer of Putana. She was a demoness who was sent to kill him by getting him to suckle her poisoned breasts.
- Krishna Giridhari. As a boy, he raised Govardhana hill to protect villagers from rain and flood sent by Indra.
- Govinda Krishna, the beloved of the gopis. The original stories of Krishna as a boy included his adolescent play with the Gopis or cowgirls of the village of Vrindavana. These were developed to form the basis of the Gita Govinda, and numerous other later works.
- Krishna Vaasudeva the prince, of the Yadavas at Mathura and later at Dwaraka. As a prince he was also the husband of Rukmini.
- Krishna, together with Arjuna, was responsible for the burning of the Khandava forest.
- He plays a major role in the events leading up to the Kurukshetra war in the Mahabharata, helping the Pandavas who accept him as their counsel and guide. He protects the dignity of Draupadi when Dushasana tries to strip her in the court.
- Paartha-sarathi – the charioteer of Arjuna (Paartha) during the great battle where, he instructs Arjuna in dharma and yoga in the Bhagavad Gita.

Summary of the story of Krishna

This summary is derived from the Mahabharata, and the Harivamsaparva, an addendum to it. Harivamsaparva

Birth and childhood

Krishna was of the royal family of Mathura, and was the eighth son born to the princess Devaki, and her husband Vasudeva, a noble of the court. He was born in a prison cell in Mathura, and the place of his birth is now known as Krishnajanmabhoomi, where a temple is raised in his memory. As his life was in danger from his uncle Kamsa the king, he was smuggled out to be raised by his foster parents Yashoda and Nanda in the forest at Vrindavana. Two of his siblings also survived, Balarama and Subhadra.

Boyhood and youth

He reached adulthood at Vrindavana. The original corpus of stories of his youth here include that of his life with, and his protection of, the local people. They included those of his play with the gopis of the village, including Radha, which later became known as the rasa lila.

Krishna the prince

Krishna as a young man returned to Mathura, overthrew his uncle Kamsa, and became ruler of the Yadavas at Mathura. In this period he became a friend of Arjuna and the other Pandava princes of the Kuru kingdom on the other side of the Yamuna. Later, he takes his Yadava subjects to Dwaraka (in modern Gujarat). He married Rukmini, daughter of King Bhishmaka of Vidarbha.

The Kurukshetra War

In the Mahabharata, Krishna is cousin to both sides in the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas. He asks the sides to choose between his army and himself. The Kauravas pick his army and he sides with the Pandavas. He agrees to be the chariot driver for Arjuna in the great battle. The Bhagavad Gita is the advice given to Arjuna by Krishna before the start of the battle.

The last days

Krishna rules the Yadavas at Dwaraka with his wife Rukmini. Later, the Yadavas kill themselves in infighting. Krishna dwells for a time in the forest, is shot in the foot when asleep by a hunter, and dies there.

The Bhakti traditions

Bhagavad Gita (190 BC-180 BC)
Obv: Indian god Balarama-Samkarshana, wearing an ornate headress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding a mace in his right hand and a plow-symbol in the left. Greek legend: BASILEOS AGATOKLEOUS "King Agathocles".
Rev: Indian god Vasudeva-Krishna, with ornate headdress, earrings, sword in sheath, holding sankha (pear-shaped vase) and chakra (wheel). Brahmi legend: RAJANE AGATHUKLAYASA "King Agathocles".]] Bhakti, meaning devotion, is not confined to any one deity of Hinduism. However Krishna has become the most important and popular focus of the devotional and ecstatic aspects of Hindu religion. Devotees of Krishna subscribe to the concept of lila, or divine play as the central principle of the universe. This is counterpoint to another avatar of Vishnu: Rama, "He of the straight and narrow path of maryada, or rules and regulations."

Earlier traditions

Those bhakti movements devoted to Krishna first became prominent in southern India in the late 1st millennium. Earlier works included those of the Alvar saints of the Tamil country. A major collection of their works is the Divya Prabandham.

Gita Govinda - the song of the cowherd

Certain literary works were important to later development of the bhakti traditions, including especially the Gita Govinda. This work was composed by Jayadeva in eastern India, in the 12th century. It elaborated part of the story of Krishna, and of one particular gopi, called Radha who had been a minor character in the Mahabharata. According to one interpretation of this work, Radha represented humanity, and Krishna represented divinity. The desire of Radha for Krishna can be seen as allegory of the desire of humanity for union with the godhead.

Recent Krishna bhakti movements

Later bhakti traditions include those promoted by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (16th century in Bengal). Followers of Chaitanya maintain that he is an incarnation of Krishna. A number of modern movements belong in this tradition, including ISKCON, sometimes called the Hare Krishna movement. ISKCON has recently been participating in bringing the academic study of Krishna into western academia in the theological discourse on Krishnology.

The name

Krishnology.]] The Sanskrit name and word is written in IAST transliteration (the equivalent of Devanagari ; see Sanskrit for pronunciation.)

Krishna the Dark One

The term Krishna in Sanskrit means "black" or "dark". It is related to similar words in other Indo-European languages meaning black. The name is often translated as 'the dark one' or as 'the black one'. In depictions, Krishna often appears as a black or dark-skinned figure, for instance in the modern murtis (statues) and pictorial representations of Lord Jaganatha at Puri (Krishna as Lord of the World). In the same representations, his brother and sister are shown with a distinctly lighter complexion. Early pictorial representations also generally show him as dark or black-skinned. Rajasthani miniature paintings of the 16th century are often of a brown or black-skinned figure. However, by the 19th century, he is almost always shown as blue skinned.

