Have there than any recorded prophecies in the Bhagavad Gita or other major Hindu writings that, according to a significant number of Hindus, was later fulfilled in an event known to history?
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2Yes there are many. In south India there was a famous philosopher who is known as "Nostradamus of India". His name is Brahmamgaru. Many believe He is God's Incarnation.– Mr_GreenJul 17, 2014 at 5:46
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2Hindus don't believe in Prophets. Hence no Prophecies.– BharatJul 18, 2014 at 4:33
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2@Bharat What are you talking about? There are plenty of prophecies in the Puranas.– Keshav Srinivasan ♦Jul 18, 2014 at 7:26
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4@KeshavSrinivasan What Prophecy means is a revelation of a message by God to a Prophet which the Prophet then regurgitates to the people. Hinduism does not have Prophets i.e chosen 'messengers'. Every human has the potential to 'see' the divine message. If I were to elevate my mind to yogic levels even I would be able to see the messages in Vedas & Puranas. I need not be a chosen person.– BharatJul 18, 2014 at 13:04
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1@Bharat is trying to underline the difference between prophecy and revelation. He says that Hindu texts contain only revelations and not prophecies. He is not narrowing down the definitions.– TheLoneKingFeb 11, 2015 at 14:59
3 Answers
These prophecies can be categorized into two.
- Prophecies in the scriptures
- prophecies made by teachers/acharyas.
It is said that in Kaliyug rise of adharma will be there. Surely adharma is rising all over the world without any doubts. I think it can be considered as a prophecy.
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3"In Srimad Bhagavata, it is mentioned that in Kaliyuga, India(Bharatha) will loss it's northern and eastern part of lands." Do you have a quote in the Srimad Bhagavatam for that? Jul 20, 2014 at 1:31
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@KeshavSrinivasan: Will try to add the quote once I get it, actually I have only heard about this(multiple times).– user11Jul 20, 2014 at 14:55
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It is very interesting. @A_runningMind , Could you please add the quote for this?– tekkkMar 21, 2015 at 3:30
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@sysinit: Bhagavata Saptaha yajna is going to take place in our village next month. Hope I can get exact quote for this and will update the answer.– user11Mar 23, 2015 at 7:50
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Prophecy during birth of Yudhisthira.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01124.htm
And Kunti too smiling in her turn, replied, 'Thou must even give me offspring.' Then the handsome Kunti was united (in intercourse) with the god of justice in his spiritual form and obtained from him a son devoted to the good of all creatures. And she brought his excellent child, who lived to acquire a great fame, at the eighth Muhurta called Abhijit, of the hour of noon of that very auspicious day of the seventh month (Kartika), viz., the fifth of the lighted fortnight, when the star Jyeshtha in conjunction with the moon was ascendant. And as soon as the child was born, an incorporeal voice (from the skies) said, 'This child shall be the best of men, the foremost of those that are virtuous. Endued with great prowess and truthful in speech, he shall certainly be the ruler of the earth. And this first child of Pandu shall be known by the name of Yudhishthira. Possessed of prowess and honesty of disposition, he shall be a famous king, known throughout the three worlds.'
Prophecy of Bhima.
The god of wind thereupon begat upon her the child afterwards known as Bhima of mighty arms and fierce prowess. And upon the birth of that child endued with extraordinary strength, an incorporeal voice, O Bharata, as before, said, 'This child shall be the foremost of all endued with strength.'
Long list of the feats that Arjuna would do in his lifetime was told when he was born which was prophecy of Arjuna.
