More on Kalkin, mlecchas and nAstikas

[Luis Gonzalez-Reimann]

Concerning my recent post, I received the following clarification from
Vishal Agarwal:

__________
I read your post regarding the Sword of Truth website. FYI, the website is
run by an individual named Mr. Arvind Ghosh, who resides at Houston (Texas).
To my knowledge, Mr. Ghosh is himself not very literate in website
construction, and is very aged. The website is therefore run by some
students and other individuals residing close to him.
He informed me that the title is actually inspired by the words "cleave
ingorance with the sword of knowledge" in the Bhagavad Gita. (And I believe
this is stated somewhere at the current website or its earlier version). I
do not know how the articles are chosen for publication at this website. You
may forward this message to the Indology list if you wish.
Mr. Ghosh's address is actually listed under the publications section of the
website. I had received an email from him saying that the bookstore is being
liquidated currently and therefore the publications are available at heavy
discounts.
Regards
Vishal Agarwal
__________


At 02:10 PM 08/08/2000 -0700, I had written:
>I would like to add a note to my original post (3 Aug 2000) on this subject.
>
>Although neither the MahAbhArata (3.188.87-93) nor the ViSNu PurANa
>(4.24.98-101) descriptions of Kalkin (the Brahmin who will behave like a
>kSatriya and will destroy all the foreigners and heretics) mention it, by
>the time of the BhAgavata PurANa (12.2.19-20) Kalkin was already described
>as brandishing a sword.  It is interesting that Rajaram has decided to call
>his web site "The Sword of Truth" and to prominently display a shiny,
>bejeweled sword at the top of his page.  This could merely be a coincidence
>but, then again, it may not.
>
>And, ironically (in light of the "horse seal" affair), from the BhAgavata
>PurANa onwards Kalkin arrives mounted on, what else?... a horse.
>
>Best,
>
>Luis Gonzalez-Reimann
>University of California, Berkeley
>