Other meanings of the name

The name is sometimes said to mean dark blue, rather than black. This may be connected to the common modern practice of representing many Hindu deities with blue skin. The blue is meant to represent the deities' holy aura.
- Mahabharata, Udyogaparva 71.4, gives this analysis of the word 'Krishna': :krishir bhu-vacakah sabdo nas ca nirvriti-vacakah :tayor aikyam param brahma krishna ity abhidhiyate
- "The word 'krish' is the attractive feature of the Lord's existence, and 'na' means 'spiritual pleasure.' When the verb krish is added to na, it becomes krishna, which indicates the Absolute Truth."
- According to the Vishnu sahasranama, Krishna is the 57th name of Vishnu, and also means the "Existence of Knowledge and Bliss".
- There are [http://www.astrology.aryabhatt.com/108_Names_Krishna.asp 108 Names of Krishna] Vishnu

Other names of Krishna

He is known by numerous other names or titles. The most commonly used of these include:
- Acyutah
- Gopala - cowherd; protector of cows
- Govinda - protector of cows
- Hari - the fawn (or yellow or gold) coloured one
- Hrshikesha - master of the senses
- Jaganatha - lord of the universe (see also Juggernaut).
- Keshava – long haired; in some accounts, the killer of Kesi
- Madhava - bringer of springtime
- Panduranga
- Vaasudeva, Krishna Vaasudeva - son of Vasudeva

Chronology

A paper presented recently at a convention in Prabhas Patan near Somnath, concludes that Krishna died at the age of 125 on February 18, 3102 BC at 14:27:30 hours on the banks of river Hiran in Prabhas Patan. As the report goes, he was 125 years, 7 months and 6 days old when he left the earth for his divine abode Goloka. The finding was based on clues in the Vedic literatures. Certain dates were fed into special software which was used to prepare a kundli (astrological horoscope charts). The Bhagavata Purana and Bhagavad Gita say that Krishna "left" Dwarka 36 years after the Battle of the Mahabharata. The Matsya Purana says that Krishna was 89 years old when the battle was fought. There after Pandavas ruled for a period of 36 years, their rule was in the beginning of Kali yuga. It further says that the Kali Yuga began on the day Duryodhana was felled to ground by Bhima. Some Hindus believe that the year 2005 is the year 5106 of the Kali Yuga (which began with a year 0).

External links

- [http://www.dlshq.org/download/lordkrishna.htm Lord Krishna and His Teachings, by Swami Sivananda]
- [http://www.iskcon.com/ International Society for Krishna Consciousness]
- [http://1-krishna.com Hare Krishna ]
- [http://www.vedabase.net/kb/en Krishna's Life Story]
- [http://www.shikshapatri.org.uk/~imagedb/hms/mss_obj.php?type=biographies&id=7#a7 Lord Krishna's Biography]
- [http://www.harekrishna.com/~ara/col/books/BG/tsem1.html Gita and strong monotheism.]
- [http://krishna.org/Articles/2000/10/00147.html Questions From A Muslim With Answers From Khan]
- [http://www.krishna.com/ Krishna.com] All about Krishna. Includes information, books, MP3s, images, and radio.
- [http://www.jkp.org Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat] The homepage of the Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, which propagates Raganuga Bhakti
- [http://www.stephen-knapp.com/sri_krishna.htm Stephen Knapp's site about Krishna.]
- [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/index.htm#8 Vedic Encyclopedia] information on Krishna.
- [http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/krishnaimage Iconographic Perception of Krishna's Image], by Dr. P. C. Jain.
- [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/historical-krsna.htm Search for the Historical Krishna, by Prof. N.S. Rajaram]
- [http://www.wva-vvrs.org/ World Vaishnava Association] An Umbrella Organisation of the Vaishnava faith
- [http://www.gosai.com/chaitanya/ Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Matha] An extensive site on Gaudiya Vaishnavism
- [http://veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/krishna-archeology.htm Krishna Archeology, by Nanditha Krishna]
- [http://www.dvaita.org/shaastra/gita/gita_sara/gs-007.html Devotion and Knowledge of God's Greatness] (only one God in Hinduism, #56 and see Shri Krishna is the supreme God; #57.)
- [http://www.gitamrta.org/ Pro-Krishna site]
- [http://www.vina.cc/ VINA - Vaishnava Internet News Agency] The Official News Site of the World Vaishnava Association
- [http://bhagavadgita.swami-center.org/page_21.shtml Three Aspects of Krishna’s Teaching] Category:Mahabharata epic Category:Hindu gods category:titles and names of Krishna Category:Vaishnavism Category:Forms of Vishnu simple:Krishna

32nd century BCE

(33rd century BC - 32nd century BC - 31st century BC - other centuries) (5th millennium BC - 4th millennium BC - 3rd millennium BC) ----

Events

- Ancient Egypt: Earliest known Egyptian hieroglyphs, beginning of the Early Dynastic Period.
- Crete: Rise of Minoan civilization
- Neolithic settlement built at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands, Scotland
- New Stone Age people in Ireland build the 250,000 ton Newgrange solar oriented passage tomb.

Significant persons

- Narmer, successor of Serket and founder of the First dynasty of Ancient Egypt.

Inventions, discoveries, introductions

- 3114 BC — Starting date of current Long Count in the Maya calendar
- 3102 BC — Year 0 of the Kali Yuga begins 18 February.
- c. 3100 BC the earliest phase of Stonehenge construction begins. -68 Category:4th millennium BC

11th millennium and beyond

:For large numbers see their named articles, for example billion, googolplex or Orders of magnitude (numbers).
Science fiction

- 17,276: The events of the game Xenogears begin.
- 31st millennium: In the Games Workshop universe, the events of the Horus Heresy take place.
- 41st millennium: The setting for Warhammer 40,000 in the Games Workshop universe.
- 200,000: The year that the British science fiction television program Doctor Who episode The Long Game takes place in.
- 200,100: The year that the British science fiction television program Doctor Who episodes Bad Wolf and The Parting of the Ways take place in.
- 802,701: The year that the Time Traveller meets the Eloi and the Morlocks in The Time Machine by H. G. Wells.
- In the show Red Dwarf, Red Dwarf is a gigantic spaceship belonging to the Jupiter Mining Corporation. An on-board radiation leak kills everyone except for Dave Lister, who was in suspended animation at the time. Three million years later, Lister emerges from stasis as the last human being alive.
- In the documentary The Future is Wild, scientists believe that in 5,000,000 years time, the world will be in an ice age. The Mediterranean Sea will be a vast salt plane and the Amazon rainforest will be no more. Creatures of this land include huge killer birds, thin-legged pigs, sticky-frilled lizards and birds that act like whales.
- In the documentary The Future is Wild, scientists speculate that in 100,000,000 years time, the world will be very hot due to excess volcanic activity. Antarctica will be a lush rainforest. Creatures of this world include enormous tortoises, amphibious octopuses, four-winged birds and rodent eating spiders. At this time, there is also only one species of mammal left, which is preyed upon by the spiders.
- In the documentary The Future is Wild, scientists speculate that in 200,000,000 years time, the world will contain one global ocean and one continent, like Pangea. 100,000,000 years ago, there was a mass extinction and now the world is desert like, with a couple of rainforests around the edge. Creatures of this world include flying fish, giant plankton, various worms and intelligent, arboreal squid. There are no (aquatic) fish, no mammals, no birds, no reptiles and no amphibians.
- Approximately 5 billion years away from now: The year of The End of the World in the British science fiction television program Doctor Who. The date is given as 5.5/Apple/26 - implying that the explanation of 5 billion was an approximation.
Eras

