98-559: A Yuga Cycle ( a.k.a. chatur yuga , maha yuga , etc. ) is a cyclic age ( epoch ) in Hindu cosmology . Each cycle lasts for 4,320,000 years (12,000 divine years) and repeats four yugas (world ages): Krita (Satya) Yuga , Treta Yuga , Dvapara Yuga , and Kali Yuga . As a Yuga Cycle progresses through the four yugas , each yuga's length and humanity's general moral and physical state within each yuga decrease by one-fourth. Kali Yuga , which lasts for 432,000 years,
196-413: A Yuga Cycle of 64,800 years in his 1931 French article, which was later translated in the book Traditional Forms & Cosmic Cycles (2001). Guénon accepted the doctrine of the four yugas , the 4:3:2:1 yuga length proportions, and Kali Yuga as the present age. He couldn't accept the extremely large lengths and felt they were encoded with additional zeros to mislead those who might use it to predict
294-409: A kalpa with a remainder of 25,920,000 years assigned to 15 manvantara-sandhyas (junctures), each the length of a Satya Yuga (1,728,000 years). A kalpa is followed by a pralaya (night or partial dissolution) of equal length forming a full day (24-hour day). A maha-kalpa (life of Brahma) lasts for 100 360-day years of Brahma, which lasts for 72,000,000 Yuga Cycles (311.04 trillion years) and
392-436: A 25% decline in dharmic practices and length, giving proportions ( caraṇas ; pronounced charanas ) of 4:3:2:1 (e.g. Satya : 100% start; Kali : 25% start, 0% end), indicating a de-evolution in spiritual consciousness and an evolution in material consciousness. Kali-yuga is followed by Satya-yuga of the next cycle, where a cycle is called a catur-yuga (pronounced chatur-yuga ; a.k.a. mahā-yuga ). Each yuga
490-438: A different Vyasa comes at the end of each Dvapara Yuga to write down veda (knowledge) to guide humans in the degraded age of Kali Yuga . Breaking from the long duration of a Yuga Cycle, new theories have emerged regarding the length, number, and order of the yugas . Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri (1855–1936) proposed a Yuga Cycle of 24,000 years in the introduction of his book The Holy Science (1894). He claimed
588-581: A form of religion ( dharma ) that competes with that of the Vedas , wherein bhakti ultimately leads to self-knowledge, salvation ( moksha ) and bliss. However the Bhagavata Purana asserts that the inner nature and outer form of Krishna is identical to the Vedas and that this is what rescues the world from the forces of evil. An oft-quoted verse (1.3.40) is used by some Krishna sects to assert that
686-414: A month, and twelve months form a year. (14) Persons well-read in mathematical science say that a year is made up of two solar motions, viz, the northern and the southern. (15) The sun makes the day and the night for men. The night is for the sleep of all living creatures and the day is for work. (16) A month of human beings is equal to a day and night of the departed manes. That division consists in this
784-422: A period called a manvantara , each lasting for 71 chatur-yugas (306.72 million years). A total of 14 Manus reign successively in one kalpa (day of Brahma ). Preceding the first and following each manvantara is a sandhyā (connection period), each lasting the duration of Satya-yuga (1.728 million years). During each manvantara-sandhyā ( a.k.a. manvantara-sandhi ), Earth ( Bhu-loka )
882-684: A police report printed in Atlantis and the Cycles of Time , which links Yukteswar to a secret anti-colonial movement called Yugantar , meaning "new age" or "transition of an epoch". Godwin claims the Jain time cycle and the European myth of progress influenced Yukteswar, whose theory only recently became prominent outside India. Humanity in an upward cycle is contrary to traditional ideas. Godwin points out many philosophies and religions that started during
980-541: A time when "man could not see beyond the gross material world" (701 BCE – 1699 CE). Only materialists and atheists would welcome the post-1700 age as an improvement. John Major Jenkins , who adjusted ascending Kali Yuga from 499 CE to 2012 in his version, criticizes Yukteswar as wanting the "cycle-bottom" to correspond to his education, beliefs, and historical understanding. Technology has thrust us deeper into material dependency and spiritual darkness. René Guénon (1886–1951) proposed
1078-741: A twinkling of the eye ( nimesha ) up to the days ( kalpa ) and nights ( pralaya ) of Brahma . निमेषा दश चाष्टौ च काष्ठा त्रिंशत् तु ताः कला । त्रिंशत् कला मुहूर्तः स्यादहोरात्रं तु तावतः ॥ ६४ ॥ nimeṣā daśa cāṣṭau ca kāṣṭhā triṃśat tu tāḥ kalā । triṃśat kalā muhūrtaḥ syādahorātraṃ tu tāvataḥ ॥ 64 ॥ (64) Eighteen nimeshas (twinklings of the eye, are one kashtha), thirty kashthas one kala, thirty kalas one muhurta, and as many (muhurtas) one day and night. अहोरात्रे विभजते सूर्यो मानुषदैविके । रात्रिः स्वप्नाय भूतानां चेष्टायै कर्मणामहः ॥ ६५ ॥ ahorātre vibhajate sūryo mānuṣadaivike । rātriḥ svapnāya bhūtānāṃ ceṣṭāyai karmaṇāmahaḥ ॥ 65 ॥ (65) The sun divides days and nights, both human and divine,
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#17327731478491176-422: A wink of the eye ( nimesha ) up to the days ( kalpa ) and nights ( pralaya ) of Brahma . (12–13) The Rishis, measuring time, have given particular names to particular portions. Five and ten winks of the eye make what is called a Kashtha. Thirty Kashthas make what is called a Kala. Thirty Kalas, with the tenth part of a Kala, make a Muhurta. Thirty Muhurtas make up one day and night. Thirty days and nights form
