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Cosmic cycles in Hinduism

In Hinduism, since the Puranic age, time has been divided up into cosmic cycles, known as yugas, mahayugas and manvantaras. Like this classical world ages of Greece and Rome, time is divided into four consecutive ages: Krita (or satya), Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. Kali is the current yuga, which began on midnight, February 18th, 3102 BCE (year one according to the Hindu calendar).

The Four Yugas (Mahayuga)

The number four is symbolic of totality and perfection, which is the root meaning of the word Krita, the first yuga in the cycle. Corresponding with the symbol of the dharmic bovine standing on four legs, and the highest throw (four) in an old Indian dice game dating from the Brahmanic period, the Krita yuga is an age of ethical and spiritual perfection. The people living in this age are in complete harmony with dharma. The next age is Treta, meaning ‘three,’ corresponding with the dharmic bovine who now stands on three legs, and a roll of three in the game of dice. Imperfection has reduced Dharma by one quarter. The third yuga is Dvapara, meaning two. The dharmic bovine balances on two legs, corresponding with a dice roll of two. Dharma is again cut by one quarter. The fourth and final age is the Kali yuga. This is the most unluckiest throw of the dice. Kali means ‘worst,’ and is an age marked by decreasing depravity. Dharma, being cut again by another quarter is reduced to 25%. The bovine balances precariously on one leg.

1. Krita: Perfection (100% dharma)
2. Treta: Three (75% dharma)
3. Dvapara: Two (50% dharma)
4. Kali: Worst (25% dharma)

Each yuga is measured in terms of divine years (years of the gods), and also consists of a period of dawn (sandhyamsha) and twilight (sandhya), both of equal length. The Krita yuga lasts for a period of 4000 divine years (+ 2 x 4000 = 4800 divine years); the Treta yuga for 3000 divine years (+ 2 x 300 = 3600 divine years); the Dvapara yuga for 2000 divine years (+ 2 x 200 = 2400 divine years); and the Kali yuga for 1000 divine years (+ 2 X 200 divine years). In total the four yugas add up to 12000 divine years, which is the period of a complete cycle called a mahayuga (great cycle).

1. Krita: 4000 divine years plus 400 x 2 = 4800 divine years
2. Treta: 3000 divine years plus 300 x 2 = 3600 divine years
3. Dvapara: 2000 divine years plus 200 x 2 = 2400 divine years
4. Kali: 1000 divine years plus 100 x 2 = 1200 divine years

A divine year is equal to 360 solar years, which the Krita yuga is 1728000 years; Treta 1296000 years, Dvapara 864000 years, and the Kali yuga 432000 years, adding up to 4320000 solar years, making a mahayuga exactly ten times greater than the current age of Kali.

1. Krita: 1728000 solar years
2. Treta: 1296000 solar years
3. Dvapara: 864000 solar years
4. Kali: 432000 solar years

Kalpa (1000 Mahayugas)

1000 Mahayugas equals one kalpa, which is also the length of a day in the life of a creator/demiurge, Brahma. A night of a Brahma is also of equal length. A day and night of a Brahma (ahoratra: 4320000 X 2 = 8640000 solar years) correspond with the partial creation (sristi) and dissolution (pralaya) of the universe. A year of a Brahma (8640000 x 360) is a total of 3110400000 solar years. The life of a Brahma (3110400000 x 100 = 311040000000 solar years) consists of 36000 partial cosmic creations and dissolutions (8640000 x 36000 = 311040000000 solar years), after which the universe undergoes total dissolution (mahapralaya). After another period equal to the lifespan of a Brahma, another Brahma will emerge from the lotus attached to the sleeping Vishnu’s navel, and creation will recommence.

Manvantaras

Also there are Manvantaras or Manu-periods/intervals, which seem to be another system of cosmic cycles entirely. Manu is the Hindu equivalent of the Biblical Noah, and therefore a type of flood hero, common to many mythologies, and each Manvantara has its own Manu, upholding dharma. There are 14 manvantaras equal to almost 1 kalpa (a day in the life of a Brahma), consisting of 994 mahayugas. To make up the difference, the first manvantara is preceeded by a dawn the length of one Krita yuga (0.4 of a Mahayuga), while all 14 manvantaras are followed by a twilight of the same length (15 x 0.4 = 6 mahayugas), bringing to total up to 1000 mahayugas (kalpa). A manvantara is equal to 71 mahayugas. We are currently in the 28th mahayuga, of the 7th manvantara (The period of the seventh Manu Vaivasvata who was rescued from a deluge by Vishnu incarnate as a fish) of the current kalpa, known as the Varaha kalpa, ‘the age of the boar.’ At the beginning of the kalpa (the first Manvantara) Vishnu, incarnate as a boar, saved Earth from the bottom of the cosmic ocean. We are currently in the 457th yuga of the Varaha kalpa.

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