- 428,899: The last year of the Kali Yuga, the current and last of four Hindu Yugas (eras).
Technology

- December 4, 292,277,026,596: 64-bit Unix time resets to zero.
Astronomical events
This section will list several rare astronomical events happening after the year 10000. All dates are in a uniform time scale like Terrestrial Time. When converted to our ordinary solar time or Universal Time, which is decidedly non-uniform, via ΔT, the dates would be a few days earlier. Because of this difference, these dates have no anniversary relation to historical dates. Furthermore, they are only astronomical dates, so they are given in the astronomical format of Year Month Day.
Coincidences of nodes of planets

- 12720: Coincidence of the nodes of Mercury and Venus
- 67730: Coincidence of the nodes of Mercury and Venus
Special Transits

Simultaneous occurrence of solar eclipse and transit

- 10663 20 August: Similar occurrence of total solar eclipse and a transit of Mercury
- 11268 25 August: Similar occurrence of total solar eclipse and a transit of Mercury
- 11575 28 February: Similar occurrence of annular solar eclipse and a transit of Mercury
- 15232 5 April: Similar occurrence of total solar eclipse and a transit of Venus
- 15790 20 April: Similar occurrence of annular solar eclipse and a transit of Mercury
Simultaneous transits of Mercury and Venus

- 13425 13 September: In a time interval of only 16 hours a transit of mercury and a transit of Venus takes place
- 69163 26 July: Simultaneous transit of Mercury and Venus
- 224508 27 March: Simultaneous transit of Mercury and Venus
Occultations of bright stars by planets

10000-11000

- 10032 1 November: Venus occults Regulus
- 10494 9 November: Venus occults Regulus
- 10674 5 October: Mercury occults Aldebaran
- 10956 16 November: Venus occults Regulus
- 10974 28 April: Ceres occults Antares
11000-12000

- 11398 11 December: Mercury occults Regulus
- 11418 24 November: Venus occults Regulus
12000-13000

- 12063 28 July: Mars occults Regulus
- 12115 5 December: Venus occults Regulus
- 12233 23 December: Mercury occults Regulus
- 12308 10 January: Mars occults Regulus
- 12347 30 July: Mars occults Regulus
- 12812 15 December: Venus occults Regulus
13000-14000

- 13189 9 February: Mercury occults Regulus
- 13207 25 January: Mars occults Regulus
- 13534 28 November: Mercury occults Aldebaran
- 13595 11 January: Mercury occults Regulus
- 13744 29 December: Venus occults Regulus
- 14121 18 January: Mercury occults Regulus
14000-15000

- 14161 11 March: Venus occults Regulus
- 14384 22 January: Mercury occults Regulus
- 14619 10 August: Mars occults Regulus
- 14647 26 January: Mercury occults Regulus
- 14910 29 January: Mercury occults Regulus
After 15000

- 22767 18 April: Ceres occults Aldebaran
- 23527 1 August: Pallas occults Castor
- 40529 11 January: Ceres occults Aldebaran
- 41367 7 January: Ceres occults Aldebaran
- 6,000,000,000: The Sun becomes a red giant and all life on Earth, indeed Earth itself, is destroyed.
References

- [http://www.marco-peuschel.de/simtrans.pdf Simultaneous Transits by Meeus and Vitagliano] (pdf, 315KB)
- [http://www.marco-peuschel.de/planetenundregulus.htm Conjunctions of Regulus and the planets] (in German)
- [http://www.marco-peuschel.de/simultantransit.html Accuracy of calculations] (in German) Category: Millennia

Kalki

In Hindu traditions, Kalki (also rendered by some as Kalkin and Kalaki) is the name of the tenth and final Maha Avatara (Great Avatar) of Vishnu the Preserver, who will come to end the current 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". In Hindi kal ki avatar means "tomorrow's avatar". Other similar and divergent interpretations (based on varying etymological derivations from the ancient Sanskrit language, —including one simply meaning "White Horse") have been made. In the Buddhist Kalachakra tradition, the Kalki (or Kulika) is the ruler of the legendary Kingdom of Shambhala, where the whole of society is enlighted and the Kalachakra tantra is held and widely practiced.

What is a 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 social and philosophical leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, and Ramakrishna are considered avatars by many, but in most Hindu traditions there are only 10 Maha Avataras (Great Avatars), though the identities of the most recent are sometimes disputed, and some sources list as many as 22 or 23. 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.

What will Kalki do?

As with the messianic prophecies of many traditions there are many diverse beliefs and depictions as to when, how, where and why the Kalki Avatar would appear, and the Divine purpose the descent will aim to fulfill. The popular image of the Avatar is that of a rider upon a white horse, which some sources name as Devadatta (God-given) and describe as a winged horse; but some have even declared that Kalki would come in the form of a white horse, while a few others even claim that he would appear as a horse-headed person. The most common accounts declare Kalki will come riding upon a white horse, brandishing a flaming comet-like sword, (or wielding a comet like a sword), intent on eradicating the reign of evil on the Earth, vanquishing Yama (Death), reconciling all opposites, renewing the processes of the Dharma (Paths of Virtue), of Creation, and establishing a reign of righteousness. The sword is sometimes interpreted as a symbol for "discernment", or Wisdom, slicing away the bonds of lies and foulness and liberating souls to greater awareness of truth and beauty.

Origins of the Kalki Prophecy

One of the earliest mentions of Kalki is in the Vishnu Purana. 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. It has been theorized that the Kalki Purana may have been written as a Hindu response to the Buddhist prophecies within the Kalachakra Tantra of many leaders with the name or title of Kalki. Followers of Tibetan Buddhism have preserved the Kalachakra Tantra, and initiation rites based upon it are a prominent part of the Tibetan traditions. In the Kalachakra Tantra Kalki (or Kalaki, or Kulika) is declared to be a title or name of at least 25 future rulers of the mystical realm of Shambala. The aims and actions of some of these are prophesied in portions of the work and some identify the 25th Kalki as the Maitreya Buddha who brings about world-wide enlightenment.