1274-407: A year for each is twelve 30-day months or 360 days, where a day is divided into a 12-hour day proper and 12-hour night. A 30-day month amounts to four 7-day weeks with an extra 8th day every two weeks (48-week year). A traditional human year is measured by the sun's northern ( uttarayana ) and southern ( dakshinayana ) movements in the sky, where the new year commences only when the sun returns to
1372-545: A year of the gods ... (15) Twelve thousand of these divine years are denominated a Quadruple Age (caturyuga); of ten thousand times four hundred and thirty-two [4,320,000] solar years (16) Is composed that Quadruple Age, with its dawn and twilight. The difference of the Golden and the other Ages, as measured by the difference in the number of the feet of Virtue in each, is as follows : (17) The tenth part of an Age, multiplied successively by four, three, two, and one, gives
1470-467: Is a day and a night of the gods ... (68) But hear now the brief (description of) the duration of a night and a day of Brahman [(Brahma)] and of the several ages (of the world, yuga) according to their order. (69) They declare that the Krita age (consists of) four thousand years (of the gods); the twilight preceding it consists of as many hundreds, and the twilight following it of the same number. (70) In
1568-471: Is believed to have started in 3102 BCE. Near the end of Kali Yuga , when virtues are at their worst, a cataclysm and a re-establishment of dharma occur to usher in the next cycle's Krita (Satya) Yuga , prophesied to occur by Kalki . There are 71 Yuga Cycles in a manvantara (age of Manu ) and 1,000 Yuga Cycles in a kalpa (day of Brahma ). A Yuga Cycle has several names. Age or Yuga ( Sanskrit : युग , lit. 'an age of
1666-668: Is divided into a main period ( a.k.a. yuga proper) and two yuga-sandhis ( a.k.a. yuga-sandhyās ; connecting periods)— yuga-sandhyā (dawn) and yuga-sandhyāṃśa ( a.k.a. yuga-sandhyānśa ; dusk)—where each yuga-sandhi lasts for 10% of the main period. Lengths are given in divine years ( a.k.a. celestial or Deva years), where a divine year lasts for 360 solar (human) years. A chatur-yuga lasts for 4.32 million solar (12,000 divine) years with 1,728,000 years of Krita-yuga , 1,296,000 years of Treta-yuga , 864,000 years of Dvapara-yuga , and 432,000 years of Kali-yuga . Kali-yuga lasts for 432,000 years and
1764-408: Is followed by a maha-pralaya (full dissolution) of equal length. Each kalpa (day of Brahma) is followed by a pralaya (night of Brahma or partial dissolution) of equal length. Preceding the first and following each manvantara is a manvantara-sandhya (connection period), each with a length of Krita-yuga ( a.k.a. Satya-yuga ). Hindu texts specify that the start and end of each of
1862-529: Is followed by a maha-pralaya (full dissolution) of equal length. We are currently halfway through Brahma's life ( maha-kalpa ): Yuga dates are used in an ashloka , which is read out at the beginning of Hindu rites to specify the elapsed time in Brahma's life. For example, an ashloka in 2007 CE of the Gregorian calendar might include the lines: 5109 of Kalyugi year of the 28th Chaturyugee of
1960-475: Is lowest when farthest from Brahma at the descending-ascending intersection ("cycle-bottom"), where the opposite occurs at the "cycle-top" when nearest. At dharma's lowest (499 CE), human intellect cannot comprehend anything beyond the gross material world . Joscelyn Godwin states that Yukteswar believed the traditional chronology of the yugas wrong and rigged for political reasons, but that Yukteswar may have had political reasons of his own, evident in
2058-441: Is of four hundred years. (21) Regarding the other cycles, the duration of each gradually decreases by a quarter in respect of both the principal period with the minor portion and the conjoining portion itself. (29) The learned say that these twelve thousand celestial years form what is called a cycle. A thousand such cycles form a single day of Brahman [(Brahma)]. (30) The same is the duration of Brahman's [(Brahma's)] night. With
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#17327731478492156-563: Is organized in relation to the tropical year: The table below contains calculations of cosmic Hindu units of time as experienced by different entities, namely humans , Pitris (forefathers), Devas (gods), Manu (progenitor of humanity), and Brahma (creator god). Calculations use a traditional 360-day year (twelve 30-day months) and a standard 24-hour day for all entities. Hindu texts define lifespans differently for humans , Pitris (forefathers), Devas (gods), Manus (progenitors of mankind), and Brahma (creator god). The division of
2254-524: Is submerged in water. A manvantara lasts for 306.72 million years, where the current (ruled by Vaivasvatha Manu ) is the 7th of 14: The lifespan of Brahma (creator god) lasts for 100 of his years. His 12-hour day or kalpa ( a.k.a. day of Brahma) is followed by a 12-hour night or pralaya ( a.k.a. night of Brahma) of equal length, each lasting for 4.32 billion years. A kalpa lasts for 1,000 chatur-yugas and has 14 manvantaras and 15 manvantara-sandhyas occurring in it. At
2352-620: Is the 4th of 4 yugas in a cycle as well as the current yuga , with two sandhyas , each lasting for 36,000 years: A chatur-yuga lasts for 4.32 million years, where the current is the 28th of 71: The lifespan of the Pitris (forefathers) lasts for 100 of their years. The lifespan of the Devas (gods) lasts for 100 of their years. The lifespan of the Manus (progenitors of mankind) lasts for 100 of their years. Each Manu reigns over
2450-417: Is the fruit (essence) of the wish-yielding tree of Veda, dropped on earth from the mouth of the parrot-like sage Suka, and is full of the nectar of supreme bliss. It is unmixed sweetness (devoid of rind, seed or other superfluous matter). Go on drinking this divine nectar again and again till there is consciousness left in you. Consisting of 19 chapters, the first canto opens with an invocation to Krishna and
