Kalki Purāṇa

Kalki Purāṇa, “the Purāṇa of Kalki”

The Kalki Purāṇa is one of the eighteen Upapurāṇas. The whole text tells the life, mission and cosmic purpose of Bhagavān Kalki, the tenth and last avatāra of Bhagavān Vishṇu. Bhagavān Kalki will come down at the end of the Kali Yuga to destroy adharma (unrighteousness) and restore the Vedic order. The complete work has 6,100 ślokas (verses) and shows all five marks of a Purāṇa (purāṇa-lakshaṇas).

The Purāṇa has three main parts (aṃśas): the Prathamāṃśa, the Dvitīyāṃśa and the Tṛtīyāṃśa. The Prathamāṃśa covers the origin of Kali, Kalki’s birth and education, and the narrative of Padmāvatī. The Dvitīyāṃśa covers Kalki’s marriage to Padmāvatī, the teaching of Ananta Muni, the return to Śambhala and the first campaign at Kīkaṭapura. The Tṛtīyāṃśa covers the digvijaya (conquest of the quarters), with the battle against Kuṭhodarī, the defeat of Kali-Purusha and the events at Bhallāṭanagara; the freeing of the vishakanyā (poison maiden) Sulocanā; the Rukmiṇī Vrata; and Kalki’s final ascent to Vaikuṇṭha.

Overview

The Kalki Purāṇa opens in the usual setting of Naimishāraṇya. The ṛshis gathered under Śaunaka go to Sūta Romaharshaṇaputra. They ask him to describe the nature of Kali, his birth, and the divine answer to the rule of Kali. Sūta narrates what Śuka Maharshi first spoke after the passing of Parīkshit. He traces the chain of telling: Nārada → Brahmā → Vyāsa → Śuka → Sūta → the ṛshis of Naimishāraṇya.

The Purāṇa is devoted to Kalki as an avatāra fully shown. It is not only a prophecy: it is a full narrative, with his birth, childhood, education, family and friends, divine gifts and cosmic mission.

Structure

Prathamāṃśa

The Prathamāṃśa has seven adhyāyas (chapters):

• Chapter 1: the genealogy of Kali and the four pādas (quarters) of the Kali Yuga; the devas’ petition before Brahmā and then Vishṇu; Vishṇu’s promise to come down as Kalki in Śambhala.
• Chapter 2: Kalki’s birth on Vaiśākha Śukla Dvādaśī; the naming rite conducted by Paraśurāma, Kṛpācārya, Vyāsa and Aśvatthāman; a dialogue on the Veda, the Gāyatrī and the yajñopavīta (sacred thread); the upanayana.
• Chapter 3: Paraśurāma becomes Kalki’s guru at Mahendra Parvata; Kalki learns all the Vedic śāstras and the sixty-four arts; Kalki’s prayer to Śiva at Bilvodeśvara; Śiva appears and gives a divine horse, Śuka (a parrot) and a khaḍga (sword); Viśākhayūpa visits and Kalki teaches him dharma.
• Chapter 4: Śuka the parrot reports on Siṃhala Dvīpa; Padmāvatī’s tapas; Śiva appears and gives her a vara (a boon): Nārāyaṇa will be her husband, and any male who looks at her with desire will become a woman.
• Chapter 5: King Bṛhadratha arranges Padmāvatī’s svayaṃvara; kings from across the earth arrive; all of them turn into women when they look at Padmāvatī with kāma (desire).
• Chapter 6: Padmāvatī’s lament to her friend Vimalā; Śuka visits her for Kalki; she tells what happened at the svayaṃvara; Kalki sends her his word of comfort through Śuka.
• Chapter 7: Padmāvatī tells Śuka the full method of Vishṇu-pūjā as Śiva taught it to her; the sixteen-śloka Vishṇu-dhyāna-stotra; its phalaśruti (the fruit of reciting it).

Main themes of the Prathamāṃśa

• The cosmic genealogy of Kali as a being born from Adharma, not only an age of time.
• The four pādas of the Kali Yuga and the steady fall of dharma, ending in complete spiritual darkness.
• Kalki as a fully human avatāra who goes through the sacred saṃskāras (life rites), receives education and has a divine consort.
• Paraśurāma, the cirajīvin (one who lives through the ages), who passes all knowledge to the last avatāra.
• Śiva’s active part in equipping and protecting Kalki’s mission.
• Padmāvatī as the avatāra of Lakshmīdevī, whose tapas and Śiva’s vara keep her untouchable.
• The teaching of navavidhā-bhakti (the nine forms of bhakti) and Vishṇu-dhyāna as the highest practice for the age of Kali.