The Kalki within

Drawing on symbolic and metaphoric interpretations of the Buddhist Kalachakra, Shambala, and Bodhisattva traditions at least as much as the Hindu prophecies, interpretations of the Kalki legends in ways that do not necessarily apply the designation "Kalki" uniquely to any particular person have arisen. In such interpretations "Kalki" is seen primarily as an archetypal symbol of what can be manifest in any person, whether man, woman, or child. It is a designation of spiritual repose and vigor, a "beautiful life essence", impelling people to follow diverse and harmonious paths of virtue, rather than needlessly harsh and destructive paths of bigotry and narrow minded presumptions. To those who embrace this view the term Kalki can refer to an attitude or quality of awareness that will be manifest in many enlightened people, who perceive beyond Maya (the appearances of Space and Time) and into Eternity in ways that are both rational and mystical in nature. A level of Awareness where people become destroyers of the uncharitable ways of bigotry within themselves which would otherwise lead them to unjustly oppress others, and limit themselves. In such interpretations everyone who is enlightened enough to follow the ways of ultimate honesty and ultimate love can be declared to be an honorable manifestation of Vishnu the preserver of Life, and Kalki the Destroyer of Foulness … but no one person can be declared to be the ultimate manifestation…or the ultimate teacher for all people. There are many ways to point out some of the worst confusions that afflict human minds and souls, and for anyone to think that there is only one greatest and most perfect way for all, (which is of course their own), and that all others must be scorned, shunned, denigrated and vilified is itself one of the worst and most dangerous confusions that afflict many who are spiritually weak, ignorant, cowardly and vain. It is emphasized that much is required in many spiritual paths, but the most important of all requirements are the will to speak the truth, and the capacity to love anyone who perceive the truth and become devoted to it, no matter how troublesome, misguided, dishonest and dangerous they may initially be. One can not force change upon others, but one can give them the information and opportunity by which they can come to desire beneficial change themselves. Each person who is wisely charitable, "riding the white horses" of fate's flow, and wielding the deceit destroying "sword" of honesty can become a "Kalki" — a destroyer of such foulness as could dwell within themselves first and foremost, that they may more ably assist others in destroying the capacities for evil within themselves. Each person is considered a potential spiritual ruler of their own manifest span of mortal life, a universe to themselves connected to all others by bonds of awareness and sympathy; a person of utmost integrity, perceiving many connections between all people, all events, all ideas and all souls, and therefore affirming that respect for the individual integrity of all other mortals as an imperative of their own. The Kali Yuga can end within them, no matter how long it may persist in others, and a Satya Yuga of wisdom begins within their life, enabling them to help others to find their own unique paths towards enlightenment, and into their own ranges of contentment.

Modern variations of the Kalki Prophecy

Theosophy, Christianity

Some Theosophists and New Age speculators 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 has been interpreted as a herald of the Second Coming of Christ, or by some (who seem to take the passage out of its larger context), to be Jesus himself. 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.

Nazism

Extending upon the bleakness of the Kalki Purana, aggressive and violent interpretations of the Kalki prophecies also exist. Adolf Hitler is well known to have incorporated myths, legends, and symbols he felt have Aryan origins into his own Nazi mysticism. Some such as Savitri Devi Mukherji believe the Kalki prophecies, among others, referred to Hitler and predict the ultimate worldwide military triumph of his Nazi Third Reich. There is currently a Neo-Nazi group in Argentina that operates under the name "Red Kalki", and other fascist, racist and ethnocentric groups still incorporate the concept of Kalki into their mythos. One musical group Current 93 has recorded a song Hitler as Kalki (which the writer David Tibet dedicated to his father who fought against the Nazis).

Gandhi

Another interpretation suggest that the Kalki Avatar was to appear in India around the time of the Second World War, leading India, then ripe for war against the British, as an Axis power, tilting the outcome of the war, and bringing the Thousand Year Reich. The suggestion is that Gandhi was an alternative manifestation of the Kalki Avatar, a divine mercy.

Gore Vidal

The author Gore Vidal, known for his dark witty cynicism in such works as Messiah, Live from Golgotha and other novels, wrote an extremely nightmarish and depressing satire on modern society, human motivations, and the potential consequences of extreme complacency, indifference, delusion, deceitfulness, and jealousy entitled Kalki (1978).

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 Muslim writers have asserted that Muhammad fulfilled many predictions of some of the Kalki prophecies, in their interpretations. Others have noted some similarities in the prophecies to those of the Islamic figure of the Mahdi, which over the centuries several notable Muslim religious or political leaders have claimed to be. Some adherents of the Bahá'í Faith have interpreted the prophecies as having referred to their prophet Bahá'u'lláh. All of the above interpretations and more can be found at various places on the Internet, including various sites of quite a number of claimants to be "the one and only" Kalki Avatar, ranging from some that are perhaps sublime to many that are amusingly ridiculous, including at least one man who claims to be from another planet. It has been jokingly asserted that there are hundreds of people in India claiming to be the Kalki Avatar of ultimate might and righteousness — most of them from jail cells. Whatever the proper assessments of any of these interpretations, good, bad or mixed, will ultimately be perhaps only time or Eternity will tell.