2548-414: Is their day for active exertion, the bright (fortnight) their night for sleep. दैवे रात्र्यहनी वर्षं प्रविभागस्तयोः पुनः । अहस्तत्रोदगयनं रात्रिः स्याद् दक्षिणायनम् ॥ ६७ ॥ daive rātryahanī varṣaṃ pravibhāgastayoḥ punaḥ । ahastatrodagayanaṃ rātriḥ syād dakṣiṇāyanam ॥ 67 ॥ (67) A year is a day and a night of the gods; their division is (as follows): the half year during which the sun progresses to
2646-675: Is to promote Bhakti to Vishnu in his incarnation as Krishna referred to variously, and to illustrate and explain it... what makes the Bhagavata special is its emphasis on an intense personal and passionate Bhakti... As detailed in the Matsya Mahapurana , all Puranas must cover at least five specific subjects or topics referred to in Sanskrit as Pancha Lakshana (literally meaning 'consisting of five characteristics' – in addition to other information including specific deities and
2744-668: The Bhagavata Purana (3.11.18–20). Hindu texts describe four yugas (world ages) in a Yuga Cycle— Krita (Satya) Yuga , Treta Yuga , Dvapara Yuga , and Kali Yuga —where, starting in order from the first age, each yuga's length decreases by one-fourth (25%), giving proportions of 4:3:2:1. Each yuga is described as having a main period ( a.k.a. yuga proper) preceded by its yuga-sandhyā (dawn) and followed by its yuga-sandhyāṃśa (dusk), where each twilight (dawn/dusk) lasts for one-tenth (10%) of its main period. Lengths are given in divine years (years of
2842-629: The Rigveda , Atharvaveda , Upanishads , Ramayana , Mahabharata , and Puranas , while the four yugas are described after the four Vedas with no mention of a correlation to dice. A complete description of the four yugas and their characteristics are in the Vishnu Smriti (ch. 20), Mahabharata (e.g. Vanaparva 149, 183), Manusmriti (I.81–86), and Puranas (e.g. Brahma , ch. 122–123; Matsya , ch. 142–143; Naradiya , Purvardha, ch. 41). The four yugas are also described in
2940-563: The Srimad Bhagavatam (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam) , Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana ( Śrīmad Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa ) or simply Bhagavata (Bhāgavata) , is one of Hinduism 's eighteen great Puranas ( Mahapuranas ). Composed in Sanskrit and traditionally attributed to Veda Vyasa , it promotes bhakti (devotion) towards Krishna , an avatar of Vishnu , integrating themes from the Advaita (monism) philosophy of Adi Shankara ,
3038-520: The Vishishtadvaita (qualified monism) of Ramanujacharya and the Dvaita (dualism) of Madhvacharya . It is widely available in almost all Indian languages . The Bhagavata Purana , like other puranas, discusses a wide range of topics including cosmology , astronomy, genealogy , geography, legend, music, dance, yoga and culture. As it begins, the forces of evil have won a war between
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3136-489: The Yuga Cycle started with a great flood and appearance of Cro-Magnon man , and will end with a catastrophe wiping out mankind. Joscelyn Godwin found that Daniélou's misunderstanding rests solely on a bad translation of Linga Purana 1.4.7. In the early texts of Hindu astronomy such as Surya Siddhanta , the length of a yuga cycle is used to specify the orbital period of heavenly bodies. Instead of specifying
3234-599: The four aims or goals of life . From the K. L. Joshi (editor) translation: The following are the five characteristics of the Puranas: They describe (1) the creation of the universe, (2) its genealogy and dissolution, (3) the dynasties, (4) the Manvantaras , (5) the dynastic chronicles. The Puranas, with these five characteristics, sing the glory of Brahma , Vishnu , the Sun and Rudra , as well as they describe also
3332-602: The yugas are marked by astronomical alignments. This cycle's Treta-yuga began with 5 planets residing in the "Aries" constellation. This cycle's Dvapara-yuga ended with the "Saptarshi" constellation (Ursa major) residing in the "Magha" constellation. The current Kali-yuga will end with the Sun, Moon and Jupiter residing in the "Pushya" sector. The history of humanity is divided up into four yugas ( a.k.a. dharmic ages or world ages)— Kṛta-yuga (pronounced Krita-yuga ; a.k.a. Satya-yuga ), Tretā-yuga , Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga —each with
3430-431: The " Advaita philosophy of Sankara ", lead many scholars to trace its origins to South India. However, J. A. B. van Buitenen points out that 10th–11th CE South Indian Vaishnava theologians Yamuna and Ramanuja do not refer to Bhagavata Purana in their writings, and this anomaly must be explained before the geographical origins and dating are regarded as definitive. Since the 19th-century, most scholars believe that
3528-531: The " great year " of the Persians (~12,000) and Greeks (~13,000) as almost half the precession, he concluded a "great year" must be 12,960 years (4,320 × 3). In trying to find the whole number of "great years" in a manvantara or reign of Vaivasvata Manu , he found the reign of Xisuthros of the Chaldeans to be set to 64,800 years (12,960 × 5), someone he thought to be the same Manu. Guénon felt 64,800 years
3626-405: The 7th Manvantara on the first day of the 51st year of the 2nd Brahma [(2nd half of Brahma's life)]. Ganesha avatars are described as coming during specific yugas . The Puranas describe Vishnu avatars that come during specific yugas , but may not occur in every Yuga Cycle. Vamana appears at the beginning of Treta Yuga . According to Vayu Purana , Vamana's 3rd appearance was in
