kali dies one-third of the way through the kalki purana. during the decisive battle between kali and kalki's armies, kali tried to face both dharma and satya yuga personified, but was overwhelmed and fled on his donkey because his chariot had been destroyed, leaving his owl-charged war flag to be trampled on the battlefield. kali retreated to the citadel of his capital city of "vishasha" where he discovered his body had been mortally stabbed and burned during his battle with the two devas. the stench of his blood billowed out and filled the atmosphere with a foul odor. when dharma and satya burst into the city, kali tried to run away, but, knowing his family had been destroyed, coupled with his grievous wounds, he "entered his unmanifested years". this might lead some to believe he died, but one version of the kalki purana in the book "the origins of evil in hindu mythology" states kali does not die but, instead, escapes through time and space to live in the kali yuga of the next kalpa. the author comments, "unlike most battles between gods and demons, however, this apparent victory is immediately undercut, for kali escapes to reappear in 'another age'—in our age, or the next kali age." since he had the power to manifest himself in human form on earth, he was able to forsake his dying corporal form to escape in spirit.