Out of all Hindu mythology, I find the prophecy of Kalki to be the most interesting. One reason why: According to the Puranas, at the end of this Kali Yuga, when Vishnu incarnates himself as Kalki, he will kill two demon brothers named Koka and Vikoka.
When I originally read this, at a superficial level it bore a striking resemblance to the Gog and Magog of the Old Testament. According to St Augustine, Magog is Ma-gog, literally “From Gog.” What this means is ambiguous, and Augustine explores the ambiguities in his City of God. I find the similarity of the names most interesting — Vikoka is Vi-koka, where vi- is a prefix denoting evil or negativity.
I don’t think that the coincidence goes much further, other than the similar prophetic contexts.
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That’s an interesting observation! Have you found anything regarding the similarities in character or background between these two villains?
It’s not clear what Gog and Magog are — they are described as both nations and people. Koka and Vikoka are demon-generals of Kali (not the goddess), Kalki’s destined foe, much like Ravana was to Rama.
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