Image from Moor.                                                         Image by permission


Image by permission

Basic Description:

 Kalki is considered the 10th and final avatar of Vishnu.

Alternate Names:

  Kalenki or Aswah

Iconography:

Though Kalki is generally viewed as riding on a horse, he is sometimes pictured as a man with a horse's head.  

Mythology:

 There are very few writings about him because his arrival on earth is still to come.  Kalki is an apocalyptic figure, who will bring an end to the Kali age in order to usher in an era of purity. His first task will be to defeat Yama, the god of death. He is described as riding on a white horse, carrying a flaming sword, and being adorned with jewels.  The end of the world will come when the horse stomps the earth with his right foot, shaking its foundation—i.e., the tortoise holding up Shesha the serpent, upon which the earth is resting.  This will cause the earth to fall, killing all of its inhabitants.

Riding Animal:  

a horse

Other References on the Karma-to-Grace website:

  Is there a savior in Hinduism? \

Sources:

Moor, Edward.   The Hindu Pantheon .  Los Angeles: Philosophical research society, 1976.

Thomas, P.  Epics, Myths and Legends of India.  Bombay, India: D. B. Taraporevala Sons & Co. Private Ltd, 1961.


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