THE passage of time within a mah ā-yuga influences for
the worse man and the world in which he lives. This
passage is marked by the four ages (yuga), called Satya,
Treta, Dvāpara, and Kali-yuga, the last being that in
which it is generally supposed the world now is. The
yuga1 is a fraction of a kalpa, or day of Brahmā of
4,320,000,000 years. The kalpa, is divided into fourteen
manvantaras, which are again subdivided into seventyone
mahā yuga; the length of each of which is 4,320,000
human years. The mahā-yuga (great age) is itself
composed of four yuga (ages)—(a) Satya, (b) Treta,
(c) Dvapara, (d) Kali. Official science teaches that man
appeared on the earth in an imperfect state, from which
he has since been gradually, though continually, raising
himself. Such teaching is, however, in conflict with the
traditions of all peoples—Jew, Babylonian, Egyptian,
Hindu, Greek, Roman, and Christian—which speak of
an age when man was both innocent and happy. From
this state of primal perfection he fell, continuing his
descent until such time as the great Avatāras, Christ
and others, descended to save his race and enable it to
regain the righteous path. The Garden of Eden is the
emblem of the paradisiacal body of man. There man
was one with Nature. He was himself paradise, a
privileged enclosure in a garden of delight2—gan be
Eden. Et eruditus est Moyse omni sapientia Ægyptiorum.
1 See Bentley, “Hindu Astronomy” (1823), p. 10.
2 Genesis ii. 8. Paradise is commonly confused with Eden, but the two
are
different. Paradise is in Eden.
The Satya Yuga is, according to Hindu belief, the
Golden Age of righteousness, free of sin, marked by
longevity, physical strength, beauty, and stature. “There
were giants in those days” whose moral, mental, and
physical strength enabled them to undergo long brahmacārya
(continence) and tapas (austerities). Longevity
permitted lengthy spiritual exercises. Life then depended
on the marrow, and lasted a lakh of years,1 men
dying when they willed. Their stature was 21 cubits. To
this age belong the Avatāras or incarnations of Viṣṇu,
Matsya, Kūrma, Varāha, Nṛ -siṃ ha, and Vāmana. Its
duration is computed to be 4,800 Divine years, which,
when multiplied by 360 (a year of the Devas being equal
to 360 human years) are the equivalent of 1,728,000 of the
years of man.
The second age, or Treta (three-fourth) Yuga, is that
in which righteousness (dharma) decreased by onefourth.
The duration was 3,600 Divine years, or 1,296,000
human years. Longevity, strength, and stature decreased.
Life was in the bone, and lasted 10,000 years.
Man's stature was 14 cubits. Of sin there appeared onequarter,
and of virtue there remained three-quarters.
Men were still attached to pious and charitable acts,
penances, sacrifice and pilgrimage, of which the chief
was that to Naimiśāraṇ ya. In this period appeared the
avatāras of Viṣ ṇ u as Paraśurāma and Rāma.
The third, or Dvāpara (one-half) yuga, is that in
which righteousness decreased by one-half, and the
1 Cf. the Biblical account of the long-lived patriarchs, Methuselah and
others: and for more favourable modern estimate of the “Primitives,” see
M.
A. Leblond, “L’Ideal du dixneuvième siècle,” and Elie Reclus’ celebrated
work
on the Primitives (1888).
duration was 2,400 Divine, or 864,000 human years. A
further decrease in longevity and strength, and increase
of weakness and disease mark this age. Life which
lasted 1,000 years was centred in the blood. Stature was
7 cubits. Sin and virtue were of equal force. Men
became restless, and though eager to acquire knowledge,
were deceitful, and followed both good and evil
pursuits. The principal place of pilgrimage was Kuruks
etra. To this age belongs (according to Vyāsa,
Anuṣ tubhācaryā and Jaya-deva) the avatāra of Viṣṇu as
Bala-rāma, the elder brother of Kṛ ṣ ṇ a, who, according to
other accounts, takes his place. In the samdhya, or
intervening period of 1,000 years between this and the
next yuga the Tantra was revealed, as it will be
revealed at the dawn of every Kali-yuga.
Kali-yuga is the alleged present age, in which righteousness
exists to the extent of one-fourth only, the
duration of which is 1,200 Divine, or 432,000 human years.
According to some, this age commenced in 3120 B. C. on
the date of Viṣṇu’s return to heaven after the eighth
incarnation. This is the period which, according to the
Purāṇ as and Tantras, is characterized by the prevalence
of viciousness, weakness, disease, and the general
decline of all that is good. Human life, which lasts at
most 120, or, as some say, 100, years, is dependent on
food. Stature is 3½ cubits. The chief pilgrimage is now
to the Ganges. In this age has appeared the Buddha
Avatāra.
The last, or Kalki Avatāra, the Destroyer of sin, has
yet to come. It is He who will destroy iniquity and
restore the age of righteousness. The Kalki-Purāṇ a
speaks of Him as one whose body is blue like that of the
rain-charged cloud, who with sword in hand rides, as
does the rider of the Apocalypse, a white horse swift as
the wind, the Cherisher of the people, Destroyer of the
race of the Kali-yuga, the source of true religion. And
Jayadeva, in his Ode to the Incarnations, addresses
Him thus: For the destruction of all the impure thou
drawest thy scimitar like a blazing comet. O how
tremendous! Oh, Keśava, assuming the body of Kalki;
Be victorious, O Hari, Lord of the Universe!” With the
satya-yuga a new maha-yuga will commence and the
ages will continue to revolve with their rising and
descending races until the close of the kalpa or day of
Brahma. Then a night of dissolution (pralaya) of equal
duration follows, the Lord reposing in yoganidrā (yoga
sleep in pralaya) on the Serpent Śeṣ a, the Endless One,
till day-break, when the universe is created and the
next kalpa follows.
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