Wikipedia says, "A prediction, or forecast, is a statement about an uncertain event. It is often, but not always, based upon experience or knowledge. There is no universal agreement about the exact difference between the two terms: different authors and disciplines ascribe different connotations."
In most religious and cultural traditions there are records of prophecies by persons with vision into the future. In Hinduism, we have many recorded predictions of events that have later unfolded, or yet to take place. Ancient Hindu sages have left us predictions of events that have so far unfolded or yet to take place. Most of these predictions are in Sanskrit, the Hindu ancient language.
These ancient Sanskrit predictions have come down to us in the form of "mantras," (word formula) which are now being translated by western scholars. One of the more well-known western writers and student of Hinduism is Stephen Knapp.
In his latest book titled, The Vedic Prophecies, New Look into the Future, The Eastern Answers to the Mysteries of Life, Knapp not only deals with the Vedic predictions, but also writes about the predictions of Nostradamus, the Mayan prophecies and the Biblical Apocalypse. I hereunder reproduce some extracts from Stephen Knapp's Hindu best-seller, the Vedic Prophecies: "Nothing gives a religious or spiritual text more credit, recognition, or trust than when its prophecies become reality. There are many prophecies in the Vedic literature, many of which have already happened, and many more are presently unfolding before our eyes. We just need the knowledge to recognise them as they happen around us.
"The Vedic literature not only describes histories of events on this planet, but also describes a variety of histories and future events of other planets. Therefore, the Vedic texts are universal in nature, dealing with important spiritual events that may happen in any part of the universe. Thus, they are also non-sectarian. They belong to no single culture; although on this planet they are based primarily in the area of India.
"The Vedic literature also provides descriptions of the various incarnations or avatars of God that have appeared on earth and in other areas of the universe, along with their purpose and pastimes. It also describes avatars or incarnations that will appear in the future. It is said that we can verify an avatar of God according to the descriptions provided in the Vedic literature.
"There will be times, especially in this age of Kali, when many people may be bold or foolish enough to declare that they are an incarnation of the Supreme. Unfortunately, there will also be those ignorant enough to accept such impostors. If they had knowledge of the Vedic descriptions, however, they could tell which incarnations are scheduled to appear according to the timetable given in the Vedic texts with their names and characteristics.
"One of the earliest prophecies that we can easily recognise is the one about Lord Buddha. The Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.3.24), which was spoken 5,000 years ago, predicted the appearance of Lord Buddha who appeared 2,500 years later, according to most historians, in 560 BCE. However, other evidence has shown that the Buddha was born in 1887 BCE, renounced the world in 1858 BCE, and died in 1807 BCE. But that is another story.
"The Bhagavatam says, 'In the beginning of the age of Kali-yuga, the Supreme Being will appear in the province of Gaya as Lord Buddha, the son of Anjana, just for the purpose of deluding those who are always envious of the faithful theists.' Similar verses are found in many other Puranas. This is in reference to a time when unqualified people used perverted forms of Vedic rituals to unnecessarily slaughter animals.
"Buddha rejected the Vedic rites and preached nonviolence. This verse shows that Lord Buddha was an incarnation of the Supreme Being who would appear in Gaya, a town in central India. Nevertheless, some historians may point out that Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, was actually born in Lumbini, Nepal, and that his mother was Queen Mahamaya. If you go to Lumbini you will see the shrines dedicated to Buddha and the pond that Anjana used to bathe in just before she gave birth to Buddha.
"Therefore, they might feel that this verse is inaccurate. But Siddhartha became the Buddha after he attained spiritual enlightenment during his meditation under the Bo tree in Gaya. This means that his spiritual realisation was his second and most important birth. Furthermore, Siddhartha's mother, Queen Mahamaya, died several days after Siddhartha's birth, leaving him to be raised by his grandmother, Anjana. So the prediction in the Bhagavatam fits this scenario.
"Another interesting prediction is that Lord Shiva, one of the Vedic divinities, would appear in Kali-yuga as Shankaracharya. In the Padma Purana (6.236.5-12), Shiva explains to his wife, Parvati, that he will appear in the age of Kali to proclaim that the Buddhist doctrine is a false religion and illusory. And through this means, he did defeat the Buddhist arguments and caused a great decrease in the influence and growth of Buddhism in India at the time. He also said that he would propound the mayavada or impersonalist philosophy, impersonal spiritual force."