Kroni is a mythical figure found in Ayyavazhi mythology. He is the primordial manifestation of evil, and is analagous to Satan in the Christian tradition. He manifests in various forms of evil, such as Ravana and Duryodhana, in different ages or yugas. Kroni, the spirit of Kali Yuga, is said to be omnipresent in the present age.
Nature
Fragments of Kroni
The six fragments of Kroni were then born as evil spirits (or Asuras) in six successive Yukams (aeons). In all the yukams Mayon had to incarnate in the world to destroy the evils. The six fragments were then known as:
- Kuntomasali
- Thillaimallalan and Mallosivakanan
- Suraparppan Sinkamukasuran and Iraniyan
- Ravanan
- Thuriyothanan and the Ninety-nine Brothers
- Kaliyan
Beliefs
The Ayyavazhi tradition
The Ayya Vazhi religion, a sect in Tamil Nadu that is sometimes considered to be part of Hinduism believes in a Satan-like figure, Kroni. Kroni, according to Ayyavazhi is the primordial manifestation of evil and appears in various forms of evil, i.e., Ravana, Duryodhana, etc., in different ages or yugas.
In response to such manifestation of evil, followers of the Ayya-Vazhi religion believe that Mayon (a Tamil name for Vishnu), incarnates in such avatars as Rama and Krishna Vishnu, to thwart and destroy the evil of Kroni's manifestations. Eventually, the Ekam with the spirit (the spirit taken by Narayana only for incarnating in the world) of Narayana incarnates in the world as Ayya Vaikundar to destroy the final manifestation of Kroni, Kaliyan.
The Akilattirattu Ammanai
According to the Akilattirattu Ammanai, the Ayyavazhi holy book, Kroni was born in the first of the Eight Yukams (aeons) with multitudinous limbs each the size of a mountain, and was the first evil to be born in the Universe. He had a fire of ravenous hunger in his stomach, and he drank all the waters of the sea to quell it. The water being insufficient, he swallowed Kailayam, the abode of Shiva, and the proceeded to devour the entire Universe.
Mayon, residing with Shiva in Kailayam, escaped promptly and undertook a Tavam to receive a boon from Sivan in order to destroy the Kroni. Shiva granted the boon, but made Mayon aware of the necessity to appear in different forms for the successive six yukams in order to destroy the six fragments of the Kroni. Being aware of the mission, Mayon sliced Kroni into six fragments, and saved the Universe. With that event the first Yukam came to an end.
Philosophical View
Philosophically Kroni is viewed as the evil which preventing the Soul from getting the obsolute bliss or knowledge. The six-fragments were considered as six evils found in the six chakras except Sahasrara of physical Human body. It was told that every human beings should overcome the qualities of six fragments (ill effects) and should attain divinity (Sahasrara) the state of union with God.
But this view was often criticised by some followers because the Akilam did not mention this Kroni directly as relation with Chakras. But since it is believed that, many philosophical concepts are symbolised indirectly as mythical figures in a story form in Akilam, this view on Kroni is accepted during religious studies.
References
- G.Patrick's, Religion and Subaltern Agency, University of Madras, 2003
- Ari Sundara Mani's, Akilathirattu Ammanai Parayana Urai, Vaikundar Thirukkudumbam Publications, 2002.