Vishnu leading Kalki, his final avatar. Kalki is the tenth avatar of Vishnu. Kalki is a metaphor for eternity or time. Its origins may lie in the Sanskrit word kalka which means foulness or filth. The name translates to the destroyer of foulness, destroyer of darkness, or destroyer of ignorance. Vishnu is regarded as a major god in Hinduism and Indian mythology. He is thought as the preserver of the universe while two other major Hindu gods Brahma and Shiva, are regarded respectively, as the creator and destroyer of the universe. He is the all-pervading essence of all beings, the master of the past, present and future, the creator and destroyer of all existences, one who supports, preserves, sustains and governs the universe and originates and develops all elements within. He is portrayed as blue or black shinned and has four arms. He has a thousand names and their repetition is an act of devotion. In almost all Hindu denominations, Vishnu is either worshipped directly or in the form of his ten avatars: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narasimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Rama, Balarama, Krishna, and Kalki.