"Vaisampayana continued, 'The celebrated Kunti, thus addressed by her lord, invoked Sakra (the king of the gods) who thereupon came unto her and begat him that was afterwards called Arjuna. And as soon as this child was born, an incorporeal voice, loud and deep as that of the clouds and filling the whole welkin, distinctly said, addressing Kunti in the hearing of every creature dwelling in that asylum, 'This child of thine, O Kunti, will be equal unto Kartavirya in energy and Siva in prowess. Invincible like Sakra himself he will spread thy fame far and wide. As Vishnu (the youngest of Aditi's sons) had enhanced Aditi's joy, so shall this child enhance thy joy. Subjugating the Madras, the Kurus along with the Somakas, and the people of Chedi, Kasi and Karusha, he will maintain the prosperity of the Kurus. (Surfeited with libations at the sacrifice of king Swetaketu), Agni will derive great gratification from the fat of all creatures dwelling in the Khandava woods (to be burnt down) by the might of this one's arms. This mighty hero, vanquishing all the effeminate monarchs of the earth, will, with his brothers perform three great sacrifices. In prowess, O Kunti, he will be even as Jamadagnya or Vishnu. The foremost of all men endued with prowess, he will achieve great fame. He will gratify in battle (by his heroism) Sankara, the god of gods (Mahadeva), and will receive from him the great weapon named Pasupata. This thy son of mighty arms will also slay, at the command of Indra, those Daityas called the Nivatakavachas who are the enemies of the gods. He will also acquire all kinds of celestial weapons, and this bull among men will also retrieve the fortunes of his race.'
Prophecy during birth of Nakula and Sahadeva.
And as soon as they were born, an incorporeal voice said, 'In energy and beauty these twins shall transcend even the twin Aswins themselves.'
Vyasa told Vidura's mother that her children would be foremost among virtuous persons.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01107.htm
Thy child also shall be greatly fortunate and virtuous, and the foremost of all intelligent men on earth!'
How Dhritarashtra would be blind and ho he would have century of sons was told by Vyasa to Satyavati
The son of the princess she will bring forth shall be equal in might unto ten thousand elephants. He will be an illustrious royal sage, possessed of great learning and intelligence and energy. The high-souled one shall have in his time a century of sons. But from the fault of his mother he shall be blind '
Vyasa told that Pandu would be pale
'Because thou hast been pale with fear at the sight of my grim visage, therefore, thy child shall be pale in complexion. O thou of handsome face, the name also thy child shall bear will be Pandu (the pale).
Vyasa told Satyavati to go to forest because there will be annihilation in her race.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01129.htm
'Mother, our days of happiness have gone by and days of calamity have succeeded. Sin beginneth to increase day by day. The world hath got old. The empire of the Kauravas will no longer endure because of wrong and oppression. Go thou then into the forest, and devote thyself to contemplation through Yoga. Henceforth society will be filled with deceit and wrong. Good work will cease. Do not witness the annihilation of thy race, in thy old age.'
It was also foretold that Arjuna was destined to be the slayer of Bhishma.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m05/m05188.htm
Parashurama's ancestors told that he cannot vanquish Bhishma and Arjuna, the foremost among the Pandavas is destined to be the slayer of Bhishma.
Study (of the Vedas) and practice of vows are the highest wealth of Brahmanas! For some reason, before 'this, thou hadst been ordered by us to take up weapons. Thou hadst then perpetrated that terrible and unbecoming feat. Let this battle with Bhishma be thy very last, for enough of it thou hadst already.
O thou of mighty arms, leave the combat. Blessed be thou, let this be the very last instance of thy taking up the bow! O invincible one, throw thy bow aside, and practice ascetic austerities
That foremost of the Pandavas, Arjuna, the mighty son of Indra, hath been ordained by the Self-create to be the slayer of Bhishma!'
Prophecy of Parikshit.
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m10/m10016.htm
The heroic Parikshit, attaining to age and a knowledge of the Vedas and the practice of pious vows, shall obtain all weapons from the son of Sharadvata. Having obtained a knowledge of all high weapons, and observant of all kshatriya duties, that righteous-souled king shall rule the earth for sixty years. More than this, that boy shall become the mighty-armed king of the Kurus, known by the name of Parikshit, before thy very eyes, O thou of wicked soul! Though burnt by the energy of thy weapon's fire, I shall revive him. O lowest of men, behold the energy of my austerities and my truth."
All these were fulfilled prophecies in Mahabharat
Many of these things were made known by Veda Vyasa Maharshi in his ‘Bhavishya Purana’.Prediction of Jesus Christ ,Profet Mohammed etc were made.
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1Only if the parts of the Bhavishya Purana you're referring to were actually written before those people existed. Most consider that pratisargaparvan was added to the Purana during the 18th century CE (eg it mentions the British Parliament, and the British administrative centre in Calcutta). Sep 5, 2015 at 6:42