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 [http://www.cattales.org/Kalki.html].
- Kalki was the primary pseudonym used by Tamil writer R. Krishnamurthy.
- Playa Kalki is a beach on the Caribbean island of Curaçao, also curiously known as "Alice in Wonderland".
- 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. Reviewed at : [http://www.stardustindia.com/display_Standard.asp?section=reviews&subsection=&xml=March2004_reviews_standard80 Stardust India] - [http://planetbollywood.com/Film/Matrubhoomi-ANationWithoutWomen Planet Bollywood] - [http://www.countercurrents.org/gen-wadhwa040304.htm Countercurrents] - [http://imagineasia.bfi.org.uk/reviews/matrubhoomi.html Imagine Asia] - [http://www.e.bell.ca/filmfest/2003/filmsandprogrammes/description.asp?pageID=film&id=110 Toronto Film Festival]
- Kalki is the stage name of Kostandin Georgiev, a Bulgarian musician and dentist who is in the Guinness Book of Records for the highest music concert ever performed, which occurred in 1996 on a peak near Mount Everest. Hindu Religion ( Arya Vaidik Dharma ) Time calculation , calendar’s, and kings in present Kali yuga In the running Christan calendar or world wide used calendar year of 2005 A.D the following is the position , status of other Indian dating years a) Shalivahan calendar dating ( Used in Maharashtra State ) :- Year 1927 b) Vikram Savant calendar ( Used in north India ) :- year 2061-62 c) Hijaree ( The Islam religion calendar dating ) :- year 1426-27 d) Parshi or Parsi calendar dating( Zorashtrian religion calendar ) : Year 1374-75 e) Shiv shaka or King Shivaji’s calendar dating :- 331-32 f) Mahaveer calendar Savant ( Jain religion calendar ) :- year 2531-32 g) Kaliyuga calendar dating :- year 5107 According to Hindu religion there are four yuga’s 1) Satya yuga ( Kruta yuga ):- 17,28,000 Human year’s ( Has been passed ) 2) Treta yuga :- 12,96,000 Human year’s ( Has been passed ) 3)Dwapar yuga :- 8,64,000 Human year’s ( Has been passed ) 4) Kali yuga :- 4,32,000 Human year’s ( 5,106 years have been passed and 4,26,894 year’s to go ) Kali yuga started in 3,102 B.C. Today’s Year of Kali yuga in 2,005 A.D is 5,107 Six Shakakarte king in present Kaliyuga This Kaliyuga is now running . It is 4,32,000 human years long. From this Kaliyuga 5,106 years have been passed untill the present year 2005 and 4,26,894 years are to go in future age . Timeline of Kaliyuga calendar dating :- 1) Yudhishthir ( Dharmaraj ):- Ruled in Indraprastha (Capital city Delhi of India ) and started his own calendar dating in the year 3,102 B.C ( Before Jesus Christ or Christian or current Roman calendar dating ). He was the elder brother of Pandav of the great Indian war of Mahabharat . His dating continued for 3,044 years until king Vikrama , the second Shakkarta king broke it and started his own dating or the new Shaka . 2) King Vikrama :- Ruled in Ujjain city ( Present day Ujjain city in Madhyapradesh state of India ) in the year 57 B.C . He started his own calendar dating by breaking the old Yudhishthir Shaka . But his dating was continued only for 135 year’s as the third Shakakarta king King Shalivahan at Paithan city in Maharashtra state near by Aurangabad city came in power and broke the running Vikrama Shaka . Allthough in north India still the Vikrama Shaka is running , it is said that some kind of understanding or truce was fixed up between these two grate kings to continue both the calendar in their respective areas or nations . 3) King Shalivahan :- Ruled in the old city Paithan of Maharashtra state in the year 78 A.D. , that is after 78 years later Jesus Christ or the Christian dating started . The Maratha cast has a clan after this grate king . This king is mentioned in old Christian books as it is written that King Shalivahan had meet the founder of Christian religion ,The Jesus Christe himself on a tripe to grate Himalaya mountains. His Shaka will continue for 18,000 years that is for Eighteen thousand years. That comes to in the year 18,078 this Shalivahan Shaka will be broken , discontinued by the next coming Shakakarta king and his name is King Vijayabhinandan , who will happened on the banks of the river of Vaitarna in Thane district of near Bombay city or Mumbai city of Maharashtra state . Need not to say that this grate king Shalivahan was from Maratha cast. Any rational person can come to this conclusion. Historical evidence had it that the Satvahan alias Shalivahan ruled at Paithan city of Maharashtra in the time 30 B.C. TO 230 A.D. 4) King Vijayabhinandan ( coming ) :- This great king will happen on the banks of river Vaitarna probabely in Thane district of Maharashtra state . This place is near the Bombay alias Mumbai city . And the river Vaitarna folws in Thane district of Maharashtra state . He will break the King Shalivahan Shaka and start his own Shaka or the calendar dating . This is a kind or prophecy of Hindu religion . This king Vijayabhinandan will happen in year 18,078 A.D or after Jesus Christ . His Shaka will run , continue for 10,000 years . That does mean that in the year 28,078 A.D after Jesus Christ his Shaka or dating will be broken , discontinued by the next Shakakarta king Nagarjuna who will happen in the Bangal state of India. As this king Vijayabhinandan is to happen in the region of Maharshtra it is certain that he will be from Maratha cast. 5) King Nagarjun ( Coming ) :- He will be the fifth grate Shkakarta king of Kaliyuga. He will happen, appear in Bangal state of India in the year 28078 A.D . He will terminate the shaka or calendar of Vijayabhinandan and start his own calendar or shaka and that will continue for 4,00,000 years afterward.This Nagarjuna has the most long running calendar in Kaliyuga Shaka dating. 6) King Kalki ( coming ) :- He is the last and final shakakarta king of the Kaliyuga . As Hinu religion has predicted that there are ten Avatar of lord Vishnu , this king Kalki is the tenth and final avatar of that series . He is the final avatara who will end the present Kaliyuga and again start the cycle if yuga that is the Satya yuga will be started after this grand termination .Hindu religion has prediction that he will come on a white horse . This Kalki avatar will happen , appear in the region of Kolhapur of Maharashtra state in India . He will end the then running shaka of Nagarjuna and start his own shaka or dating or calendar in the year 4,28,078 A.D. His calendar or shaka will run for 821 years. Then perhaps the final day of judgement will come mentioned in christain religion. As This king is to happen in the state of Maharashtra it is obviously certain that he will be from Maratha cast. From Vishal Prakash Dudhane

External links

Interpretations of the Kalki Avatar

- [http://www.dakotacom.net/~jforster/KalkiAvatar.htm Kalki Avatar, the Coming Prophet (Essay by Swami Amar Jyoti)]
- [http://webonautics.com/mythology/avataar_kalki.html Kalki in Indian Mythology 1] [http://webonautics.com/mythology/avataar_kalki2.html 2]
- [http://www.adishakti.org/prophecies/prophecy_21.htm Various views on Kalki]
- [http://www.berzinarchives.com/kalachakra/religious_conversion_shambhala.html Religious Policies of the 25 Kalki rulers]
- [http://www.indiaprofile.com/monuments-temples/kalkitemple.htm Kalki Temple in Jaipur]
- [http://mailerindia.com/god/hindu/index.php?vish12 Buddha & Kalki]
- [http://theosophy.org/tlodocs/KalkiMaitreya.htm A Theosophical Interpretation: "Kalki Maitreya"]
- [http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/etgloss/ka.htm Theosophical Glossary]
- [http://www.indiayogi.com/content/indgods/kalki.asp Kalki, The Last Avatar]
- [http://ww-iii.tripod.com/hindu.htm Hindu Prophecies: Translations from the Kalki Purana]
- [http://www.islamic-paths.org/Home/English/Issues/Religion/Other/Kalki_Autar.htm An assertion that Muhammad was Kalki]
- [http://www.swordoftruth.com/cgi-bin/forum.pl?action=display&num=2229 A Hindu rebuttal of the idea that Muhammad was Kalki]
- [http://ismaili.net/Source/nikakalki.html Comments on the Kalki Purana]
- [http://ismaili.net/Source/0784dkh.html Messianic Themes in traditions of Northwest India]
- [http://kalachakranet.org/kalachakra_tantra_history.html The History of the Kalachakra Tantra]
- [http://berzinarchives.com/kalachakra/index.html The Archives of Alexander Berzin - Kalachakra Section]
- [http://sourceryforge.org/wiki.phtml?title=The_Four_Horsemen_Theory Averted apocalypse: Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Gandhi/Kalki] Category:Forms of Vishnu