Dvitīyāṃśa

The Dvitīyāṃśa continues straight on from the Prathamāṃśa. Its seven chapters (chapters 1–7) narrate, in order:

• Padmāvatī calls Kalki through Śuka;
• Kalki rides to Siṃhala Dvīpa;
• the first meeting at the lake of Kārumatī;
• the jala-krīḍā (water play) with Padmāvatī’s eight sakhīs (companions);
• the marriage, performed by Bṛhadratha;
• the svayaṃvara kings are restored through the Revā river;
• the Daśāvatāra stotra they offer in thanks;
• the question on the nature of womanhood and manhood (strītva-purushatva);
• Ananta Muni’s account: his birth as a napuṃsaka (neither man nor woman), Śiva’s vara, his two marriages, and the māyā-vision of the sea voyage;
• the paramahaṃsa’s teaching on Vishṇumāyā: mahattattva → ahaṃkāra → the three guṇas → the five tanmātrās → the five bhūtas (elements);
• the teaching of the ten indriya-devatās (devas of the senses);
• Ananta’s moksha through the darśana of Kalki;
• the departure from Siṃhala Dvīpa;
• Indra orders Viśvakarmā to build the palace of 7 yojanas at Śambhala;
• the dowry and the farewell;
• the joyful return to Śambhala and Viśākhayūpa’s welcome;
• the sons Jaya and Vijaya;
• Vishṇuyaśas’s plan for an Aśvamedha;
• Kalki’s march to Kīkaṭapura;
• the battle with the Buddhist king Jina, and Jina’s death;
• Śuddhodana brings Māyādevī;
• Māyādevī, an aṃśa (portion) of Lakshmī, merges into Kalki.

Tṛtīyāṃśa

The Tṛtīyāṃśa has 21 adhyāyas. It tells the whole course of Kalki’s digvijaya and his final ascent to Vaikuṇṭha (Tṛtīyāṃśa, chapters 1–21).

Cakratīrtha and Kuṭhodarī

After the Kīkaṭapura battle is over, Kalki goes to Cakratīrtha near Naimishāraṇya. There he meets the Vālakhilya ṛshis, who have been driven out of the forests of the Himālaya by the terrible breath of the rākshasī Kuṭhodarī. She is the daughter of Nikumbha and the granddaughter of Kumbhakarṇa. Kuṭhodarī swallows Kalki’s whole army. Kalki defeats her and her son Karaṃja.

Haridvāra, Maru and Devāpi

Kalki then goes to Haridvāra. There the cirajīvins Maru (of the Sūryavaṃśa) and Devāpi (of the Candravaṃśa) meet him, already prepared to govern the earth in the Kṛtayuga.

Koka and Vikoka

The digvijaya goes on. Kalki defeats Koka and Vikoka, twin dānavas of great power who could bring each other back to life with a look. He kills them by Brahmā’s secret: striking both at once with the fist (mushṭi-ghāta).

Bhallāṭanagara

Kalki then goes to Bhallāṭanagara, the kingdom of Śaśidhvaja, a warrior and man of wisdom. A battle of great spiritual meaning takes place there. Śaśidhvaja strikes Kalki senseless as his own act of bhakti, for he seeks death at the hands of Bhagavān Kalki as moksha. He carries Kalki to his palace. There Suśānta, his queen, sings the Suśānta-Stotra to the avatāra as he lies resting, and Kalki wakes. Kalki takes Śaśidhvaja’s daughter Ramā, an avatāra of Satyabhāmā, as his third wife.

Śaśidhvaja tells of his past lives. He was once a vulture who died on a Śālagrāma stone in a temple of Vishṇu, and he was Satrājit in the time of the Kṛshṇa avatāra. He fought Kalki in order to receive moksha through Kalki’s Sudarśana cakra, closing the karmic debt left open from the episode of Kṛshṇa, Satrājit and the Śyamantaka jewel.

Kāñcanīpura and Sulocanā

From Bhallāṭanagara Kalki goes to Kāñcanīpura, a mountain fortress where only nāgakanyās (nāga maidens) live. The vishakanyā Sulocanā is held there. She is the wife of the gandharva Citragīva and was put under a śāpa (curse) by a ṛshi. A voice from the sky (ākāśavāṇī) warns that only Kalki may enter. He frees Sulocanā through his amṛta-dṛshṭi (nectar-like glance) and makes Mahāmati king. Great sharings of kingdoms follow across the land. Śaśidhvaja receives the Māyāstava from Mārkaṇḍeya, who had it from Śukadeva. Śaśidhvaja attains moksha at Kokāmukha through the Sudarśana cakra.

The Rukmiṇī Vrata and Kalki’s reign

At Śambhala, Nārada visits Vishṇuyaśas and reveals that Kalki is Nārāyaṇa himself. Vishṇuyaśas goes to Badarī and merges into brahman. Sumatī performs agni-praveśa (entry into fire). Kalki performs the Rukmiṇī Vrata through his wife Ramā; this vrata goes back to Śarmishṭhā, Sītā and Draupadī. Ramā bears two sons, Meghamāla and Bāhuka. Kalki reigns for 1,000 years in the Kṛtayuga, and in that time he visits 68 tīrthas.

