Kroni

Kroni (Tamil:குறோணி) is a figure in Ayyavazhi mythology. He is the primordial manifestation of evil, and manifests in various forms of evil, such as Ravana and Duryodhana, in different ages or yugas. In order to counteract and destroy the evil of Kroni's manifestations, Mayon (a Tamil name for Vishnu), incarnates as avatars such as Rama and Krishna. He is analogous to Satan in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. He shares many similarities with the demon Kali of the Mahabharata and Kalki Purana.

Kroni in 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. "

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

Kroni, the spirit of Kali Yuga, is said to be omnipresent in the present age, and this is one of the reasons why followers of Ayya Vazhi, like other Hindus, believe that the current yuga, Kali Yuga, is so degraded.

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 being 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.

:::: * Chakras :- The yugas assumed as chakras above, is one of the philosophical views and is not mentioned directly so in Akilam.

References

* G.Patrick's, Religion and Subaltern Agency, University of Madras, 2003
* Ari Sundara Mani's, Akilathirattu Ammanai Parayana Urai, Vaikundar Thirukkudumbam Publications, 2002.
* Tamil Wikipedia Article

ee also

*List of Ayyavazhi-related articles
*Ayyavazhi mythology
*Kaliyan
*Kali (Demon)