In2-MeC

IBSA (ISKCON Bhaktivedanta Sadhana Asrama), Govardhana, India
30 January 2004

Bhavisya Purana and the Old Testament

The "history of the future" given in Bhavisya Purana includes names and events similar to those found in the Old Testament of the Bible.

In Chapters 3-5 of the Pratisarga Parva of Bhavisya Purana, Srila Suta Gosvami relates events that in part are described in the Old Testament of the Bible. These events commenced at approximately 11200 BC, or 8200 years before the start of Kali-yuga. At that time King Ksemaka ruled India. While touring the forest areas he was killed by mlecchas, uncivilized meat-eaters. His son, Prince Pradyota, assumed the throne and inquired from the brahmanas about the destination his father achieved after death. They informed the new king that Ksemaka was in Yamaloka (the planet of Yamaraja, the demigod who judges sinful souls after their deaths). Ksemaka had not gone to heaven because of having died at the hands of sinful mlecchas. King Pradyota asked how his father might be delivered from that condition. The brahmanas told him to arranged for a mlecchayagya, a great sacrifice in which the world's uncivilized meat-eaters would be consumed in the sacred fire.

Considering such a yajna a blessing for his father and for the whole world, which would thus be purified of the presence of so many sinful people, Pradyota made the necessary arrangements. A tremendous fire kunda (altar) was constructed that was many miles square. To fill it with wood, whole forests must have been cut down. The fire must have been a towering conflagration. How much ghee was offered into it by the brahmanas? Chanting Vedic mantras, they transported by sound mlecchas from all around the world and dropped them into the flames. Thus these greatly sinful men were liberated from birth and death.

Verses 7 and 8 of Bhavisya Purana Pratisarga Parva Chapter 4:

haarahuunaanbarbaraashcaiva gurundaamsca shakankhasaanan
yaavanaanpallavaamshcaiva romajaa nkharasambhavaan
dviipasthitaankaamarushca chinaansaagaramadhyagaan
praahuyabhasmataatkurvanvedamantraprabhavatah

Mlechhas are uncivilized people who do not follow Vedic scriptures. They are of various tribes, known as Hara (warriors possibly from Arabia, since the Haras were worshipers of Hara or Lord Shiva, and Arabia in those days was a place of Shiva worship), Hunas (Huns), Barbara (barbarians), Gurundas, Shaka, Khasas (people from the mountainous countries north of India), Yavanas (Ionian or Greeks), Pallava (Persians), Romajaa (Etruscans, the ancient people of Italy) and Kharasambhava (literally means those born of donkeys) along with those who lived in different places in China and Assam and islands in the middle of the oceans. All these were killed and turned into ashes by Vedic mantra.

The personality of Kali became most unhappy at the extinction of the mlecchas world-wide. As the demigod in charge of quarrel and sinful activities, he was left with nothing to do, as in those days only the mlecchas were under his control. Along with the bereaved wives of the mlechhas who were killed in the sacrifice, Kali performed penances and austerities for a long time. At last the Supreme Lord Hari, who is pleased by devotional service, personally appeared before Kali and addressed him as yugottama, the best of the yugas. By saying this, the Lord indicated that soon Kali's own yuga (epoch) would begin. In that epoch, Kali would rule not only the tribal people but the whole world. "I shall assume many forms during your reign," the Lord declared. He said that Prajapati Kardama Muni had sired a man named Adama and a woman named Havyavati who together were to be the parents of a new race of mlecchas. Hearing this, Kali became very happy. After that time the Aryan peoples became weaker as the mlecchas gained strength again.

Havyavati (Eve) was deluded by Kali in the form of a serpent to feed her husband the ramyaphala fruit. In this way Kali took control of the whole world.

Adama (the Biblical Adam) was a self-controlled sage who constantly meditated upon his spirit self. He lived with Havyavati (Eve) in Pradan (Eden), a God-given forest area 4 krosas square. Adama and Havyavati had been instructed by the Lord to never eat of the ramyaphala, a kind of fruit that stimulated the senses with pleasurable feelings. But Kali took the form of a serpent and persuaded the two to eat it. This act caused their falldown from austerity. They took to the path of the world and all of its so-called needs. Desiring to wear nice clothing, they covered themselves with udumbuh leaves. In due course they begot sons who in turn were the progenitors of mlecchas.

