The Appearance of Kalki Avatar

(August 17, 1999)

On this day of the 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:

(According to some, He appears on Vaisakha sukla 12.)

kalkih kaleh kala-malat prapatu
dharmavanayoru-krtavatarah

"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.

(translation from BBT Srimad Bhagavatam 1987)