M. N. Dutt, Agni Puranam, historical English translation first published 1904, reproduced in Rediscovering India vol. 8(i), Cosmo Publications 1987. Facsimile title and imprint inspected PDF pages 4–5; complete chapter XVI main text visually transcribed from printed pages 70–75/PDF 101–106. Main text distinguished from long editorial footnotes. Three short lexical glosses on printed page 74 retained separately. Footnote symbols removed; quotation marks, verse-range dashes and whitespace normalized. Historical wording retained, including “Being incarnation,” “proved,” and “desired for objects.”
Underlying English translation published 1904, public domain in the United States. Historical main text and historical glosses only; no 1987 cover or new editorial matter reproduced.
AGNI said:—I will now describe the Buddha incarnation, by reading and hearing of which one acquires great profit. Formerly in the war between gods and demons the former were defeated by the latter. Saying “Save us, Save us!” they sought refuge with Iswara. Being incarnation of illusion and infatuation he was born as the son of Suddhodana (2). He infatuated the Daityas and made them relinquish the religion of the Veda. They then became followers of Buddha and induced others to forsake Vedic religion (3). He became Arhata and afterwards made others Arhatas. Divorced from Vedic religion they became all Pāshandinas (4). They committed (sinful) deeds capable of taking one to hell and received (gifts) from degraded persons. At the end of Kali yuga there will be mixed castes (5). And there will flourish robbers having no character. The Veda of Vājasaneya, proved by its fifteen branches, will be in existence (6). Under the cover of religion they will preach irreligion. And the Mlechhas in the guise of kings will devour men (7). Armed with a coat of mail and weapons, Vishnuyasha’s son Kalki, with Jājnavalka as his priest, will extirpate the Mlechhas, establish the order and respective dignity of the four Varnas and various Ashramas and lead people to the path of pure religion (8–9). Then having renounced the form of Kalki Hari will return to heaven. Thereupon Kritayuga will come into existence as before (10). Thus in all the Kalpas and Manwantaras the various Varnas and Asramas are established in their duties (11). There are numerous incarnations past and future. The pure man, born in a good family, who hears of or reads the ten incarnations of Vishnu, having acquired all desired for objects, attains to heaven. It is Hari who makes all arrangements of virtue and vice, and it is Hari, the cause of creation &c, who incarnates himself (12–13).
On the timeline
Ninth century CE · Hazra’s estimateHazra’s estimated compilation of the Agni Purana Prophecy given or recorded