The Agni Purana

by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596

This page describes Manifestation of Vishnu as Buddha and Kalki which is chapter 16 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.

Chapter 16 - Manifestation of Viṣṇu as Buddha and Kalki

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Agni said:

1. I am describing the manifestation (of Viṣṇu) as Buddha, by reading and hearing which one gets wealth. Once in the battle between devas and asuras, devas were defeated by the daityas (demons, sons of Diti).

2. They sought refuge in the lord saying, “Protect us! Protect us!”. He (Viṣṇu), who is of the form of illusory delusion became the son of Śuddhodana.

3-4. He deluded those demons. Those, who had abandoned the path laid down in the Vedas, became the Bauddhas and from them others who had abandoned the Vedas. He then became the Arhat (Jaina). He then made others as Arhats. Thus the heretics came into being devoid of vedic dharmas.

5-6. They did such a work deserving hell (as reward). They would receive even from the vile. All of them became mixed Dasyus and devoid of good conduct at the end of Kaliyuga. Of the Vājasaneyaka veda (Śuklayajurveda) only fifteen sections will be existing.

7. Non-aryans in the form of kings would devour men who wear the costumes of righteousness and have a taste for unrighteous thing.

8-9. Kalki, as the son of Viṣṇuyaśas, (and having) Yājñavalkya as the priest would destroy the non-Aryans, holding the astra and having a weapon. He would establish moral law in four-fold varṇas in the suitable manner. The people (would be) in the path of righteousness in all the stages of life.

10. Hari, after discarding the form of Kalki, would go to heaven. Then would come the Kṛtayuga as before.

11-13. O Most virtuous person! Men would remain devoted to their respective duties of castes and stages of life. Thus, in all the Kalpas[1] and Manvantaras,[2] the manifestations (of Viṣṇu) are innumerable, some already past and some yet to come off. Whoever reads or hears the stories of the manifestations of Viṣṇu would get all desired things, become pure, and attain heaven along with his race. In this way, Hari settles the righteousness and unrighteousness. Hari is the cause of creation etc. and after manifesting (in different forms) he has returned.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kalpa is a day of Brahmā or thousand (catur) Yugas being a period of 432 million years of mortals and measuring the duration of the world.

[2]:

Manvantara is the age or the period of Manu, being equivalent to 1/14th of a day of Brahmā or 71 caturyugas.

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