Return to Vaikuṇṭha

Brahmā and the devas come to call Kalki back. He agrees to leave, crowns his sons, comforts his weeping people, and goes with both wives to the Himālaya. At the Gaṅgā he takes his four-armed (catur-bhuja) form and meditates. Then he rises to Vaikuṇṭha, blazing like 1,000 suns. Padmāvatī and Ramā both enter the fire and follow him. Dharma and the Kṛtayuga move freely over the earth, and Maru and Devāpi govern. Viśākhayūpa gives his kingdom to his son and leaves for the forest.

Chapters

Prathamāṃśa

The seven adhyāyas of the Prathamāṃśa of the Kalki Purāṇa cover the origin and genealogy of Kali Purusha; the devas’ petition before Vishṇu; Kalki’s divine birth and upanayana; his education under Paraśurāma; Śiva’s gifts; the narrative of Padmāvatī’s tapas and svayaṃvara; and the teaching on Vishṇu-bhakti.

Chapter 1 — Kali Paricayamu (Introduction to Kali)

Theme: The origin of Kali and the descent of adharma into the world; the devas’ appeal to Vishṇu.

The Purāṇa opens at Naimishāraṇya, where Śaunaka and the assembled ṛshis request Sūta to narrate the glories of Bhagavān Vishṇu’s forthcoming avatāra. Sūta traces the transmission: Nārada → Brahmā → Vyāsa → Śuka → Sūta.

Sūta first describes the genealogy of Kali. After Śrī Kṛshṇa departed to his divine abode, Brahmā created Adharma from the back of his body — a dark, terrible form. Adharma’s wife was Mithyā (falsehood). Their son was Dambha (hypocrisy). Dambha’s sister was Māyā. From Dambha and Māyā were born Lobha (greed, male) and Nikṛti (deception, female). From Lobha and Nikṛti was born Krodha (anger) and his sister Hiṃsā (violence). From Krodha and Hiṃsā was born Kali and his sister Duruktī (evil speech). From Kali and Duruktī were born Bhaya (fear) and Mṛtyu (death). From Bhaya and Mṛtyu came Niraya (naraka). From Niraya and his sister Yātanā (torment) sprang thousands of beings who are the agents of dharmic destruction in the world.

Kali Purusha is dark as collyrium, with a serpentine belly, an ugly face, a restless tongue, and a foul odour. He is devoted to gambling, wine, women, and gold. He constantly holds his genitals in his left hand. His lineage — Adharma through Kali — represents the complete genealogical chain of pāpa and suffering.

The chapter then describes the four pādas of the Kali Yuga and the progressive collapse of dharma: the first pāda sees adharmic conduct; the second pāda sees the abandonment of Kṛshṇa’s name; the third pāda sees the collapse of varṇa order; and the fourth pāda sees humanity reduced to animal behaviour, with the name of Acyuta entirely silenced. Vedic rites, yajñas, svāhā and svadhā mantras, and the praṇava disappear. The devas, starved of havis, go with Bhūdevī before Brahmā at Brahmaloka.

At Brahmaloka, Brahmā leads the devas to Vaikuṇṭha (Goloka). There they prostrate before Bhagavān Vishṇu and describe the situation. Vishṇu promises: “I will descend in Śambhala as the son of the brāhmaṇa Vishṇuyaśas. Sumatī will be my mother. Padmā — Lakshmī’s avatāra — will be born as daughter of King Bṛhadratha of Siṃhala Dvīpa and his queen Kaumudī, as my consort. I will destroy Kali. I will then entrust the earth to Devāpi (of the lunar line) and Maru (of the solar line), and return to Vaikuṇṭha.”

Chapter 2 — Kalki Upanayana Saṃskāra (Kalki’s Upanayana)

Theme: The birth of Kalki; his naming ceremony; dialogue on Veda and dharma; upanayana.

Following his promise, Bhagavān Vishṇu descends. At an auspicious moment when all planets and stars stood in favourable positions, Sumatī in Śambhala conceived. Kalki was born in the month of Mādhava (Vaiśākha) on Śukla Dvādaśī. At the moment of his birth, the devas rejoiced, rivers and mountains were filled with delight, Gandharvas played celestial music, Apsarās danced, and pitṛs celebrated. Bhūdevī poured forth amṛta in the form of milk. The Saptamātṛkās pronounced blessings.

Brahmā, learning of the birth, sent Vāyu (wind) to inform the household. Bhagavān Vishṇu, at first manifest in his four-armed divine form, withdrew it on receiving Brahmā’s message, appearing as a two-armed infant — making the parents believe they had only ever seen the two-armed form.