3724-503: The 7th Treta Yuga . Rama appears at the end of Treta Yuga . According to Vayu Purana and Matsya Purana , Rama appeared in the 24th Yuga Cycle. According to Padma Purana , Rama also appeared in the 27th Yuga Cycle of the 6th (previous) manvantara . Vyasa is attributed as the compiler of the four Vedas , Mahabharata , and Puranas . According to the Vishnu Purana , Kurma Purana , and Shiva Purana ,
3822-559: The Bhagavad Gita, suggesting that it was composed after these texts. The text contains more details of Krishna's biography than the 3rd- 4th-century Harivamsha and Vishnu Purana , and is therefore likely to have been composed after these texts, suggesting a chronological range of 500–1000 CE. Within this range, scholars such as R. C. Hazra date it to the first half of the 6th century CE, Bryant as well as Gupta and Valpey citing epigraphical and archaeological evidence suggest much of
3920-740: The Bhagavata Purana was written by a group of learned Brahmin ascetics, probably in South India, who were well versed in Vedic and ancient Indian literature and influenced by the Alvars . Postmodern scholars have suggested alternate theories. The Bhagavata Purana consists of twelve skhandas or cantos consisting of 18,000 verses of several interconnected, interwoven, and non-linear dialogues, teachings, and explanations espousing Bhakti Yoga that go back and forth in time: We have alluded to
4018-538: The Bhagavata's identity as a Purana , an important feature of which is its multilevel dialogical structure ... the layered arrangement of dialogues, in which a speaker (typically Suka , the main reciter, addressing his interlocutor, King Pariksit ) quotes an "earlier" speaker (for example, Narada , addressing King Yudhisthira , Pariksit's granduncle, in a dialogue understood to have taken place earlier and elsewhere), who may in turn quote yet another speaker. Two or three such layers are typically operative simultaneously ...
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4116-685: The Lahiriayanamsa and the Raman ayanamsa. The Fagan-Bradley ayanamsa is an example of an ayanamsa system used in Western sidereal astrology. As of 2020, zodiacal signs calculated using the Sri Yukteswar ayanamsa were around 23 degrees behind tropical zodiacal signs. Per these calculations, persons born between March 12 - April 12, for instance, would have the sun sign of Pisces. By contrast, persons born between March 21 - April 19 would have
4214-491: The Lord of excellent renown. A unique and especial emphasis is placed on fostering transcendental loving devotion to Krishna as the ultimate good, i.e. for its own sake rather than for fruitive results or rewards such as detachment or worldly or heavenly gains, a practice known as Bhakti Yoga : What makes the Bhagavata unique in the history of Indian Religion... is its prioritization of Bhakti. The main objective of this text
4312-526: The Lord who wields the discus in His hand is infinite; though the Maker of this world, He remains ever beyond it. He alone can know His ways who inhales the fragrance of His lotus-feet through constant and sincere devotion to them. Consisting of 10 chapters, the second canto opens with an invocation to Krishna . The second layer of overarching narration begins as a dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on
4410-531: The Puranas continue to form a part, such originality is neither promoted nor recognised. Like most forms of cultural creation in India, the function of the Puranas was to reprocess and comment upon old knowledge ... SB 1.1.3 original Sanskrit: निगमकल्पतरोर्गलितं फलं शुकमुखादमृतद्रवसंयुतम् । पिबत भागवतं रसमालयं मुहुरहो रसिका भुवि भावुका: ॥ ३ ॥ O ye devotees possessing a taste for divine joy, Srimad Bhagavata
4508-641: The Srimad Bhagavatam. The common manuscript for translations of the Bhagavata Purana – seemingly used by both Swami Prabhupada and Bibek Debroy – is the Bhāgavatamahāpurāṇam a reprint of Khemraj Shri Krishnadas' manuscript. In regard to variances in Puranic manuscripts, Gregory Bailey states: [S]ignificant are the widespread variations between manuscripts of the same Purana, especially those originating in different regions of India... one of
4606-660: The above numbers provided the starting point of a yuga cycle is known. According to Burgess, the Surya Siddhanta fixes the starting point of Kali Yuga as: The instant at which the Age is made to commence is midnight on the meridian of Ujjayini, at the end of the 588,465th and beginning of the 588,466th day (civil reckoning) of the Julian Period, or between the 17th and 18th of February 1612 J.P. , or 3102 B.C. Based on this starting point, Ebenezer Burgess calculates
4704-528: The alignment between signs and constellations via corrective systems of Hindu ( Vedic )-origin known as ayanamsas (Sanskrit: 'ayana' "movement" + 'aṃśa' "component"), to allow for the observed precession of equinoxes , whereas tropical astrology ignores precession. This has caused the two systems, which were aligned around 2,000 years ago, to drift apart over the centuries. Ayanamsa systems used in Hindu astrology (also known as Vedic astrology ) include
4802-680: The assertion that the Srimad Bhagatavam, compiled by Vyasadeva , is sufficient alone to realise God. The overarching narration begins at the onset of Kali Yuga as a dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami (the son of Vyasadeva) and a group of sages headed by Saunaka , as they perform a thousand-year sacrifice for Krishna and his devotees in the forest of Naimisaranya . Questioned by the sages , topics covered by Suta Gosvami include the: SB 1.3.38 original Sanskrit: स वेद धातु: पदवीं परस्य दुरन्तवीर्यस्य रथाङ्गपाणे: । योऽमायया सन्ततयानुवृत्त्या भजेत तत्पादसरोजगन्धम् ॥ ३८ ॥ The power of
