Kalki Bhagawan
Born
Vijay Kumar Naidu

(1949-03-07) 7 March 1949
Natham, Madras State, India (present-day Tamil Nadu)
NationalityIndian
Other namesSri Bhagavan, Amma Bhagwan (as a couple)
Alma materDG Vaishnav College, Chennai
Known forSpiritual teacher from India
Spouse
Padmavathi
​
(m. 1977)​

Kalki Bhagawan (born 7 March 1949 as Vijay Kumar Naidu), also known as Sri Bhagavan, is a spiritual teacher from India.[1][2][3][4] He is the founder of 'Oneness' / 'Ekam'.

Sri Bhagavan states that the cause for human suffering is the sense of a separate self that each individual experiences that gives each the feeling of "me and a not-me". According to him, this is what causes conflicts in families, relationships and wars between nations.[1]

In 1989, he launched a spiritual organization called Oneness, and prophesied to inaugurate a spiritual golden age in the world in the year 2012.[5][6] In 2017, the organization was handed over to his son NKV Krishna (“Krishnaji”) and daughter-in-law Preetha Krishna (“Preethaji”).

Early life

Kalki Bhagavan (front row center) with his son NKV Krishna (back row left) and wife Padmavathi (back row center). Circa 1990

Sri Bhagavan was born as Vijay Kumar Naidu on 7 March 1949 in Natham Village, Gudiyatham Town, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu, to Smt. Vaidarbhi Amma and Sri Varadarajulu. His father was the head of the accounts department of Indian Railways. In 1955, when he was six years of age, his family moved to Chennai. There, he attended Don Bosco School in Chennai. He graduated from DG Vaishnav College in Chennai, majoring in Mathematics.[7] After completing college, he began working as an office clerk for Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).[8]

He married Smt. Padmavathi on 9 June 1977 in an arranged marriage following the prevalent customary practice in India for marriages decided by elders in the family.[9] Padmavathi, who is addressed as Amma by their students, takes an interest and participation in building the spiritual organization Oneness.[9]

At an early age, he was introduced to the philosophy of Jiddu Krishnamurti by his childhood friend R. Sankar. He was a frequent visitor to the Theosophical Society in Chennai.[8] In 1983, he was released from the Rishi Valley School by the Krishnamurthy foundation "for undisclosed reasons" where he used to work as an administrator with R. Sankar.[10]

In 1984, Sri Bhagavan established a residential school called Jeevashram in Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh to provide an alternative form of education focusing on developing an environment for children to discover themselves and reach their full potential.[11]

Family

Kalki Bhagavan's immediate family includes his wife Padmavathi, his son NKV Krishna, and daughter-in-law Preetha Krishna.

Alternative names

Kalki Bhagavan (born Vijay Kumar Naidu) is referred to by his followers as Sri Bhagavan, and popularly known as Kalki Bhagavan.[12] He has also been called Kalki, and other names including Bhagavan Ishwara and Mukteshwar.[13][9] In Sanskrit, Mukteshwar means 'Lord of Salvation'.[14]

Bhagavan's wife Padmavathi is known by their followers as 'Amma'.[15]. Bhagavan and his wife together are known by their followers as Amma Bhagavan.[16]

Oneness / Ekam Organization

Over the years, the Oneness movement is known by various names including the Foundation for World Awakening, Golden Age Foundation, Bhagavad Dharma, Kalki Dharma, Oneness University and Oneness Organization.[16][17] Its stated mission is to "create oneness for all for lasting spiritual transformation". The headquarters is in Varadaiahpalem, Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh.[17]

In 2017, the Oneness organization was handed over to Kalki Bhagavan's son, NKV Krishna and daughter-in-law Preetha Krishna[18] and was renamed to 'Ekam'.[18]

Teachings

According to Sri Bhagavan, the work of this organization seeks to alleviate human suffering at its roots by awakening humanity into Oneness and transforming the world into a better place.[19][20]

There are no required set of texts or doctrines, although the founder Sri Bhagavan’s writings or sayings are used. The primary focus is to acquire direct personal experience.[3]The Oneness movement does not foretell any end of the world, instead, it seeks to bring about alternative possibilities of peace and harmony.[13]

It is not a cult or a faith that dictates any conversion[1] and is open to people of all faiths and does not require any particular belief or belonging, example: "Religion is personal. Choose your own religion"[13]

The moola mantra (Sanskrit chant of the organization - Om Sat Chit Ananda Parabrahma, Purushottama Paramatma) is chanted "to connect with the supreme power of the divine, the creator of the universe."[13][21]

Claims and Predictions

Raja Ravi Varma's portrayal of Kalki

In the 1990s, Kalki Bhagavan claimed to be Kalki, the tenth Avatar of Vishnu.[8] Kalki Bhagavan's wife, otherwise known as 'Amma', is considered by their followers as the incarnation of Vishnu's consort, Padmavati.[22]

According to Hindu Puranic tradition, Kalki rides a white horse and carries a sword. Prophesies written in the Vishnu Purana describe Kalki as marrying princess Padmavati of Simhala.[23] Kalki Bhagavan and Padmavati provide public darshan, described as a 'divine glimpse,' for their followers.[13]

The Oxford Handbook of New Religious Movements says that Kalki Bhagavan is currently the most famous of the spiritual leaders laying claim to being the final and future avatar of Kalki.[24] Other claimants to being Kalki such as Baháʼu'lláh are listed here.