In the Bible Adam and Eve are said to be the first man and woman from whom the human race sprang up. The Biblical account of the origin of human beings occurs twice, in Genesis 1:26-27 and Genesis 2:18-24. In a purport to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Srila Prabhupada states that there are three scriptures given to the mlecchas: the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Koran. Thus in these scriptures, the creation of mankind means the creation of mlecchas.

Bhavisya Purana lists some of Adama's descendents. There is a remarkable similarity between the names of this list and the names of Adam's descendents found in the Bible:

Swet -- Seth.
Anuh -- Enoch/Enosh
Kinash -- Kenan
Mahallal -- Mahallalel, also known as Managara.
Varada -- Jered or Riyad, who established a town named after him, Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
Hanuk -- Enoch
Matocchil -- Methuselah
Lomak -- Lamech
Nyuha -- Noah of the flood, who became the second father of all humanity as told in the Bible, Genesis 6-9.

Nyuha's 3 sons were Seem (Shem), Sham (Ham) and Bhav (Japeth/Japith). According to Bhavisya Purana, Nyuha (Noah) was a worshiper of Lord Vishnu. He meditated on the mantra "soham," which means "I am the same quality as the Supreme Spiritual Being. "

Verses 47-50 of Bhavisya Purana Pratisarga Parva Chapter 4 state as follows:

ekadaa bhagavaan vishnu tat svapnena tu samaagatah

vatsa nyuha srunushvedam pralayah saptame ahani
bhavitaa tam janaissaardha naavamaaruhaa stavaram

jiivanam kuru bhaktendra sarvasreshtho bhavishyasi
tatheti matvaa sa munirnaavam krtvaa supushtitaam

hastatrishatalambaam pascaashaddhastavismrtaam
trimshaaddhastocchritaam ramyaam sarvajiivasamanvitaam

Once Lord Vishnu came to Nyuha in a dream and said: "Dear son Nyuha! Hear my words. Seven days from now there will be a devastation. Get on a boat and save your life and other people as well. Oh great devotee of mine, you will become the supreme saviour. "

Accepting the order of the Lord that was conveyed to him in his dream, Nyuha built a strong boat that was 300 hands long, 50 hands wide and 30 hands high. He accommodated all living creatures on it.

Verses 51-2:

aaruhya svakulaissaarddham vishnudhyaanaparoabhavat
saamvartako meghagano mahendrena samanvitah

catvaarimshaddinaanyova mahaavrishtimakaarayat
sarva tu bhaarata varsha jalaihplaavya tu sidhavah

Along with his family members, he entered the boat and meditated on Vishnu. The samvartaka clouds sent by Indra showered rains for 40 days, bringing devastation. The whole land of Bharatavarsha was flooded with water and so became an ocean.

A flood of the whole world or a large part of it that was caused by a rain lasting 40 days is described in Genesis 6-9. The only survivors were the occupants of the ark, a vessel calculated to have been 26. 7 m (87. 5 ft) wide and 160 m (525 ft) long. The ark was built by Noah at God�s command. Noah, his wife, his 3 sons and their wives, and pairs of every species of animal, took refuge on that ark during the flood.

Bhavisya Purana mentions that the waters of the flood did not reach up to Badrinath. Eighty-eight thousand sages gathered there to hear and chant the glories of the Lord. Suta Gosvami, speaker of the Srimad-Bhagavatam at Naimisharanya, was among them. The sages prayed to the Lord's potency known in the Vedas by the names Mahakali, Devaki, Mahalaksmi, Radha-devi, Revati, Pushpavati, Svargati, Kamakshi, Mayadevi and Bhairavi. The Devi was pleased and the rains subsided.

Within a year the land emerged again. Nyuha with his family left the boat to live in a place called Shishina in the Himalayas. At this time Nyuha was inspired by the Supersoul to create a new language, brahmi-bhasam, which was non-Vedic and meant to expand Kali-yuga. Nyuha's descendents occupied different lands and gave these lands new names in brahmi-bhasa. Some of these countries were Madi, Yunan, Stuvlocetas, Tirat, Elish, Tarliksh, Kitti and Huta.

Among Nyuha's descendents was Aviram, called Abraham in the Bible and known to Muslims as Ibrahim. In the West it is supposed Abraham lived in the period between 2000 and 1500 BC.

Bhavisya Purana states: vishnubhaktyaagnipujaa ca hyahinsaa ca tapo damahdharmaanyetaani munibhihmlechhanaam hi smrtaanivai, "The munis have explained that the dharma of the mlecchas is devotion to Lord Vishnu, fire sacrifice, non-violence, austerity and sense control. "

(to be continued)

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