4900-658: The banks of the Ganges river (narrated by Suta Gosvami to a group of sages headed by Saunaka in the forest of Naimisaranya ). Questioned by Pariksit, the topics covered by Sukadeva Gosvami include the: SB 2.5.35 original Sanskrit: स एव पुरुषस्तस्मादण्डं निर्भिद्य निर्गत: । सहस्रोर्वङ्घ्रिबाह्वक्ष: सहस्राननशीर्षवान् ॥ ३५ ॥ Bursting open that (Cosmic) egg, issued therefrom the same Supreme Person (the Cosmic Being) with thousands of thighs, feet, arms and eyes and thousands of faces and heads too. Consisting of 33 chapters,
4998-645: The beginning of Brahman's [(Brahma's)] day the universe begins to come into being. During the period of universal dissolution the Creator sleeps in Yoga meditation. When the period of sleep expires, He awakes. (31) What is Brahman's [(Brahma's)] day covers a thousand such cycles. His night also covers a thousand similar cycles. They who know this are said to know the day and the night. — Mahabharata , Book 12 ( Shanti Parva ), Ch. 231 The Manusmriti ( a.k.a. Laws of Manu ; 1.64–80) describes units of time from
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#17327731478495096-489: The benevolent devas (deities) and evil asuras (demons) and now rule the universe. Truth re-emerges as Krishna (called " Hari " and " Vāsudeva " in the text) first makes peace with the demons, understands them and then creatively defeats them, bringing back hope, justice, freedom and happiness – a cyclic theme that appears in many legends. The Bhagavata Purana is a central text in Vaishnavism . The text presents
5194-470: The cataclysmic destruction of the Atlantean civilization . His commentator, Jean Robin , in an early 1980s publication, claimed to have decoded this description and calculated that Kali Yuga lasted from 4481 BCE to 1999 CE (2000 CE excluding year 0). In Les Quatre Âges de L’Humanité ( The Four Ages of Humanity ), a book written in 1949 by Gaston Georgel, this same end date of 1999 CE
5292-624: The colonial era. The Bhagavata Purana has been among the most celebrated and popular texts in the Puranic genre, and is, in the opinion of some, of non-dualistic tenor. But, the dualistic school of Madhvacharya has a rich and strong tradition of dualistic interpretation of the Bhagavata, starting from the Bhagavata Taatparya Nirnaya of the Acharya himself and later, commentaries on the commentary. The Chaitanya school also rejects outright any monistic interpretation of
5390-400: The compounding of voices serve to strengthen the message delivered; and second, one is left with the sense that one cannot, and indeed need not, trace out the origin of the message. From the N. P. Jain for Motilal Banarsidass translation: The divine seer, Vedavyasa , composed this Purana , known by the name of Srimad Bhagavata, which stands on a par with the Vedas and contains the stories of
5488-400: The concept of the four yugas originated some time after the compilation of the four Vedas , but prior to the rest of the Hindu texts , based on the concept's absence in the former writings. It is believed that the four yugas — Krita ( Satya ), Treta , Dvapara , and Kali —are named after throws of an Indian game of long dice , marked with 4-3-2-1 respectively. A dice game is described in
5586-455: The creation and dissolution of the Earth. The four [aims of human life] ( Dharma , Artha , Kama and Moksa ) have also been described in all the Puranas, along with evil consequences following from sin. In the sattvika Puranas there is largely a mention of Hari's glory. The Srimad Bhagavatam adds another five characteristics, expanding this list to ten. The Bhagavata further elaborates on
5684-501: The current age of ascending Dvapara Yuga started in 1699 CE around the time of scientific discoveries and advancements such as electricity. He explained that in a 24,000-year Yuga Cycle, the Sun completes one orbit around some dual star , becoming nearer and farther to a galactic center , which the pair orbit in a longer period. He called this galactic center Vishnunabhi ( Vishnu 's Navel), where Brahma regulates dharma or, as Yukteswar defined it, mental virtue. Dharma
5782-626: The days and nights of human beings about which I have told you I shall speak of the day and night of Brahman [(Brahma)] and his years also. (19) I shall, in their order, tell you the number of years that are for different purposes calculated differently, in the Krita, the Treta, the Dwapara, and the Kali yugas. (20) Four thousand celestial years is the duration of the first or Krita age. The morning of that cycle consists of four hundred years and its evening
5880-732: The differences between lesser and greater Puranas possessing five or ten characteristics, respectively. According to Hariprasad Gangashankar Shastri, the oldest surviving manuscript dates to c. 1124-25 and is held in the Sampurnananda Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya in Varanasi. Poetic or artistic license with existing materials is a strong tradition in Indian culture, a 'tradition of several hundred years of linguistic creativity' . There are variations of original manuscripts available for each Purana, including
5978-568: The end of a maha-kalpa . His 100-year life is divided into two 50-year periods, each called a parārdha . In 100 360-day years ( maha-kalpa ), there are a total of 36,000 full days: 36,000 kalpas (days proper) and 36,000 pralayas (nights). A kalpa (day of Brahma , 12 hours) lasts for 4.32 billion years, where the current ( Shveta-Varaha Kalpa ) is the 1st of 30 in his 1st month of his 51st year: A maha-kalpa (life of Brahma ) lasts for 311.04 trillion years: The Mahabharata (12.231.12–31) describes units of time from
