Viśākhayūpa

Viśākhayūpa was the king of Mahiṣmatī. His rule covered the region that held Śambhala, the village where Bhagavān Kalki was born. He heard that Śrī Hari had taken birth, came to Śambhala and saw Bhagavān Kalki. At once he became a steady devotee of Viṣṇu. Kalki taught him the truths about creation and told him to perform the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha yajñas (fire rituals). In the Prathamāmśa, he is the first king shown becoming Kalki’s devotee.

Who he was

Viśākhayūpa was a king of good character and true devotion. His capital was Mahiṣmatī, a city that appears in other Purāṇic accounts as a great kingdom of central India. His rule reached over the region of Śambhala, the birthplace of Bhagavān Kalki. So he was the first among kings to learn directly that Śrī Hari had come down as Kalki in his own land (Kalki Purāṇa, Prathamāmśa, Chapter 2).

Kalki’s family in his kingdom

The brāhmaṇa companions of Kalki were Gārgya, Bhārgya and Viśāla. The text says they were born in Kalki’s community before Kalki’s own birth, under the rule of Viśākhayūpa’s kingdom. These pure brāhmaṇas, keeping dharma, were among the early signs of a blessed region (Kalki Purāṇa, Prathamāmśa, Chapter 2).

The visit to Śambhala

Kalki received the divine horse, the Śuka and the sword from Bhagavān Śiva and returned to Śambhala. Word spread through the region that Śrī Hari had taken birth. Viśākhayūpa heard this. The people of the region spoke of Kalki among themselves with wonder and devotion. Viśākhayūpa loved holy people (sādhujanapriya). He understood the divine meaning of what he heard and decided to go to Śambhala for darśana (a sight of the holy).

He reached Śambhala and entered the town. First he bowed down before Kalki’s brothers Kavi, Prājña and Sumantra, who were full of brilliance. Then he saw Kalki seated among his companions Gārgya, Bhārgya and Viśāla. Kalki shone like the moon among the stars, like Indra seated on Uccaiḥśravas among the devas. The moment Viśākhayūpa saw Kalki, he was filled with joy beyond words and fell down in namaskāra (bowing). His heart changed. His mind became clear and still. All the doubts and veils of the Kali age fell away. In that very moment Viśākhayūpa became a steady devotee of Viṣṇu.

He stayed several days with Kalki, drinking in the company of the avatāra. Then he asked to be taught Vaiṣṇava dharma (Kalki Purāṇa, Prathamāmśa, Chapter 3).

Kalki’s teaching

Kalki briefly taught Viśākhayūpa the main truths about creation:

• At the time of pralaya (the dissolution of the world), all creation, including Brahmā, dissolves into Bhagavān Viṣṇu himself.
• At the start of creation, Bhagavān Viṣṇu alone exists. From him arose the Virāṭpuruṣa, with thousands of heads, eyes and feet. From the Virāṭpuruṣa arose Brahmā, who recites the Veda for ever.
• Brahmā, as an amśa (part) of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, creates all living beings, the Manus and the Prajāpatis, through prakṛti (nature), kāla (time) and māyā. They are all amśas of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, though they seem separate because of the three guṇas.
• All that arises from māyā is also his amśa. All of it dissolves back into him at pralaya.
• Brāhmaṇas are born from the body of Bhagavān Viṣṇu. They honour him through yajña, svādhyāya (study of the Veda), tapas and dāna. They carry the Vedas in their mouths and all the tīrthas (holy places) in their persons. They protect the three worlds. Even Bhagavān Viṣṇu, in his sāttvika form, bows before true brāhmaṇas.
• Those who are amśas of Bhagavān Viṣṇu but have fallen under the influence of Kali will be made pure by his nearness.

Kalki then gave the king plain directions: “Now, O Viśākhayūpa, perform the Rājasūya and Aśvamedha yajñas. These are the yajñas of a righteous king. After I destroy Kali, Devāpi of the lunar line and Maru of the solar line will rule the earth. Dharma will be set up again, and I will return to Vaikuṇṭha.”

The Digvijaya and the battle at Bhallāṭa

In Kalki’s digvijaya (campaign of conquest), Viśākhayūpa took part as a loyal warrior in the army. The Tritīyāmśa tells that at the battle of Bhallāṭanagara, Sūryaketu, the son of Śaśidhvaja, fought with great courage against Maru. The Bhallāṭa episode then ended, with Śaśidhvaja’s past life made known and his mokṣa (liberation) granted. Kalki saw what Sūryaketu could do and made him king of Mathurā. This was a great honour among the kingdoms given out after the digvijaya (Kalki Purāṇa, Tritīyāmśa, Chapters 8, 14).

The kingdoms of Kañjaka and Kalāpaka

After the digvijaya, Kalki returned to Śambhala. From there he gave kingdoms to all the chief figures of the campaign. This is told in Chapter 14 of the Tritīyāmśa. Viśākhayūpa was given the kingdoms of Kañjaka and Kalāpaka, in addition to his own rule over the region of Śambhala and Mahiṣmatī (Kalki Purāṇa, Tritīyāmśa, Chapter 14).

Departure to the forest

At the end of his avatāra, Kalki went up to Vaikuṇṭha. Viśākhayūpa heard of the divine departure and was deeply moved. He gave the burden of his kingdom to his son. Then he went to the forest for tapas and Hari-dhyāna (meditation on Bhagavān Viṣṇu). He followed the path of the devoted king, who finds his kingship complete once Bhagavān Kalki has gone (Kalki Purāṇa, Tritīyāmśa, Chapter 19).

Sources

• Kalki Purāṇa, Prathamāmśa, Chapters 2, 3
• Kalki Purāṇa, Tritīyāmśa, Chapters 8, 14, 19