Kalki : The final incarnation

When Kalki the Destroyer Descends, the Apocalypse Begins

A harbinger of the apocalypse, it is believed that Kalki will bring about the destruction of the world when mankind has completely abandoned religion, "when nothing is known of the techniques of sacrifice, even by word."

Kalki is the final incarnation of the Hindu god , who is predicted to come "like a comet and carry a terrifying sword for bringing about the annihilation of the wicked barbarian men at the end of the Kali-yuga" (Sri Dasavatara Stotra, 10th Sloka)

According to , universal time is comprised of four great periods, or : Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga, and Kali-yuga. Currently, humans are living through the Kali-yuga period, which is roughly 432,000 years long. This period began after the Battle of Kuruksetra during the end of the reign of King Pariksit, some 5,000 years ago. Therefore, there are approximately 427,000 years of the Kali-yuga left before Kalki is said to come.

At the beginning of the Kali-yuga, 3102 BC, the Lord disappeared from the earth, leaving a golden age for humans in his stead. This era of glory is predicted to last 10,000 years until the shortcomings of man supersede the legacy Krishna left behind. Thereafter, the lesser qualities of , particularly their greed and materialism, will grow in strength. People will lose all interest in spiritual matters and those devotees who still cling to the Gods will be ridiculed and persecuted – "hunted down in the cities for sport like animals" (Knapp, 2016).

Things are then said to go from bad to worse. Governments and police will become rife with corruption, human decency will erode, and there will be neither protection nor solution to . Everyone will fight with and against each other - there will be constant . The world will become terrible. It is said to become a place where people are only born to suffer and chaos will abound.

The Kalki Purana prophesizes that the materialistic adherents of the Kali-yuga will be Kalki's main targets:

"All these relatives [agents] of [the personification of the age of] Kali are the destroyers of [religious ritual], study of the , and charity because they transgressed all the Vedic principles of religion. They are the reservoirs of mental distress, disease, old age, destruction of religious principles, sorrow, lamentation, and fear. These descendants of Kali are found wandering everywhere throughout the kingdom of Kali, destroying the people of the world. Such people are misguided by the influence of time, very restless by nature, full of lusty desires, extremely sinful, very proud, and violent even to their own father and mother. [Even] those who are known as twice-born [ initiated] are devoid of all good behavior, without any observance of proper etiquette, and always engaged in the service of the lowest classes." (Knapp, 2016)

The Kalki Purana also describes what will happen to the - those who were supposed to keep the faith pure and strong:

"These fallen souls are very fond of dry arguments, and they use religion as a means of livelihood, teach as a profession, are fallen from the execution of their vows, and sell wine and other abominable things, including meat. They are cruel by nature, and very fond of gratifying their bellies and genitals. For this reason, they lust after the wives of others and are always seen to be ." (Knapp, 2016)

Things will be so bad at this point, that his arrival will be seen as a blessing for the few remaining holy people who persevered and survive in and in the wilderness. Kalki (whose name can be translated to be 'destroyer of foulness,' 'destroyer of darkness,' or 'destroyer of ignorance') will then usher in another Satya-yuga. This will be an and righteousness.

Source : ancient-origins.net 

There are several myths, legends and folklores that surround the mysterious descent. From here on I will try to research, and find the discrepancies in the predictions and similarities between them. Different people believe different things but the crux of their belief is a hope that a messiah will come and lift them up from this ditch called Kaliyug. 

Kaliyug basically mean age of Kali. Kali is a demon who governs the current age and symbolises vanity, greed, anger, jealousy, unrealistic attachments and basically all six traits that humans need to avoid in order to attain moksha. These traits are :

Mada

Lobha

Kama

Matsarya

Krodh

Moha

Kalki on other hand means the destroyer of Kali or the destroyer of the evil, who will push humanity towards the main goal of human life which is using artha and kama with dharma to attain moksha while avoiding the aforementioned six temptations.