The naming ceremony was conducted by Paraśurāma, Kṛpācārya, Vyāsa Maharshi, and Aśvatthāman — the four immortals (cirajīvins) who came in the guise of mendicants. After blessing the infant and recognising him as Kali’s destroyer, they named him Kalki.

Kalki’s three elder brothers were Kavi, Prājña, and Sumantra. His companions born in the same household and community were Gārgya, Bhārgya, and Viśāla — brāhmaṇas of pure disposition who were devoted followers of Kalki. The region was administered by Viśākhayūpa, the king of Mahishmatī.

When Kalki came of age, his father Vishṇuyaśas proposed the upanayana. A dialogue followed in which Kalki asked the nature of the Veda, the Gāyatrī, and the Yajñopavīta. Vishṇuyaśas explained: the Veda arose from Śrī Hari’s mouth; the Gāyatrī is the Veda’s mother; the Yajñopavīta represents the three guṇas. The ten saṃskāras — vivāha, garbhādhāna, puṃsavana, sīmanta, jātakarma, nāmakaraṇa, annaprāśana, cūḍākaraṇa, upanayana, samāvartana — were described. Kalki received the upanayana and set out for the gurukula.

Chapter 3 — Kalki Vidyābhyāsamu (Kalki’s Education) and Varas from Śiva

Theme: Paraśurāma as Kalki’s guru; education; Śiva’s gifts; Viśākhayūpa’s dharma teaching.

When Kalki set out toward a gurukula, Paraśurāma — residing on Mahendra Parvata — appeared before him and declared himself his guru. He identified himself as Jamadagni’s son of the Bhṛgu line and offered to teach all vidyās. Kalki prostrated, accepted Paraśurāma as his ācārya, and remained at Mahendra Parvata.

Under Paraśurāma, Kalki studied the four Vedas with their six Vedāṅgas, Dhanurvedā, and the sixty-four arts (catusshashṭi kalās). When his education was complete, Paraśurāma declared the guru-dakshiṇā: “See me destroy Kali and restore dharma — that is enough.” He prophesied: Kalki will obtain a divine horse and the Śuka (omniscient parrot) from Śiva; he will marry Padmā (Padmāvatī) of Siṃhala Dvīpa; he will conquer the earth; he will destroy dharma-fallen kings and the Bauddhas who corrupt Vedic paths; he will establish Devāpi and Maru as rulers; and then return to Vaikuṇṭha.

Kalki then went to Bilvodeśvara Śiva and composed a seven-verse stotra — praising Śiva as the Gauranātha, Viśvanātha, the three-eyed, five-faced master of yogis, destroyer of Kāma, the Mahākāla, the one whose command all cosmic forces obey. At the conclusion of the stotra, Śiva appeared with Pārvatī, touched Kalki with his hand, and granted three gifts:

1. A divine horse — swift as Garuḍa, capable of assuming multiple forms, going to any destination at will
2. A divine Śuka (parrot) — omniscient, knowing all śāstras
3. A jewel-studded khaḍga (sword) capable of destroying even the cosmic burden of pāpa

Kalki returned to Śambhala and described everything to his parents, brothers, and companions. King Viśākhayūpa of Mahishmatī — hearing of Kalki — came to Śambhala to behold him. Upon seeing Kalki, Viśākhayūpa was filled with devotion and became a Vishṇu-bhakta. He requested dharma instruction. Kalki taught him briefly:

• He (Kalki) is the one from whom all beings arise, in whom all dissolve
• From the Virāṭpurusha arose Brahmā; all creation is the expansion of Bhagavān Vishṇu’s aṃśa
• Brāhmaṇas, kshatriyas, vaiśyas, and śūdras are Bhagavān Vishṇu’s own body
• After destroying Kali, Devāpi (of the Candra dynasty) and Maru (of the Sūrya dynasty) will administer the earth
• Viśākhayūpa should perform Rājasūya and Aśvamedha yajñas

Chapter 4 — Padmāvatī Tapassu (Padmāvatī’s Tapas)

Theme: The Śuka’s report on Siṃhala Dvīpa; Padmāvatī’s devotion; Śiva’s vara.

After Viśākhayūpa departed, the Śuka (parrot gifted by Śiva) flew to Siṃhala Dvīpa — the ocean island ruled by the valiant king Bṛhadratha and his queen Kaumudī. The Śuka reported back to Kalki with vivid descriptions of the island: vast palaces of gold and crystal, groves filled with waterfowl and fragrant lotuses, a great and prosperous population of all four varṇas.

King Bṛhadratha’s daughter Padmāvatī was incomparably beautiful — so beautiful that beholding her caused irresistible desire even in great beings. She was devoted to Śiva, worshipping him with her companions in the same spirit that Pārvatī worships Śiva. Śiva, understanding that she was Lakshmīdevī’s avatāra, appeared before her in the company of Pārvatī and offered varas. Padmāvatī, overcome with shyness, stood with her head bowed and said nothing.