Avatar

:See Avatar (disambiguation) for other meanings. Avatar (disambiguation)] In Hinduism, an avatar or avatara (Sanskrit अवतार), is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. It derives from the Sanskrit word avatāra which means "descent" and usually implies a deliberate descent into mortal realms for special purposes. The term is used primarily in Hinduism, for incarnations of Vishnu the Preserver, whom many Hindus worship as God. The Dasavatara (see below) are ten particular "great" incarnations of Vishnu. Unlike Christianity, and Shaivism, Vaishnavism believes that God takes a special (including human) form whenever there is a decline of righteousness (dharma) and rise of evil. Lord Krishna, an avatar of Vishnu, according to Vaishnavism that is espoused by Ramanuja and Madhva, and God in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, said in the Gita: “For the protection of the good, for destruction of evil, and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age.” (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, verse 8.) In any event, all Hindus believe that there is no difference between worship of Vishnu and His avatars as it all leads to Him. The word has also been used by extension by non-Hindus to refer to the incarnations of God in other religions, notably Christianity, for example Jesus.

Teachings and significance

The philosophy reflected in the Hindu epics is the doctrine of the avatar (incarnation of Vishnu or God in an animal or a human form). The two main avatars of Vishnu that appear in the epics are Rama, the hero of the Ramayana, and Krishna, the friend of the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. Unlike the superhuman devas (gods) of the Vedic Samhitas and the abstract Upanishadic concept of the all-pervading Brahman, the avatars in these epics are intermediaries between the Supreme Being represented as either Saguna Brahman or Nirguna Brahman and mere mortals. This doctrine has had a great impact on Hindu religious life, for to many it means that God has manifested Himself in a form that could be appreciated even by the least sophisticated. Rama and Krishna have remained prominent as beloved and adored manifestations of the Divine for thousands of years among Hindus. The Upanishadic concept of the underlying unity Brahman is revered by many to be the pinnacle of Hindu thought, and the concept of the avatars has purveyed this concept to the average Hindu as an expression of the manifestation of the Hindu's highest single divinity as an aid to humanity in dark times. The Hindu cycle of creation and destruction contains the essence of the idea of "avatars" and indeed relies on a final avatar of Vishnu, that of Kalki, as the final destructive force at the end of the world. Aside from Rama and Krishna there are many other human or animal forms which appeared on earth or elsewhere in the universe. Scriptures do not describe any appearance as an avatar by Brahma or Shiva (they are themselves listed as guna avatars), but emanations of Vishnu have appeared a number of times. Some Hindus, based on the Ramayana, aver that Shiva incarnated once as the monkey-god Hanuman. Hanuman is more well-known as the son of Vayu, the deva of wind or his emanation. (Hanuman lived in a jungle and is called vanara, which means people who live in the jungle, and was one of the greatest devotees of Vishnu).

The ten Avatars, or Dasavatara

The Maha Avatara (Great Avatars) of Vishnu are usually said to be ten and this is popularly known as the Dasavatara (dasa (dasha) in Sanskrit means ten). The first four of the ten avatars have appeared in the Krita Yuga (the first of the four Yugas or Ages that comprise one Mahayuga - for more details please read the section above on Lord Brahma). The next three avatars appeared in the Treta Yuga, the eighth incarnation in the Dwapar Yuga and the ninth in the Kali Yuga. The tenth is expected to appear at the end of the Kali Yuga. # Matsya, the fish, appeared in the Satya Yuga. # Kurma, the tortoise, appeared in the Satya Yuga. # Varaha, the boar, appeared in the Satya Yuga. # Narasimha, the Man-Lion (Nara = man, simha = lion), appeared in the Satya Yuga. # Vamana, the Dwarf, appeared in the Treta Yuga. # Parashurama, Rama with the axe, appeared in the Treta Yuga. # Rama, Sri Ramachandra, the prince and king of Ayodhya, appeared in the Treta Yuga. # Krishna (meaning dark or black; see also other meanings in the article about him.), appeared in the Dwapar Yuga. # Balarama (meaning one who holds a plough) or Buddha (see below). Balarama is said to have appeared in the Treta Yuga (along with Krishna) whereas Buddha in the Kali Yuga. # Kalki ("Eternity", or "time", or "The Destroyer of foulness"), who is expected to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the time period in which we currently exist, which will end in the year 428899 CE.

The 25 Avatars of the Puranas

Puranas list twenty-five avataras of Vishnu. A description of these is found in the Bhagavata Purana, Canto 1. 1) Catursana 2) Narada 3) Varaha 4) Matsya 5) Yajna 6) Nara-Narayana 7) Kapila 8) Dattatreya 9) Hayasirsa 10) Hamsa 11) Prsnigarbha 12) Rsabha 13) Prithu 14) Narasimha 15) Kurma 16) Dhanvantari 17) Mohini 18) Vamana 19) Parasurama 20) Raghavendra (Rama) 21) Vyasa 22) Balarama 23) Krishna 24) Buddha 25) Kalki