According to an article from 2002, he called himself a 'spiritual supermarket', and claimed : "You can be a Christian and I will make you see Christ. You can be a Hindu and I can make you see Rama. I am a spiritual supermarket" [10]

In the same article, he is quoted to have said : "If you ask me whether you will own an Opel Astra, I will shut my eyes and try to see you in one. If I see the image, I'll tell you that you will own it within a given period. If I don't see anything, I will ask you to help the poor so that you can move closer to the goal." [10] and also "I believe I can function like God and rid people of their miseries." [10]

In 2002, Bhagavan claimed that miracle of honey flowing from his picture was witnessed by Indian Rationalist Hosur Narasimhaiah, who in turn claims not to have witnessed the said miracle.[10]

Many of these claims have been criticized in the Indian media where he has been referred to as a Godman.[10][8]

According to an article in India Today[10] he "believes, for instance, that the Kalki cult he heads will survive even though "organised religions will die between 2005 and 2012"". In 2019 writer DP Satish observed that "he has been proved wrong" and that "the opposite is now happening".[25]

Kalki Bhagavan predicted that when enough people have received 'deeksha', a type of Oneness 'blessing', a critical mass will be reached, affecting the collective DNA of humanity.[12] He states that enlightenment is a neurobiological process, and that overactive parietal lobes are the "biological seat of the ego".[12] He maintained that many psychochosomatic ailments are healed by deeksha.[9] After initially supporting these claims in 2006, author Arjuna Ardagh wrote in 2010 that "At the time of writing there is little indication that deeksha has any effect on the brain different from meditation or other kinds of relaxation."[26] He does however note that "A pilot study was conducted at an Indian Medical Research Institute" that "showed some increased blood flow during the administration of deeksha.".

Kalki Bhagavan had also claimed that by 2012, he would enlighten 64,000 people to high states of consciousness who will in turn 'enlighten' the rest of humanity.[27] In 2002, he announced that in the coming decade, humanity would be entering a new Golden Age, and he was going facilitate the transition.[24] In 2004, Mayanist Carl Johan Calleman based on interpretations of the Mayan calendar, collaborated with Sri Bhagavan to initiate a worldwide festival called Oneness Celebration on the occasion of the Venus Transit of June 3, 2004.[28] During that period, it was maintained that by the year 2012, there would be between 5,000 and 8,000 people meditating at all times inside the Oneness Temple.[19] On 21st December 2012, events were conducted by the Oneness organization worldwide.[3] However since 2013, many Westerners lost interest in the Oneness Movement when they did not experience 'spiritual awakening'.[3] There was further disappointment when, after 2012, the much anticipated and supposed 'Golden Age' was not perceivable in people's lives.[3] It was reinterpreted by those who remained in the movement as a gradual process unfolding over a period of time.[3]

Business activities and real estate development

White Lotus conglomerate

Kalki Bhagavan founded the White Lotus Conglomerate.[29] It is now owned by his son N.K.V. Krishna[29][30]

The White Lotus is a conglomerate of businesses in various sectors like real estate, property development, energy, media and sport having names like White Lotus Group, Kosmik / Kosmic, Sacredbanyan, Transend, KPL, Bluewater, Golden Lotus, Goldenage, Chatrachaya, Yogi and Enlite.[5] Senior members of the former Oneness organization also sit on the boards of these companies.[5] These include two acharyas originally in charge of the order of the monks, Ananda Giri and Jyothirmayee Chundi, also known as Samadarshini.[5]

In 2020, the White Lotus group joined a consortium which is bid upwards of $200 Million USD to buy Reliance Communications from Indian Businessman Anil Ambani.[31]

Music, media and sport

Kosmik Music,[32] is a music label with more than 1,200 titles ranging from Classical, Spiritual, Fusion, New Age, Devotional and Film. Its most successful brand is "Sacred Chants" that was from traditional Vedic hymns.[5]

The Kalki trust is reported to have purchased "Studio N" in 2014 from Narne Srinivas Rao, father-in-law of film actor N. T. Rama Rao Jr.[33]