Śiva then voluntarily granted her two varas:

1. Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa will be her husband — no one else in the three worlds is worthy of her
2. Any male who views her with desire — whether deva, asura, nāga, Gandharva, or human — will instantly become a woman

Only Nārāyaṇa is immune to this transformation. Śiva advised her to return home and wait in peace.

Chapter 5 — Padmāvatī Svayaṃvara (Padmāvatī’s Svayaṃvara)

Theme: Bṛhadratha’s anxiety; the svayaṃvara; the transformation of the assembled kings.

After considerable time, King Bṛhadratha — anxious about his daughter’s marriage — arranged a svayaṃvara. Invitations went to all kings known for their lineage, beauty, learning, courage, and wealth. The assembled kings came on horses, elephants, and chariots, adorned in golden ornaments and fine garments, with their armies and banners — a resplendent gathering.

The kings named in the text include: Rucirāśva, Sukarmā, Madirāksha, Dhṛḍhāśuga, Kṛshṇasāra, Pārada, Jīmūta, Kraramardana, Kāśu, Kuśamba, Vasumāna, Śaṅku, Krodhana, Sañjaya, Gurumitra, Pramadhi, Vijṛmbha, Sṛñjaya, and Akshama — and many more unnamed.

When Padmāvatī entered the svayaṃvara maṇḍapa, garland in hand, walking gracefully among the seated kings — all the assembled princes were seized by overwhelming kāma upon beholding her. Weapons fell from their hands. They swooned and fell to the ground. When they rose and looked at themselves, they had all become women — with slender waists and full forms — just as Śiva had decreed. Ashamed, they followed Padmāvatī as her attendants, unable to assert their maleness.

The Śuka, watching from a nearby tree, witnessed the entire scene and returned to report to Kalki.

Chapter 6 — Padmāvatī Śuka Saṃvāda (Padmāvatī’s Dialogue with the Śuka)

Theme: Padmāvatī’s grief; the Śuka visits her on Kalki’s behalf; exchange of messages.

Padmāvatī was desolate. Surrounded by her companions — now the former kings turned into women — she lamented to her friend Vimalā: “The devas mocked me. Śiva’s words may be false. How can Śrī Hari, master of all worlds, desire someone like me? If Śiva’s words are untrue and Śrī Hari does not accept me, I will enter fire meditating on Śrī Hari.” She removed all her ornaments in grief.

Kalki, upon hearing the Śuka’s complete report, sent the Śuka back to Siṃhala Dvīpa as his messenger. The Śuka found Padmāvatī in the palace garden and praised her as a manifestation of Lakshmīdevī. She was initially suspicious, asking: “Who are you? Are you a deva or a dānava? How did you get this parrot form?” The Śuka described its nature — omniscient, free-moving, honoured in all divine and royal courts — and pressed her to share her grief.

Padmāvatī narrated the entire history: Śiva’s vara from her childhood, her father’s svayaṃvara arrangement, the transformation of all the kings, and her present condition of despair. She added that all the transformed kings now lived with her, serving Śrī Hari devotedly in their new forms — a strange and sorrowful situation.

The Śuka comforted her, assuring her that Kalki — Nārāyaṇa himself — would come for her, and asked her to narrate the Vishṇu-pūjā method that Śiva had taught her.

Chapter 7 — Hari Bhakti Vivaraṇa (Explanation of Hari Bhakti)

Theme: Padmāvatī narrates the Vishṇu-pūjā and the sixteen-śloka Vishṇu dhyāna stotra.

Padmāvatī narrated to the Śuka the complete method of Vishṇu-pūjā as taught to her by Śiva:

Pūjā procedure: Rise at the appropriate hour; bathe; perform daily nitya-karmas; wash hands and feet; perform ācamana; be seated facing east; perform aṅga-nyāsa and kara-nyāsa; perform bhūta-śuddhi; offer arghya; perform the Keśava-kīrtyādi nyāsa; invite Keśava into the heart-lotus; offer pādya, arghya, ācamanīya, snāna, vastra, and ābharaṇa; meditate on Nārāyaṇa from feet to crown with the mantra “Oṃ namo Nārāyaṇāya svāhā.”

She then recited the sixteen-śloka Vishṇu-dhyāna — meditating on Śrī Hari from feet to crown: beginning with the lotus feet adorned with anklets, the calves, the knees, the waist girt with yellow silk like lightning, the navel — birthplace of Brahmā’s lotus, the chest bearing the Śrīvatsa mark and Kaustubha maṇi and Lakshmī’s kumkuma, the right hand bearing the gadā and cakra, the left hand bearing the padma and śaṅkha, the throat with the vanamāla, the lotus face with its glowing teeth and crimson lips, the nose, the ears with makara-kuṇḍalas, the forehead with its tika, and the dark curling locks — culminating in the complete vision of Bhagavān Vishṇu as dark as rainclouds, radiant as crores of suns and moons, robed in flashing yellow silk.