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#17327731478496076-400: The end of the human age of Dvapara-yuga and the start of Kali-yuga , which is dated to midnight on 17/18 February 3102 BCE of the proleptic Julian calendar . We are currently halfway through Brahma's life ( maha-kalpa ), whose lifespan is equal to the duration of the manifested material elements, from which Brahma manifests his universe in kalpa cycles: A maha-kalpa
6174-486: The extremely large lengths found in the Puranas . Daniélou mostly cited Linga Purana and his calculations are based on a 4,320,000-year Yuga Cycle containing (his calculation of 1000 ÷ 14) 71.42 manvantaras , each containing 4 yugas [4:3:2:1 proportions]. He pegged 3102 BCE as the start of Kali Yuga and placed it after the dawn ( yuga-sandhya ). He claimed his dates are accurate to within 50 years, and that
6272-401: The female descendants of Svayambhuva Manu , topics covered include the: SB 4.16.17 original Sanskrit: मातृभक्ति: परस्त्रीषु पत्न्यामर्ध इवात्मन: । प्रजासु पितृवत्स्निग्ध: किङ्करो ब्रह्मवादिनाम् ॥ १७ ॥ He regards and reveres the wives of others as His mother and loves His own wife as a half of His own body. He is loving as a father to those over whom He rules; He looks upon Himself as
6370-448: The first or Krita age. The morning of that cycle consists of four hundred years and its evening is of four hundred years. (21) Regarding the other cycles, the duration of each gradually decreases by a quarter in respect of both the principal period with the minor portion and the conjoining portion itself. (29) The learned say that these twelve thousand celestial years form what is called a cycle ... Manusmriti , Ch. 1: (67) A year
6468-507: The following planetary orbital periods: Hindu units of time Traditional Hindu units of time are described in Hindu texts ranging from microseconds to trillions of years, including cycles of cosmic time that repeat general events in Hindu cosmology . Time ( kāla ) is described as eternal. Various fragments of time are described in the Vedas , Manusmriti , Bhagavata Purana , Vishnu Purana , Mahabharata , Surya Siddhanta etc. Sidereal astrology maintains
6566-651: The former composed in more archaic Sanskrit and the later in a different linguistic style, suggesting that the texts may not have been composed by one author or over a short period, but rather grew over time as a compilation of accretions from different hands. The Bhagavata Purana contains apparent references to the South Indian Alvar saints and it makes a post factum prophecy of the spread of Vishnu worship in Tamil country (BP XI.5.38–40); these facts, along with its emphasis on "emotional Bhakti to Krishna" and
6664-404: The fourth and present age, starting in 3102 BCE: Mahabharata , Book 12 ( Shanti Parva ), Ch. 231: (17) A year (of men) is equal to a day and night of the gods ... (19) I shall, in their order, tell you the number of years that are for different purposes calculated differently, in the Krita, the Treta, the Dwapara, and the Kali yugas. (20) Four thousand celestial years is the duration of
6762-415: The future. He reduced a Yuga Cycle from 4,320,000 to 4,320 years (1,728 + 1,296 + 864 + 432), but he felt this was too short for humanity's history. In looking for a multiplier, he worked backwards from the precession of the equinoxes (traditionally 25,920 years; 360 72-year degrees). Using 25,920 and 72, he calculated the sub-multiplier to be 4,320 years (72 × 60 = 4,320; 4,320 × 6 = 25,920). In noticing
6860-403: The gods'), Divya Yuga ( Sanskrit : दिव्य युग , romanized : divyayuga or divya-yuga , lit. 'a divine or celestial age'): Maha Yuga ( Sanskrit : महायुग , romanized : mahāyuga or mahā-yuga , lit. 'a great age'): Yuga Cycle ( Sanskrit : युग , lit. 'age') + (English: cycle ): It is theorized that
6958-493: The gods'): Chatur Yuga ( Sanskrit : चतुर्युग , romanized : caturyuga, catur-yuga, chaturyuga, or chatur-yuga , lit. ' catur means four; a set of the four ages'): Daiva Yuga ( Sanskrit : दैवयुग , romanized : daivayuga or daiva-yuga , lit. 'a divine or celestial age; an age of the gods'), Deva Yuga ( Sanskrit : देवयुग , romanized : devayuga or deva-yuga , lit. 'an age of
7056-438: The gods), each lasting for 360 solar (human) years. Each Yuga Cycle lasts for 4,320,000 years (12,000 divine years) with its four yugas : Krita (Satya) Yuga for 1,728,000 (4,800 divine) years, Treta Yuga for 1,296,000 (3,600 divine) years, Dvapara Yuga for 864,000 (2,400 divine) years, and Kali Yuga for 432,000 (1,200 divine) years. The current cycle's four yugas have the following dates based on Kali Yuga,
7154-492: The heart as well as to the ear. By hearing such stories one is sure to develop one after another reverence and fondness for and Devotion to the Lord, whose realization is preceded by the cessation of ignorance. Consisting of 31 chapters, the fourth canto continues the dialogues of Sukadeva Gosvami , Uddhava , and Maitreya . There are additional layers of dialogue, such as between the sage-avatar Narada and King Pracinabharhisat (as narrated by Maitreya to Vidura ). Focusing on
7252-469: The intellect of men began to develop, but not fully, they noticed mistakes and attempted to correct them by converting what they thought to be divine years to human years (1:360 ratio). Yukteswar's yuga lengths for Satya , Treta , Dvapara , and Kali are respectively 4,800, 3,600, 2,400, and 1,200 "human" years (12,000 years total). He accepted the four yugas and their 4:3:2:1 length and dharma proportions, but his Yuga Cycle contained eight yugas ,