Types of avatars

Kalki. From top (in order of occurrence): Hanuman, Bhima and Shri Madhvacharya]]
- According to Madhvacharya, all avatars of Vishnu are alike in potency and every other quality. There is no gradation among them, and perceiving or claiming any differences among avatars is a cause of eternal damnation. (See Madhva's commentary on the Katha Upanishad, or his Mahabharata-Tatparya-Nirnaya.)
- According to Vaishnava doctrine, there are two type of avatars, primary avatars and secondary avatars. The most common type of primary avatars are called Svarupavatars, in which He manifests Himself in His Sat-cid-ananda form. In the primary avatars, such as Narasimha, Rama, Krishna, Vishnu directly descends. The Svarupavatars are subdivided into Amsarupavatars and Purna avatars. In Amsarupavatars, Vishnu is fully present in the body but He is manifest in the person only partially. Such avatars include the first five avatars from Matsya to Vamana except for Narasimha. Narasimha, Rama and Krishna, on the other hand, are types of Purna avatars, in which all the qualities and powers of the Lord are expressed. Narasimha and Rama are also additionally considered to be Lila avatars.
- Other avatars are secondary avatars, such as Parashurama in which Vishnu does not directly descend. Parashurama is the only one of the traditional ten avatars that is not a direct descent of Vishnu. There are two types of secondary avatars: 1) Vishnu enters a soul with His form. (e.g., Parashurama) or 2) Vishnu does not enter a soul with His own form, but gives him extraordinary divine powers. (e.g., Veda Vyasa.) The secondary avatar class is sometimes called Saktyamsavatar, Saktyaveshavatar or avesha avatar.
- Note that the secondary avatars are not worshipped. Only the direct, primary avatars are worshipped. However, in practice, the direct avatars that are worshipped today are the Purna avatars of Narasimha, Rama and Krishna. Krishna, among most Vaishnavites, is considered to be the highest kind of Purna avatar. However, followers of Chaitanya (including ISKCON), Nimbarka, Vallabhacharya differ philosophically from other Vaishnavites, such as Ramanuja and Madhva and consider Krishna to be the ultimate Godhead, and not simply an avatar. In any event, all Hindus believe that there is no difference between worship of Vishnu and His avatars as it all leads to Him.
- References are cited and given below.
- A number of people in more recent times have are considered to be avatars by themselves or by others. See List of other people considered to be avatars.

The Ninth Avatar: Balarama or Buddha?

Balarama is the ninth avatar according to Puranic tradition. Scholars believe that with the increase in popularity of Buddhism in India, some time in the latter half of the first millennium CE, a belief that Buddha is the ninth avatar gained prominence as an example of the remarkable ability of Hinduism to assimilate other ideas and cultures and it ultimately contributed to the decline of Buddhism in India. Vaishnava poet Jayadeva Gosvami (12th century) in his famous [http://www.salagram.net/Dasavatara-page.htm Dasavatara stotra] from Gita Govinda glorifies both Balarama (as 8th avatar) and Buddha (as 9th avatar). Buddha is therefore often referred to as Buddhadev ("Divine Buddha") by many Hindus. Buddhists, however, do not consider Buddha to be an avatar. A prominent contemporary Hindu thinker who considered Buddha an avatar was Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Following Madhva, followers of Tattvavada, a/k/a Dvaita do consider Buddha to be an avatar. His preachment of heterodox views (i.e., rejecting the Vedas, etc.) is considered as intended to cause delusion to the demonic and unworthy. Balarama is considered one of the ten avatars by Gaudiyas and Srivaishnavas, but in North India and in Dvaita he is an incarnation of Vishnu's serpent Adi Sesha rather than of Vishnu himself. A listing of the ten avatars showing Buddha rather than Balarama is available in the Mahabharata. The former is also mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana as an avatar.

Symbolism

Many claim that the ten avatars represent the evolution of life and of mankind. Matsya, the fish, represents life in water. Kurma, the tortoise, represents the next stage, amphibianism. The third animal, the boar Varaha, symbolizes life on land. Narasimha, the Man-Lion, symbolizes the commencement development of man. Vamana, the dwarf, symbolizes this incomplete development. Then, Parashurama, the forest-dwelling hermit armed with an axe, connotes completion of the basic development of humankind. The King Rama signals man's ability to govern nations. Krishna, an expert in the sixty-four fields of science and art according to Hinduism, indicates man's advancement to cultural concerns. Buddha, the Enlightened one, symbolizes the enlightenment and spiritual advancement of man. Balarama, whose weapon was a plough could stand for the development of agriculture. Note that the time of the avatars does not necessarily indicate much; kings ruled long before Rama and science was pursued long before Krishna. The avatars represent the order, and not the time, of these occurrences, according to certain Hindus. The animal development connotations bear striking resemblances to the theory of Evolution.

List of other people considered to be avatars

Besides the ten traditional avatars of Hinduism, some other Indian Hindus are considered to be avatars by themselves or by others. Some of these include:
- Chaitanya (1486-1534) is claimed to be an avatar of Krishna by the Gaudiya Vaishnavism sect, by Sri Ramakrishna and others. For more information, see Gaudiya Vaishnava Theology.
- Ayya Vaikundar (1809-1851) According to Akilattirattu Ammanai, the religious book of Ayyavazhi, Lord Vaikundar arose from the sea as the Avatar of Narayana.
- Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) and Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920). Ramakrishna is reported to have said to Swami Vivekananda, "He who was Rama and Krishna is now, in this body, Ramakrishna." Sarada Devi, who was married to Ramakrishna in a traditional Indian child marriage, is likewise considered by many to be an incarnation of Kali. This pairing of contemporaneous avatars is rare if not unique in Hindu history. Ramakrishna, Sarada Devi, and Vivekananda are worshipped by devotees worldwide as a [http://www.rkmissiondel.org/inside/holly.htm holy trinity], the latter not as an avatar but as someone who has obtained moksha, total enlightnenment and liberation from samsara, the cycle of birth and death.
- Shirdi Sai Baba (18??-1918) some of his followers believed him to be an avatar of Dattatreya
- Meher Baba (1894- 1969)
- Hans Ji Maharaj (1900-1966) Declared that the Satguru is an avatar with the 64 kalas
- Sathya Sai Baba (1926?-1929?-present) claims to be an avatar of Shiva, Shakti and Krishna
- Mother Meera (1960-present) claims to be an Avatar of Adipara-Shakti
- Narayani Amma (1976-present) claimed as the real Narayani Avatar Some Hindu's with a universalist outlook view the central figures of various non-Hindu religions as avatars. Many others Hindus reject the the idea of avatars outside of traditional Hinduism. Some of these religious figures include:
- Zoroaster (Zarathustra) the prophet of Zoroastrianism.
- Mahavira (599 BC-527 BC) originator of the tenents of Jainism.
- Gautama Buddha (563-483BC-543BC) the key figure in Buddhism. See Sarvepalli_Radhakrishnan and Vaishnava Theology.
- Jesus (4 BC-36) whose teachings inspired Christianity.
- Muhammed (570-632) the prophet of Islam.
- Bahá'u'lláh (1817-1892) the founder-prophet of the Bahá'í Faith, believed to be Kalki Avatar. The label of avatar has been used by others outside of the Indian subcontinent and the umbrella of mainstream religions. Some of these are:
- Samael Aun Weor (1917-1977) claimed as the real Kalki Avatar and Buddha Maitreya
- Adi Da (1939-present) claims to be the Kalki avatar