The chapter concludes with the phala śruti: whoever recites these sixteen verses as flower-offerings to Bhagavān Vishṇu with devotion becomes pure, attains moksha, and experiences brahmic bliss. The reciter gains puṇya, long life, fame, svarga, and the four purushārthas (dharma, artha, kāma, moksha).

Dvitīyāṃśa

The Dvitīyāṃśa (Second Part) of the Kalki Purāṇa narrates the events following Kalki’s receipt of divine gifts from Śiva — his journey to Siṃhala Dvīpa, the marriage with Padmāvatī, the philosophical interlude of Ananta Muni’s māyā-darśana, the return to Śambhala, and the first major military campaign at Kīkaṭapura. It consists of seven chapters.

Chapter 1 — Śuka-Padmāvatī Dialogue and Kalki’s Arrival (శుకపద్మావతి సంభాషణము)

The chapter continues the ongoing dialogue between the divine Śuka and Padmāvatī. Padmāvatī teaches the Śuka the full method of Bhagavān Vishṇu’s pūjā. The Śuka praises Padmāvatī as the image of Lakshmī herself and reports what it had earlier seen: Kalki in Śambhala. Padmāvatī — longing with viraha — sends the Śuka to bring Kalki, telling it to describe her condition and the śāpa-like (curse-like) nature of Śiva’s vara. The Śuka returns to Śambhala, is welcomed with great affection by Kalki, and reports everything. Kalki immediately mounts Śiva’s divine horse and departs for Siṃhala Dvīpa. He arrives at Kārumatī city and goes to the lake.

Chapter 2 — Kalki-Padmāvatī Meeting (పద్మావతి కల్కి సంభాషణ)

The Śuka goes ahead to Padmāvatī and informs her that Kalki is at the lake. Padmāvatī, overjoyed, calls her eight sakhīs — Vimalā, Māriṇī, Lolā, Kamalā, Kāmakandala, Vilāsinī, Cārumatī, and Kumudā — and goes to the lake in a palanquin. As she passes through Kārumatī, all men flee out of fear of Śiva’s transforming vara. The eight sakhīs and Padmāvatī perform jala-krīḍā in the lake. Padmāvatī then sees Kalki asleep on a maṇivedi — his nīla-varṇa form, pītāmbara, śrīvatsa-kaustubha clearly visible. She is struck motionless. She tries to stop the Śuka from waking him; but Kalki, knowing her heart, wakes on his own. Their first meeting occurs; Kalki speaks with great tenderness and declares his love.

Chapter 3 — The Marriage (కల్కి పద్మావతుల వివాహం)

Padmāvatī praises Kalki in devotional verse, touches his feet, and returns home to inform Bṛhadratha. Bṛhadratha comes to the lake in a grand procession, sees Kalki on the maṇivedi, performs pūjā, and escorts him to the palace. The vivāha of Kalki and Padmāvatī is performed. The kings who had been transformed at the svayaṃvara come to see Kalki; on his command they bathe in the Revā river and regain their purusha-forms. In gratitude, the restored kings offer the Daśāvatāra stotra, praising Kalki as the tenth avatāra. Kalki then teaches them varṇa-dharma and pravṛtti-nivṛtti-dharma. The kings are purified and later attain moksha.

Chapter 4 — Ananta Muni’s Māyā-Darśana (అనంతుని మాయా దర్శనము)

The kings ask Kalki a philosophical question: by whose power were strītva, purushatva, and the other dualities created? Kalki summons Ananta Muni by smaraṇa. Ananta appears and narrates his life story to the assembly: his napuṃsaka birth in Purī to Vidrumuḍu and Soma; Śiva granting paurusha through his father’s prayer; marriage to Māniṇī; parents’ deaths; Vishṇu’s dream-teaching on māyā and attachment; residence at Purushottama temple; desire to see Vishṇumāyā; the sea-bath on Dvādaśī during which he was swept away; rescue by Vṛddhśarma; second marriage to Cārumatī; five sons (Jaya, Vijaya, Kamala, Vimala, Budha); the return to consciousness — the entire second lifetime revealed as a māyā-dream.

Chapter 5 — Ananta’s Māyā Experience and the Paramahaṃsa’s Teaching (అనంతుని మాయా అనుభవము)

A paramahaṃsa arrived at the shore at the moment Ananta regained consciousness. The paramahaṃsa addressed Ananta and others (including Mārkaṇḍeya, Vasishṭha, Vāmadeva) and delivered a teaching on Vishṇumāyā: the cosmogony from Purusha-Prakṛti → mahattattva → ahaṃkāra → triguṇa → pañcatanmātrā → pañcabhūta; all beings in the brahmāṇḍa under māyā’s illusion. The ten indriya-devatās — Dik, Vāyu, Sūrya, Varuṇa, Aśvinī, Agni, Indra, Upendra, Mitra, Prajāpati — had appeared before Ananta during his tapas attempt and discouraged him from mere physical austerity, directing him instead to nishkāma bhakti to Śrī Hari, prophesying that Kalki’s darśana would grant moksha. Ananta received that darśana and departed in ānanda. The kings, hearing this story, adopted the muni-vrata and attained moksha.