7350-484: The length of the Golden and the other Ages, in order : the sixth part of each belongs to its dawn and twilight. There are 71 Yuga Cycles (306,720,000 years) in a manvantara , a period ruled by Manu , who is the progenitor of mankind. There are 1,000 Yuga Cycles (4,320,000,000 years) in a kalpa , a period that is a day (12-hour day proper) of Brahma , who is the creator of the planets and first living entities. There are 14 manvantaras (4,294,080,000 years) in
7448-417: The light half of the month is their day which is for work, and the dark fortnight is their night for sleep. (17) A year (of men) is equal to a day and night of the gods. This division consists in this the half year for which the sun travels from the vernal to the autumnal equinox is the day of the gods, and the half year for which the sun moves from the latter to the former is their night. (18) Calculating by
7546-422: The moon's apsis ( ucca ), in an Age, four hundred and eighty-eight thousand, two hundred and three; of its node ( pata ), in the contrary direction, two hundred and thirty-two thousand, two hundred and thirty-eight; (34) Of the asterisms, one billion, five hundred and eighty-two million, two hundred and thirty-seven thousand, eight hundred and twenty-eight.... The orbital period of heavenly bodies can be derived from
7644-417: The night (being intended) for the repose of created beings and the day for exertion. पित्र्ये रात्र्यहनी मासः प्रविभागस्तु पक्षयोः । कर्मचेष्टास्वहः कृष्णः शुक्लः स्वप्नाय शर्वरी ॥ ६६ ॥ pitrye rātryahanī māsaḥ pravibhāgastu pakṣayoḥ । karmaceṣṭāsvahaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ śuklaḥ svapnāya śarvarī ॥ 66 ॥ (66) A month is a day and night of the manes, but the division is according to fortnights. The dark (fortnight)
7742-402: The north will be the day, that during which it goes southwards the night. ब्राह्मस्य तु क्षपाहस्य यत् प्रमाणं समासतः । एकैकशो युगानां तु क्रमशस्तन्निबोधत ॥ ६८ ॥ brāhmasya tu kṣapāhasya yat pramāṇaṃ samāsataḥ । ekaikaśo yugānāṃ tu kramaśastannibodhata ॥ 68 ॥ (68) But hear now the brief (description of) the duration of a night and a day of Brahman [(Brahma)] and of the several ages (of
7840-472: The original descending set of the four yugas followed by an ascending (reversed) set, where he called each set a " Daiva Yuga " or "Electric Couple". His Yuga Cycle lasts for 24,000 years, which he believed equals one precession of the equinoxes (traditionally 25,920 years; 1,920 years difference). He states that the world entered the Pisces-Virgo Age in 499 CE ("cycle bottom"), and that
7938-408: The other three ages with their twilights preceding and following, the thousands and hundreds are diminished by one (in each). (71) These twelve thousand (years) which thus have been just mentioned as the total of four (human) ages, are called one age of the gods. Surya Siddhanta , Ch. 1: (13) ... twelve months make a year. This is called a day of the gods. (14) ... Six times sixty [360] of them are
8036-956: The period of a single orbit of a heavenly body around the Earth, the number of orbits of a heavenly body in a yuga cycle is specified. Surya Siddhanta , Ch. 1: (29) In an Age ( yuga ), the revolutions of the sun, Mercury, and Venus, and of the conjunctions ( shighra ) of Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter, moving eastward, are four million, three hundred and twenty thousand; (30) Of the moon, fifty-seven million, seven hundred and fifty-three thousand, three hundred and thirty-six; of Mars, two million, two hundred and ninety-six thousand, eight hundred and thirty-two; (31) Of Mercury's conjunction ( shighra ), seventeen million, nine hundred and thirty-seven thousand, and sixty; of Jupiter, three hundred and sixty-four thousand, two hundred and twenty; (32) Of Venus's conjunction ( shigra ), seven million, twenty-two thousand, three hundred and seventy-six; of Saturn, one hundred and forty-six thousand, five hundred and sixty-eight; (33) Of
8134-546: The principal characteristics of the genre is the status of Purana as what Doniger calls "fluid texts" (Doniger 1991, 31). The mixture of fixed form [the Puranic Characteristics] and seemingly endless variety of content has enabled the Purana to be communicative vehicles for a range of cultural positions ... [the] idea of originality is primarily Western and belies the fact that in the kind of oral genres of which
8232-466: The purana. Modern scholarship dates its composition to between 500 CE to 1000 CE, but most likely between 800 and 1000 CE. A version of the text existed no later than 1030 CE, when it is mentioned by al Biruni and quoted by Abhinavagupta . The Bhagavata Purana abounds in references to verses of the Vedas , the primary Upanishads , the Brahma Sutra of Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, and
8330-440: The sage Maitreya ; their dialogues form a third layer of narration. Topics covered by Sukadeva Gosvami, Uddhava, and Maitreya include the: SB 3.25.25 original Sanskrit: सतां प्रसङ्गान्मम वीर्यसंविदो भवन्ति हृत्कर्णरसायना: कथा: । तज्जोषणादाश्वपवर्गवर्त्मनि श्रद्धा रतिर्भक्तिरनुक्रमिष्यति ॥ २५ ॥ Through the fellowship of saints one gets to hear My stories, leading to a correct and full knowledge of My glory and pleasing to
8428-426: The same starting point and a pause on the commencement otherwise. Ebenezer Burgess postulates an intercalary month was inserted every five years to anciently maintain the correspondence of the 360-day years with the true solar years (~365.24-day years). For this reason, a traditional 360-day year is equivalent to a modern ~365.24-day solar or tropical year . According to Puranic sources , Krishna's departure marks