External links

- [http://www.avatara.org/ The Avatar site]
- [http://www.salagram.net/Dasavatara-page.htm Dasavatara stotra and the ten avataras]
- [http://www.veda.harekrsna.cz/encyclopedia/avatars.htm Avataras categorized]
- [http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Religions/Avatars/Vishnu.html Avatars (Incarnations or Descents) of Vishnu]
- [http://www.hindunet.org/avatars/index.htm Avatar of Lord Vishnu]
- [http://www.public.iastate.edu/~wsanford/darshan/hindu_deities/ten_avatars.html The Ten Avatars]
- [http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/dasavatharam_meaning.htm Dasavatar discussion with meanings]
- [http://www.gaudiya.com/image/manifestations.gif Gaudiya Vaishnava types of avatar chart; similar beliefs with some modifications with Krishna as the Supreme Person.]
- [http://www.srivaishnavam.com/dasavatharam.htm Flash site of the avatars of Sriman Narayana.]
- [http://www.dollsofindia.com/vishnu.htm#avatara Vishnu the Cosmic Protector] - by Madhuri Guin

References

- [http://www.srivaishnavam.com/stotras/dasavatharam_meaning.htm#PARASURAMA Meaning of Parushama, an Avesha avatar.]
- [http://www.srivaishnavan.com/ans_iswara.html#67 Types of Avatars; answers to questions #67-70.]
- Bhakti Schools of Vedanta, pg. 94, by Swami Tapasyananda, available at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai. available at India web site: http://www.sriramakrishnamath.org and US site: http://www.vedanta.com.
- Gupta, Mahendra. Hans Puran, (1969) New Delhi.
- :"Only he is the true teacher [Satguru] who can show what are the religious and social obligations [dharma], show God to you, and give you the Knowledge of the holy name [sat nam]. And he who can give you the Knowledge of this dharma is completely wise. Satguru is the one who has the perfect wisdom. And other than the Satguru no one has the perfect wisdom. Oh! People of the world! Only a perfect avatar with the sixty-four virtues [kalae] can reveal this Knowledge." Hans Ji Maharaj (Bombay, March 1966) Category:Hindu philosophical concepts Category:Vaishnavism Category:Forms of Vishnu ja:アヴァターラ

Yuga

In Hindu philosophy (and in the teachings of Surat Shabd Yoga) the cycle of creation is divided into four yugas (ages or eras): # Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga # Treta Yuga # Dwapara Yuga # Kali Yuga

The spiritual states of civilization in each yuga

In Hindu tradition, the world goes through a continuous cycle of these ages. Each ascending phase of the cycle from Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga is followed by a descending phase back to Kali Yuga, then another ascending phase and so on. Alternatively, it is sometimes supposed that at the end of the descending Kali Yuga, the world will return to the Satya Yuga, and begin a new decline. The descent from Satya to Kali is associated with progressively deterioration of Dharma (righteousness) manifested as decrease in length of human life and quality of human moral standards. In the Vishnu Purana, for example, the Kali yuga is described thus:

"In the Kali Yuga, there will be numerous rulers vying with each other. They will have no character. Violence, falsehood and wickedness will be the order of the day. Piety and good nature will dwindle slowly... Passion and lust will be the only attraction between the sexes. Women will be the objects of sensual pleasure. Dishonest will be the bottom line of subsistence. Learned people will be ridiculed and put to shame; the word of the wealthy person will be the only law."

References

- [http://www.srivaishnava.org/sgati/sddsv2/v02019.htm Vishnu Purana] — translation
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend, Anna L. Dallapiccola (Thames & Hudson, 2002) The traditional virtues accorded highest value in the four ages are # Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga - dyana (meditation) # Treta Yuga - yajna (sacrifice) # Dwapar Yuga - archana (worship) # Kali Yuga - daana (gifts) # In the highest yuga, the great majority of the people can experience spirituality by direct intuitive realization of truth. The veil between the material and the transcendent realms becomes almost transparent. According to Natya Shastra, there is no Natya performances in the Krita Yuga because it is a period free from any kind of unhappiness or misery. Satya Yuga is also called the Golden Age. # Treta Yuga is the mental age, magnetism is harnessed, men are in power, and inventions dissolve the illusion of time. (Inventions are characteristic of both Dwapara and Treta yugas.) Lord Rama is said to have lived during this Yuga. # In Dwapara Yuga, science flourishes, people experience the spiritual in terms of subtle energies and rational choices, inventions are abundant, particularly those that dissolve the illusion of distance (between people and between things), and power is mostly in the hands of women. The end of this age is associated with the death of Krishna, and the events described in the Mahabharata. # In the lowest phase, Kali Yuga, most people are aware only of the physical aspect of existence, the predominant emphasis of living is material survival, and power is mostly in the hands of men. People's relationship with the spiritual is governed predominantly by superstition and by authority. Temples, wars, and writing are hallmarks of Dwapara and Kali yugas. In the higher ages (Treta and Satya), writing is unnecessary because people communicate directly by thought; temples are unnecessary because people feel the omnipresence of God; wars are rare but they do occur; one such war is described in the Ramayana. The traditional timescale of the yugas is as follows: # Satya Yuga or Krita Yuga - 1,728,000 years # Treta Yuga - 1,296,000 years # Dwapar Yuga - 864,000 years # Kali Yuga - 432,000 years Upon conclusion of seventy-one (or sometimes seven) circuits of th

Kali Yuga

Problems that arise

Warfare

Nobility/respect

Changes in the people

Changes in men

Changes in women

Lives of each of the castes

Life of the Brahmin

Life of the Kshatriya

Life of the Vaishya

Life of the Shudra

Exception

Other Views of Kali Yuga

See also

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Hindu

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References

Kalki

What is a Maha Avatara?

What will Kalki do?

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Theosophy, Christianity

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