Criticisms

According to an article, the workers of the CPI and CPI(M) had long opposed Bhagavan and his efforts to expand the ashram. In the 1990s, they had organised protests against the ashram for buying hundreds of acres at nominal rates from local farmers. Party leaders said the protests were partially successful; a few farmers got their land back.[2]

Professor Makarand Paranjape, after his visit to a ceremony in Andhra Pradesh, described the movement as a new 'religion'; with Kalki as a 'living god' served by his monastic order and with tales of miracles being performed.[13]

He observed that followers were encouraged to discover Kalki within themselves, but were also expected to adhere to specific teachings conveyed through the Acharyas. Paranjape observes one of the sayings that states "Formless as I am, I the Antaryamin shall awaken formless inside you, or it the form you desire, or the form I choose...for every form is my form." If Kalki is considered formless or if all forms are attributed to him, then one specific form, represented by the Srimurti, should be favored over all other forms .[13]

In the same article, he acknowledged that press reports at the time in which parents complained about children being mesmerized into joining, were based on rumors and insinuations. He further confirmed that none of the youngsters were there against their wishes. Many parents, whose children joined the order, were happy. He stated that the monastic order was upheld without coercion, and anyone had the freedom to leave at any time. [13]

An article in 1997, describes stories of miracles attributed to Kalki Bhagavan and the garlands of flowers on his portrait, which was revered by the followers.[6] It also described how there were seven acharyas, which included Anandagiri who was responsible for promoting (in the USA) the prophesies of the "new light breaking upon the earth".[6]

R. Sankar, Kalki Bhagavan's first disciple and childhood friend, left him in 1998, after alleging that Oneness movement was controlling. However, he acknowledged that “Vijay never harboured ambitions beyond the spiritual". The two friends still meet every year with their families. [5] An article states that an India Today report quoted a Tamil writer Indumathi that she was pressured to recruit personalities like Latha Rajinikanth as a devotee since she personally knew him.[8]

Freddy Nielsen, Kalki Bhagavan's associate from Sweden, left him in 2005 after directing criticism against Kalki Bhagavan and the Oneness movement.[34] In November 2009, 25 of the senior instructors, including NKV Krishna, Anandagiri and Vimalkirti, disengaged from the Oneness organization to form another named 'One World Academy'.[26]

Arjuna Ardagh, author of the book Awakening into Oneness noted in 2010 that more than 70 percent of the people he interviewed for the book had ceased their association with Oneness Organization and Kalki Bhagavan due to disappointments and allegations.[26] In particular, he mentioned Erwin Laslow, who wrote the book's foreword, Rani Kumra, who ran the American movement, and scientist Christian Opitz who researched the effects of deeksha in the brain.[26] In addition, Ardagh wrote that the '100 Village Project' he referred to in Chapter 10 of Awakening into Oneness had been discontinued.[26] However, he also states that in the same " And so it was, for me at least, that I could be grateful for the possibilities that the Oneness Movement had opened to me, to but leave behind the need for any organization to contain it. We are, all of us, you and me and your next door neighbor, avatars in disguise."[26]

In 2019, the Chinese Communist Party through its Chinese Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and China Anti-Cult Association (CACA) issued a warning about the Oneness activities in the state run media Global Times. The Chinese Communist Party claimed that the Oneness Organization used '2012' philosophy to control its believers.[35][36]

Issues

In 2002, a public interest litigation for income tax probe of the Kalki Trust was dismissed and rejected by the Madras High Court and subsequently by the Indian Supreme Court. [37]

In 2019, Income Tax department officials conducted raids on more than forty properties of the White Lotus Conglomerate owned by Bhagavan's son and seized cash and gold with total estimated seizure worth Rs 93 crore. [38]