Chapter 6 — Return to Śambhala and Viśvakarmā’s Palace (కల్కి పద్మావతుల శంభల నగర ప్రవేశము)

Kalki and Padmāvatī depart Siṃhala Dvīpa. Indra commands Viśvakarmā to build a great palace at Śambhala. Viśvakarmā builds a city of prāsādas with svastika forms, haṃsa/siṃha/garuḍa-mukha façades, multi-storey cooling windows — Śambhala shines like Indra’s Amarāvatī. Bṛhadratha and Kaumudī give a dowry of 10,000 elephants, 2,000 chariots, 1 lakh horses, 200 dāsīs, cloths, and gems. The Śuka is sent ahead to announce Kalki’s return; Śambhala is described as 7-yojanas wide, filled with all four varṇas. Vishṇuyaśas and Viśākhayūpa receive the news and decorate the city. Kalki and Padmāvatī arrive, touch the feet of Sumatī and Vishṇuyaśas. Children born to the household: Kavi and Kāmakalā’s sons Bṛhatkīrti and Bṛhadbāhu; Prājña and Sannati’s sons Yajña and Vijña; Sumantraka and Mālinī’s sons Śāsana and Vegavat; Padmāvatī’s sons by Kalki: Jayavijaya. Vishṇuyaśas plans the Aśvamedha; Kalki volunteers to conquer kings for the wealth. He marches to Kīkaṭapura.

Chapter 7 — Battle with the Buddhists (బౌద్ధులతో యుద్ధము)

Kalki’s army engages the Buddhist forces of Kīkaṭapura. King Jina comes with two akshauhiṇī armies. After fierce fighting in which Jina strikes Kalki’s horse, steals his kavaca, and forces Kalki to be temporarily rescued by Viśākhayūpa, Kalki engages Jina in personal malla-yuddha and kills him with one mushṭi-ghāta. Jina’s brother Śuddhodhana takes up the battle; Kavi fights him. Śuddhodhana realizes Kavi is too powerful and withdraws to bring Māyādevī — a cosmic force whose sight stupefies all beings. Māyādevī comes with countless mleccha armies, surrounded by crows and vultures, attended by the six inner enemies. When she sees Kalki, she recognizes her priya and merges into him as Lakshmī-aṃśa. The Buddhist monks weep. Kalki’s glance revives his army. The battle continues.

Tṛtīyāṃśa

The Tṛtīyāṃśa (Third Part) of the Kalki Purāṇa has 21 chapters (adhyāyas) and about 6,100 ślokas. The Tṛtīyāṃśa narrates the final phase of Bhagavān Kalki’s avatāra: the Digvijaya campaign, the defeat of Kali, the battles at Bhallāṭanagara, the moksha of the vishakanyā Sulocanā, the Rukmiṇī Vrata, and Kalki’s final ascent to Vaikuṇṭha. Chapter 21 of the Tṛtīyāṃśa gives this summary as an index of the full work.

Chapter-by-Chapter Summary

Chapter 1: Śuka-Mārkaṇḍeya saṃvāda (dialogue); the Adharma vaṃśa katha (narrative of the lineage of Adharma); description of Kali Yuga.

Chapter 2: The earth devī in the form of a cow with the devas proceeding to Brahmaloka; following Brahmā’s words, Vishṇu’s birth in the household of Vishṇuyaśas at Śambhala.

Chapter 3: Four brothers born in Śambhala as aṃśas of Vishṇu to Sumatī; the father-son dialogue; Kalki’s upanayana.

Chapter 4: The father and son living together; Kalki’s Vedādhyayana; instruction in śastrāstra-vidyās; Śiva-darśana.

Chapter 5: Kalki’s praise of Śiva; receiving varas from Śiva; receiving Śuka (the divine parrot); returning to Śambhala; Kalki telling his relatives of Mahādeva’s varas.

Chapter 6: Viśākhayūpa’s question; Kalki explaining the characteristics and greatness of brāhmaṇas; Śiva’s gifted Śuka arriving there.

Chapter 7: Śuka telling Kalki the account of Siṃhala; Śiva’s vara causing everyone who saw Padmāvatī at her svayaṃvara to become a woman; Padmāvatī’s sorrow; Kalki’s marriage endeavor.

Chapter 8: Sending the envoy; Padmā meeting Śuka; the introduction between them; Śrī Vishṇu pūjā.

Chapter 9: Pāda-mastaka Vishṇu stotra; adorning Padmā and Śuka; the meeting of Kalki and Śuka.