8526-417: The start of Brahma's days, he is re-born and creates the planets and the first living entities. At the end of his days, he and his creations are unmanifest (partial dissolution). His 100-year life (311.04 trillion years) is called a mahā-kalpa , which is followed by a mahā-pralaya (full dissolution) of equal length, where the bases of the universe, prakriti , is manifest at the start and unmanifest at
8624-566: The sun sign of Aries per tropical calculations. Sidereal Units: ( प्राण ) According to Sūrya Siddhānta : Small units of time used in the Vedas: The traditional lunar calendar system measures time based on the Moon's phases and its relation to the Sun. Unlike solar calendars, it uses units such as tithi (lunar day), pakṣa (lunar fortnight), māsa (lunar month), ṛitu (season), ayanam (half-year), and varsha (lunar year) to structure
8722-435: The text could be from the 4th to 7th century, while most others place it in the post- Alvar period around the 9th century. Parts of the text use an archaic Vedic flavour of Sanskrit, which may either suggest that its authors sought to preserve or express reverence for the Vedic tradition, or that some text has an earlier origin. There are two flavors of Krishna stories, one of warrior prince and another of romantic lover,
8820-461: The text itself is Krishna in literary form. The text consists of twelve books ( skandhas or cantos ) totalling 335 chapters ( adhyayas ) and 18,000 verses. The tenth book, with about 4,000 verses, has been the most popular and widely studied. It was the first Purana to be translated into a European language, as a French translation of a Tamil version appeared in 1788 and introduced many Europeans to Hinduism and 18th-century Hindu culture during
8918-578: The third canto continues the dialogue between Sukadeva Gosvami and Pariksit on the banks of the Ganges river . Vidura , the sudra incarnation of Yama and devotee of Krishna , is the main protagonist narrated. After being thrown out of his home by King Dhritarashtra (his older half-brother) for admonishing the Kaurava's ignoble behaviour towards the Pandavas , Vidura went on a pilgrimage where he met other devotees of Krishna such as Uddhava and
9016-668: The total of four (human) ages, are called one age of the gods. दैविकानां युगानां तु सहस्रं परिसङ्ख्यया । ब्राह्ममेकमहर्ज्ञेयं तावतीं रात्रिमेव च ॥ ७२ ॥ daivikānāṃ yugānāṃ tu sahasraṃ parisaṅkhyayā । brāhmamekamaharjñeyaṃ tāvatīṃ rātrimeva ca ॥ 72 ॥ (72) But know that the sum of one thousand ages of the gods (makes) one day of Brahman [(Brahma)], and that his night has the same length. Bhagavata Purana Divisions Sama vedic Yajur vedic Atharva vedic Vaishnava puranas Shaiva puranas Shakta puranas The Bhagavata Purana ( Sanskrit : भागवतपुराण ; IAST : Bhāgavata Purāṇa ), also known as
9114-636: The twilight following it of the same number. इतरेषु ससन्ध्येषु ससन्ध्यांशेषु च त्रिषु । एकापायेन वर्तन्ते सहस्राणि शतानि च ॥ ७० ॥ itareṣu sasandhyeṣu sasandhyāṃśeṣu ca triṣu । ekāpāyena vartante sahasrāṇi śatāni ca ॥ 70 ॥ (70) In the other three ages with their twilights preceding and following, the thousands and hundreds are diminished by one (in each). यदेतत् परिसङ्ख्यातमादावेव चतुर्युगम् । एतद् द्वादशसाहस्रं देवानां युगमुच्यते ॥ ७१ ॥ yadetat parisaṅkhyātamādāveva caturyugam । etad dvādaśasāhasraṃ devānāṃ yugamucyate ॥ 71 ॥ (71) These twelve thousand (years) which thus have been just mentioned as
9212-468: The understanding that Kali Yuga lasts for 432,000 years was a mistake, which he traced back to Raja Parikshit , just after the descending Dvapara Yuga ended ( c. 3101 BCE) and all the wise men of his court retired to the Himalaya Mountains. With no one left to correctly calculate the ages, Kali Yuga never officially started. After 499 CE, in ascending Dvapara Yuga , when
9310-407: The world, yuga) according to their order. चत्वार्याहुः सहस्राणि वर्षाणां तत् कृतं युगम् । तस्य तावत्शती सन्ध्या सन्ध्यांशश्च तथाविधः ॥ ६९ ॥ catvāryāhuḥ sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṃ tat kṛtaṃ yugam । tasya tāvatśatī sandhyā sandhyāṃśaśca tathāvidhaḥ ॥ 69 ॥ (69) They declare that the Krita age (consists of) four thousand years (of the gods); the twilight preceding it consists of as many hundreds, and
9408-571: The year. This system was integral to ancient cultures for tracking time, planning festivals, and guiding agricultural practices. The following section provides an overview of these key time units and their relationships: Tropical metrics are time units used to measure intervals based on the tropical year and related cycles. This system includes units such as ghaṭi (base unit), yāma (a period of 7.5 ghaṭis), and ahorātram (a full day comprising 8 yāmas). The following section explains these units and their approximate durations, offering insight into how time
9506-400: Was a more plausible length that may line up with humanity's history. He calculated a 64,800 manvantara divided into a 4,320 "encoded" Yuga Cycle gave a multiplier of 15 (5 "great years"). Using 15 as the multiplier, he "decoded" a 5-"great year" Yuga Cycle as having the following yuga lengths: Guénon did not give a start date for Kali Yuga , but instead left clues in his description of
9604-652: Was calculated; although, in his 1983 book titled Le Cycle Judéo-Chrétien ( The Judeo-Christian Cycle ), he later argued to shift the cycle forward by 31 years to end in 2030 CE. Alain Daniélou (1907–1994) proposed a Yuga Cycle of 60,487 years in his book While the Gods Play: Shaiva Oracles and Predictions on the Cycles of History and the Destiny of Mankind (1985). Daniélou and René Guénon had some correspondence where they both couldn't accept
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