See also

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 3 Nadkarni, Vithal C. (2008). "Oneness to the rescue of a world in peril". The Economic Times.
    2. 1 2 "Mystic and the moolah". The Week. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
    3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Oneness Movement – WRSP".
    4. ↑ "Kalki Bhagavan hospitalized". mytelangana.com. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
    5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Cult of Kalki Bhagavan". Open The Magazine. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
    6. 1 2 3 "The Kalki Craze | Outlook India Magazine". outlookindia.com/. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
    7. ↑ "Narayanan, Dr. Vasudha, "A 'White Paper' on Kalki Bhagavan, 29 September 2002", University of Florida, Gainesville, Montclair". msuweb.montclair.edu.
    8. 1 2 3 4 5 S, Jayaseelan K. (19 October 2019). "The rise of 'Kalki' Bhagwan: From an LIC agent to a self-proclaimed 'avatar'". The Federal. Retrieved 9 February 2020.
    9. 1 2 3 4 Ardagh, Arjuna (1 April 2009). "Chapter 1,2". Awakening into Oneness: The Power of Blessing in the Evolution of Consciousness. Sounds True. ISBN 978-1-59179-864-4.
    10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 site admin (17 June 2002). "Cult in crisis – RELIGION News – Issue Date: Jun 17, 2002". Indiatoday.in. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
    11. ↑ "KALKI BHAGWAN-CREATOR OF SPIRITUAL MOVEMENT TO BRING ALL HUMANITY INTO GOLDEN AGE". www.speakingtree.in. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
    12. 1 2 3 Windrider, Kiara (2006). Deeksha: The Fire from Heaven. New World Library. ISBN 978-1-930722-70-5.
    13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Bhagwan Kalki | Life Positive". lifepositive.com. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
    14. ↑ Reily, Suzel Ana; Dueck, Jonathan M. (16 March 2016). The Oxford Handbook of Music and World Christianities. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-986000-5.
    15. ↑ "The Future of World Religions: Population Growth Projections, 2010–2050". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 2 April 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
    16. 1 2 "India: a visit to the Oneness Temple of Amma-Bhagwan". Religioscope. 13 July 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
    17. 1 2 "KALKI BHAGWAN-CREATOR OF SPIRITAL MOVEMENT TO BRING ALL HUMANITY INTO GOLDEN AGE". www.speakingtree.in. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
    18. 1 2 Preethaji; Krishnaji (6 August 2019). The Four Sacred Secrets: For Love and Prosperity, A Guide to Living in a Beautiful State. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5011-7379-0.
    19. 1 2 Roth, Ron; Montgomery, Roger (2007). The Sacred Light of Healing: Teachings and Meditations on Divine Oneness. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-44896-8.
    20. ↑ "Oneness of Different Kinds" (PDF).
    21. ↑ Editorial, Insight State's (21 December 2023). "Moola Mantra (oneness) - Lyrics, Meaning, Benefits". Insight state. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
    22. ↑ Swamy, Rohini (22 October 2019). "Kalki Bhagavan, guru who started as LIC clerk & now has 'undisclosed income' of Rs 500 cr". ThePrint. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
    23. ↑ Ganguli, Aurijit (30 May 2020). The Shambala Sutras. Notion Press. ISBN 978-1-64892-982-3.
    24. 1 2 Cowan, Douglas E. (2 September 2009). Corrigan, John (ed.). "New Religious Movements". Oxford Handbooks Online: 125–140. doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195170214.003.0008. ISBN 978-0195170214.
    25. ↑ https://www.news18.com/news/india/who-is-kalki-bhagwan-who-predicted-death-of-organised-religions-and-now-faces-i-t-heat-2356761.html
    26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ardagh, Arjuna. (2010). Ontwaken in eenheid : de kracht van de oneness blessing in de evolutie van ons bewustzijn. Wel, Anna van der. Houten: Zwerk. ISBN 978-90-77478-32-5. OCLC 662568093.
    27. ↑ https://english.religion.info/2008/07/13/india-a-visit-to-the-oneness-temple-of-amma-bhagwan/
    28. ↑ Calleman, Ph.D, Carl (16 July 2015). "The Mayan Calendar & The Transformation of Consciousness". A Better World. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
    29. 1 2 https://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-rs-44-cr-cash-90-kg-gold-rs-20-cr-worth-us-dollars-seized-in-i-t-raids-on-properties-linked-to-spiritual-guru-kalki-bhagwan-2798134
    30. ↑ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/kalki-bhagavans-daughter-in-law-moves-hc-against-look-out-circular/article30042861.ece
    31. ↑ Convened Insiders, Maverick (6 February 2020). "A controversial babu, a godman, film producers: Meet the faces behind the INR16,000 crore bid for RCom – ET Prime". ET. ET Prime.
    32. ↑ Kosmik Music – YouTube
    33. ↑ . Suares, Coreena (16 October 2019). "IT Sleuths search Kalki Bhagavan's properties in Hyderabad". NewsMeter. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
    34. ↑ Thorsen, Elin. "Oneness of Different Kinds: A Comparative Study of Amma and Bhagavan's Oneness Movement in India and Sweden" (PDF). GUPEA. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
    35. ↑ "Chinese Actress Deletes Her Weibo Post Promoting 'Controversial Indian Spiritual Courses'". News18. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
    36. ↑ "After Taiwanese Actor's Post, China Warns About Indian 'Cults'". The Quint. 17 January 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2020.
    37. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20040506191242/http://www.hindu.com/2004/02/04/stories/2004020401191300.htm
    38. ↑ https://www.dnaindia.com/business/report-rs-44-cr-cash-90-kg-gold-rs-20-cr-worth-us-dollars-seized-in-i-t-raids-on-properties-linked-to-spiritual-guru-kalki-bhagwan-2798134
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