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Concept of Yuga Explained

-BY Ramakant Dube

The yuga system is a Sanatana yuga calendar of universe created by the creator of universe and made available to humans through MANUSMRITI.  According to Sanskrit text of Manu Smriti there are four yugas namely Satya Yuga (Krita yuga) of 4800 years, Treta yuga of 3600 years, Dwapar yuga of 2400 years and Kali yuga of 1200 years. The spans of these yugas are in normal years i.e. in human years and all these yugas run in cyclic manner, starting from Satya yuga. The total duration of all these four yugas is 12000 years which is known as a Chatur Yuga.

The Manu Smriti also states that like Chatur yuga there is a Divine yuga which consists of 12000 Divine years.  Since one Divine year is equal to 360 human years therefore one Divine yuga is equal to 360 Chatur yuga of 12000 human years. In other word one Divine yuga contains 360 cycles of Chatur Yuga of12000 human years. This means that on completion of360 cycles of Chatur Yuga of 12000 human years one Divine yuga gets completed due to cyclic nature of time. This Divine yuga is also called Maha yuga and total number of years in this Divine yuga are 12000x360=4320000 years.

The various units of yuga in human years as per Manu Smriti are summarize below

1. Chatur yuga =12000 years (4800+3600+2400+1200)

2. Divine yuga (Maha yuga) = 360 cycles of Chatur yuga i.e. 360x12000=4320000 years.

3. Manvantara =71 Divine yuga (Maha yuga)

4. Kalpa = 1000 Divine yuga (Maha yuga).

The interpreters/translators, of Manu smriti and other related text regarding yugas, wrongly interpreted the meaning of Sanskrit verses and assumed that Chatur yuga and Divine yuga (Maha yuga) are the same having the duration of 12000 Divine years or 4320000 human years. This mistake made the spans of yugas longer as under which is not correct.

Satya Yuga          4800 Dev years = 4800 x 360 =1728000 years

Treta yuga          3600 Dev years = 3600 x 360 =1296000 years

Dwapar yuga     2400 Dev years = 2400 x 360 = 864000 years

Kali yuga             1200 Dev years = 1200 x 360 = 432000 years

Chatur yuga = Divine yuga (Maha yuga) = 12000 x 360 = 4320000 years

 The correct and realistic spans of Satya, Treta, Dwapar and Kali yuga are 4800,3600,2400,1200 years as stated earlier.

Since Divine yuga (Maha yuga) contains 360 cycles of Chatur yoga of 12000 years therefore the total numbers of years (yuga wise) in a Divine yuga (Maha yuga) are as follows

1728000 years of Satya yuga

1296000 years of Treta yuga

864000 years of Dwapar yuga

432000 years of Kali yuga

Total - 4320000 years of Divine yuga (Maha yuga)

 The number of years shown against each yuga does not constitute the span or age of that yuga but it is a total of years in 360 spans (not in continuity) existing in Divine yuga (Maha yuga).

According to puranic sources, Kali yuga is believed to have begun on 18th February 3102 BCE. At this time 324th cycle of Chatur yuga in 28th Divine yuga (Maha yuga) of Vaivasvata Manvantara was running. based on this information the time period for each of 4 yugas is as follows.                                                                      

1 Satya Yuga          13902 BCE to 9102 BCE- Period of start of human settlements and agriculture

2 Treta yuga           9102 BCE to 5502 BCE- Period of shri Ram birth and Ramayan            

3 Dwapar yuga      5502 BCE to 3102 BCE- Period of shri Krishana birth and Mahabharat

4 Kali yuga             3102 BCE to 1902 BCE- Period of shri Goutam Buddha birth

With the end of Kaliyuga in 1902 BCE the 324th cycle of Chatur Yuga ended and 325thcycle started with the start of Satya yuga in1902 BCE which shall continue up to 2898 CE i.e. up to year 2898. So, at present we are living in Satya yuga.