Lesson 1: Introduction I
The Cycles of Time
The period between one Creation and one Destruction is called a ‘mahayuga’ or ‘great age’. It is said to last 4.32 million years and is divided into four ‘yugas’ or ages. The first yuga is called ‘Satya Yuga the age of truth and lasts 1.73 million years. The second yuga is called ‘Treta Yuga’ and lasts 1.30 million years. The third yuga is called ‘Dwapar Yuga’ and lasts 0.86 million years. The fourth yuga is called ‘Kali Yuga’ and lasts 0.43 million years. In each age there is a decline in virtue from the previous age. After the Destruction the universe lies in a state of nothingness for a period of one mahayuga. Then Creation starts again and thus the cycle continues.
A period of seventy-one mahayugas is called one ‘manvantra’. After one manvantra the universe lies in a state of nothingness for a period of one manvantra. A period of fourteen manvantras is called a kalpa. After one kalpa the universe lies in a state of nothingness for a period of one kalpa. One kalpa is equal to one day in Brahma’s life. Brahma lives for a hundred years. Then the universe lies in a state of nothingness for a period of a hundred of Brahma’s years.
We are now 5000 years into Kali yuga of the present mahayuga. The mythology we are concerned with belongs to the four yugas of this mahayuga.
The accuracy and derivation of these numbers is not important. We are dealing with a mythology and there will be exaggeration and dramatization. Two concepts emerge that lie within the realm of our knowledge. The first is the experience of our insignificance in the cosmic scenario. The second is that a comparison can be made between the ‘ice ages’ and the mahayugas.
The polar ice caps overflow to cover much of the earth’s surface every 100,000 years. Out of this the earth’s surface lies covered for about 80,000 years and normal conditions prevail for about 20,000 years. When the ice caps advance they destroy everything in their path. As they recede life starts afresh. This is broadly the same sequence in a mahayuga – creation; life; destruction; nothingness.
The life in the four yugas follows a predetermined sequence that is very interesting. Some facets are given below.
In Satya Yuga religion had four pillars - truth, penance, yagya (religious sacrifice) and charity. In each of the subsequent Yugas one pillar was destroyed. In Treta Yuga only penance, yagya and charity remained. In Dwapar Yuga only penance and charity remained. In Kali Yuga only charity remains. What this implies is that it is impossible to be totally truthful in Kali Yuga. Similarly it is not expected that persons will engage in penance or yagya, but they are expected to engage in charity.
In Satya Yuga the entire kingdom was punished for the fault of an individual. In Treta Yuga the entire town was punished for the fault of an individual. In Dwapar Yuga the entire family was punished for the fault of an individual, but in Kali Yuga only the defaulter will be punished.
Optional Exercises
6a. From the Glossary in Appendix D of Hindu Myths look up “Yugas” and follow the references to Yugas in the given pages.
6b. Read more about the cycles of time from the following web site. The part about the advent of Kali Yuga is especially interesting.
http://www.urday.com/yugas.htm
6c. Calculate how many human years are there in 100 years of Brahma’s life. Using the normal division of a day into hours, minutes and seconds calculate how many human years are there in one second of Brahma’s life.
