In Hinduism, Kalki , also spelled Kalkin, is the tenth avatar of the god Vishnu in the current Mahayuga, foretold to appear at the end of Kali Yuga, the current epoch. The Purana scriptures foretell that he will be atop a white horse with a drawn blazing sword. He is the harbinger of the end time in Hindu eschatology, after which he will usher in Satya Yuga.
In Tibetan Buddhism Kalachakra tradition, 25 rulers of the Shambhala Kingdom held the title of Kalki, Kulika or Kalki-king. During Vaishakha, the first fortnight in Shukla Paksha is dedicated to fifteen deities, with each day for a different god. In this tradition, the twelfth day is Vaishakha Dwadashi and is dedicated to Madhava, another name for him.
The name Kalki is derived from the Sanskrit word, kalā (कला) which means any practical art, any mechanical or fine art.The name may be a metaphor for eternity or time as kalā has the secondary meaning of a part (of anything) including time or atoms.It may also be derived from the Sanskrit word kalka (Devanagari: कल्क) which means ‘filth’. So, the name can also be meant ‘destroyer of the filth’.
There are numerous interpretations of Vedic traditions. Avatara means “descent” and refers to a descent of the divine into the material realm in the Avatari’s selfsame form. The Garuda Purana lists ten avatars, with Kalki being the tenth.
