From the Bhakti List Archives

• October 16, 2001


Dear Bhagavatha,

Here is some additional info on the yugas.

Yuga: A measurement of time in Hinduism. There are four Yugas

Krita or Satya Yuga : 1, 728,000 years      (Golden Age)
Treta Yuga              : 1,296,000 years.......(Silver Age)
Dvapara Yuga          :   864,000  years.......(Brass Age)
Kali Yuga                :   432,000  years.......(Iron Age)

The present Kaliyuga began in 3102 B.C. That means only 5102 years have so 
far elapsed in the Kaliyuga.  So to say the present age started 5102 years 
ago. There was a flood prior to the beginning of Kaliyuga.

Note: The age of earth predicted from the Bible is 5754 years. The Bible 
talks about a flood during Noah's time who is eighth generation from Adam, 
the first man according to the Bible. 

The Mahabharatha war took place 34 years prior to the beginning of Kali Yuga. 
Thus the great war took place approximately 5136 years ago.  

The four Yugas together form Mahayuga = 4,320,000 years
A Mahayuga is also called Manvantara. We are in  the seventh Manvantara and 
it is called the Vaivasvata Manvantara.

Two thousand Mahayugas make a Kalpa (or day and night of Brahma, which is 
equal to 8,640,000,000 years). The night of Brahma endures a thousand cycles 
of time (4,320,000,000 years), after which the God awakens and renews the day 
of Brahma (4,320,000,000 years).  The present Kalpa is called Svetavaraha 
Kalpa.

Note: There are 864,00 seconds in our day. Thus Kalpa is a simple multiple of 
this figure.
1Kalpa = 14 Manus
1 Manu = 71 Mahayugas
1 Mahayuga = 4320000 yrs.
Sandhya = (2/5) x Mahayuga

1 Kalpa= 14 x 71 x 4320000 + 15*x (2/5) x 4320000 yrs=1000 Mahayugas
*In between two successive Manus, there is a Sandhya period.

We are under the Svetavaraha Kalpa in which already six Manus are over. We 
are now in the seventh Manu called Vaivasvata Manvantara.  Even in this 
seventh Manu, 27 Mahayuga are over.  In the 28 th Mahayuga, the first three 
Yugas Krta, treta, Dwapara are completed.  The fourth Kali Yuga is currently 
running.  Kaliyuga commenced at the mid-night between 17 th and 18 th 
February of 3102 BC.

Thus, the total period elapsed in the

Svetavaraha Kalpa = Six Manus + Krta+Treta+Dwapara+1995+3102 yrs.
                      = 6 x 71 Mahayuga + krta +Treta +Dwapara +5097 yrs.
                      = 6 x 71 x 4320000 +1728000+1296000+864000+5097 yrs.
                      = 1844213097 yrs.
                      = 1.844213097 Billion yrs.
      ie.,   approximately 1.84 Billion yrs.   

Thus the total time elapsed in this Kalpa is approximately 1.84 billion 
years, and approximately 2.84 billion years are remaining.  At the end of 
this period begins the night of Brahma (rest) which will last for 4.32 
billion years after which a new day of Brahma (and a new Kalpa) starts. 

Ref: Dictionary of Mythology by Gertrude Jobes, The Scarecrow Press Inc., New 
York, 1961.

For  age of earth predicted from Bible: quoted in "Orthodox Jews making 
dinosaur ads extinct" -Knight-Ridder News Service, Cincinnati Enquirer 
(sometime in 1993)

        Posted for Hindu Vani/Cincinnati by me on 1/3/1995


Daasan,

K. Seekrishna Tatachar


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