Chapter 10: Kalki setting out to marry Padmā; their mutual first sight during water-sports; the marriage.

Chapter 11: The kings who had taken female form by seeing Padmā regaining their male form upon seeing Kalki; the arrival of Ananta; his dialogue with Kalki.

Chapter 12: Ananta narrating his own birth story; Śiva stotra; after his father’s death, Ananta’s vision of Māyā at a Vishṇu-kshetra.

Chapter 13: Ananta’s account of jñāna, vairāgya, and their greatness; the kings’ departure; Kalki going with Padmā to Śambhala.

Chapter 14: Viśvakarmā’s Śambhala; Kalki residing there with Padmā and the kinsmen; suppression of the bauddhas.

Chapter 15: Bauddha women coming to fight; the Vālakhilya and other munis narrating their story.

Chapter 16: The destruction of Kuṭhodarī the rākshasī along with her son; Kalki’s visit to the munis at Haridvāra.

Chapter 17: Sūryavaṃśa description; the Śrī Rāma-caritra; Candravaṃśa description.

Chapter 18: Maru and Devāpi coming to the battlefield; the killing of Koka-Vikoka; Kalki proceeding to Bhallāṭa; there fighting Śayyākarṇa, Śaśidhvaja and others; the bhakti-kīrtana of Suśānta.

Chapter 19: Kalki, Dharma, and Kṛtayuga coming to the battlefield; Suśānta’s praise of Kalki; the marriage of Kalki and Ramā.

Chapter 20: Śaśidhvaja narrating how he was born as a vulture; Śaśidhvaja seeking moksha from Kalki; Kalki granting it.

Chapter 21: The moksha of the vishakanyā; the consecration of kings; the praise of Māyā; the completion of yajñādi karmas at Śambhala.

Chapter 22 (in the full work’s numbering): Nārada’s account of Vishṇuyaśas’s moksha; the activities of Kṛta and Dharma; the Rukmiṇī Vrata.

Chapter 23: Kalki’s sojourn; the birth of sons and grandsons to him; the arrival of devas and gandharvas at Śambhala.

Chapter 24: Vishṇu concluding the Kalki avatāra and departing to Vaikuṇṭha; Śuka’s departure.

Chapter 25 (given in the text as chapter 20): The Gaṅgā stotra praised by the munis — the Gaṅgā-stava.

(Chapter 21 of the Tṛtīyāṃśa gives this index. The Tṛtīyāṃśa has 21 adhyāyas and the whole work 6,100 ślokas; the chapter numbers above may follow the numbering of the full Tṛtīyāṃśa.)

The Five Purāṇa-Lakshaṇas

The Kalki Purāṇa Tṛtīyāṃśa’s final verse explicitly declares that the text contains all five traditional characteristics (pañca-lakshaṇas) of a Mahāpurāṇa:

1. Sarga — primary creation
2. Pratisarga — secondary creation (dissolution and re-creation)
3. Vaṃśa — genealogies (of devas and ṛshis)
4. Manvantara — the periods of the Manus
5. Vaṃśānucarita — histories of royal dynasties

The total work contains 6,100 ślokas. The Tṛtīyāṃśa is described as sarvajanarañjaka (delightful to all people).

Concluding Colophon

The Tṛtīyāṃśa concludes with the following declarations:

• The Kalki Purāṇa emerged from Nārāyaṇa’s mouth at the end of the pralaya and spread through the world.
• It bestows the four purushārthas: dharma, artha, kāma, and moksha.
• It was narrated in wondrous fashion by Vedavyāsa.
• Those who read or hear the sāra of the Kalki Purāṇa with Vaishṇava bhāva attain moksha.
• Brāhmaṇas gain Vedic knowledge; kshatriyas gain kingdoms; vaiśyas gain wealth; śūdras gain greatness.
• The reader of the Purāṇa obtains whatever is desired: sons, wealth, or learning.
• Sūta Maharshi, son of Lomaharshaṇa, narrated this holy narrative to Śaunaka and the maharshis and then departed to tour the tīrthas.
• Śaunaka Maharshi, with the assembled maharshis, attained Brahmaloka while performing Hari-dhyāna in the sacred forest.

The final maṅgalaśloka of the Tṛtīyāṃśa:

“May Bhagavān Kalki — who rides a horse swift as the wind, bears a sword in his hand, destroys the Kali vaṃśa, protects all the worlds, establishes the Satyayuga, and shines like a rain-bearing cloud — bring auspiciousness to you all.”

Sources

• Kalki Purāṇa, Prathamāṃśa, chapters 1–7
• Kalki Purāṇa, Dvitīyāṃśa, chapters 1–7
• Kalki Purāṇa, Tṛtīyāṃśa, chapters 1–21 (chapter 21: the index of the work, the five lakshaṇas and the colophon)