Yuga

A yuga (Sanskrit: युग, lit. 'age'), in Hinduism, is a large period of time as it relates to the past, present and future.[1] It is mostly used to describe one of the four dharmic ages—Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga or Kali Yuga—or a cycle of the four ages, Chatur Yuga.[2][3]

For the 2006 film, see Yuga (film).
For the cycle, see Yuga Cycle.

Depending on context, it can refer to one of the seasons, generations, reigns, kalpas (days of Brahma), stages of creation (manifest, maintain, unmanifest), or 1,000 year periods.[4]

Etymology

The archaic form of the Sanskrit word "yuga" is "yug". Other forms are "yugam", "yugānāṃ" and "yuge". In Latin, "juga" or "jug" is used from the word "jugum", meaning a "yoke" used to connect two oxen (e.g. cali-juga = kali-yuga).[5] "Yuga" and the similar word "yoga" are derived from Sanskrit: युज्, romanized: yuj, lit. 'to join or yoke'. "Yuj" is believed to be derived from the Proto-Indo-European language word "yeug", meaning 'to join or unite'.[6]

Yuga cycle characteristics

There are a total of four yugas in a cycle: Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga, each having 1/4th less duration and dharma than the previous (Satya most, Kali least). The descending yugas see a gradual decline of dharma, wisdom, knowledge, intellectual capability, lifespan, emotional and physical strength.[7][8]

  • Satya Yuga (Krita Yuga, "the age of truth" or the "Hindu golden age"): the first and best yuga in a cycle. It is the age of truth and perfection. This yuga has no crime and all humans are kind and friendly. The Krita Yuga is so named because humans are long living, powerfully built, honest, youthful, vigorous, erudite and virtuous. The four Vedas are one. All mankind can attain to supreme blessedness. There is no agriculture or mining since the earth yields those riches on its own. Weather is pleasant and everyone is happy. There is no disease, decrepitude, or fear of anything. Virtue reigns supreme. This yuga starts with humans having an average lifespan of 100,000 years and stature of 21 cubits (33 ft, 6 inches).[9]
  • Treta Yuga: the second yuga in a cycle. "Treta" means "third" and it has three quarters virtue and one quarter sinfulness. In this age, virtue diminishes slightly. At the beginning of the age, many emperors rise to dominance and conquer the world. Wars become frequent and weather begins to change to extremities. Agriculture, labor and mining become existent. This yuga starts with humans having an average lifespan of 10,000 years and stature of 14 cubits (22 ft, 4 inches).[10]
  • Dvapara Yuga: the third yuga in a cycle. "Dvapara" means "two" and it has two quarters virtue and two quarters sinfulness. In this age, people become tainted with qualities and aren't as strong as their ancestors. Diseases become rampant. Humans are discontent and fight each other. The Vedas are divided into four parts. People still possess characteristics of youth in old age. This yuga starts with humans having an average lifespan of 1000 years and stature of 7 cubits (11 ft, 2 inches).[8]
  • Kali Yuga: the last yuga in a cycle. There is one quarter virtue and three quarters sinfulness. It is the age of darkness and ignorance. People stop following dharma and lack virtue. They become slaves to their passions and are barely as powerful as their earliest ancestors of Satya Yuga. Society falls into disuse and people become liars and hypocrites. Knowledge is lost and scriptures are diminished. Humans eat forbidden and dirty food. The environment is polluted causing a scarcity in food and water. Wealth is heavily diminished. Families become non-existent. This yuga starts with humans having an average lifespan of 100 years and stature of 3.5 cubits (5 ft, 3 inches).[11]

See also

References
  1. Sundarraj, M. (1997) [1st ed. 1994]. "Ch. 4 Asvins⁠—Time-Keepers". In Mahalingam, Dr. N. (ed.). RG Vedic Studies. Coimbatore: Rukmani Offset Press. p. 219. It is quite clear that the smallest unit was the 'nimisah' ['winking of eyes'], and that time in the general sense of past, present and future was indicated by the word 'yuga'.
  2. "yuga". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
  3. A kalpa is described as lasting 1,000 catur-yuga in Bhagavata Purana 12.4.2 ("catur-yuga") and Bhagavad Gita 8.17 ("yuga") :
    * "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāṇa) 12.4.2". Bhaktivedanta Vedabase. Retrieved 2020-05-10. One thousand cycles of four ages [catur-yuga] constitute a single day of Brahmā, known as a kalpa. In that period, O King, fourteen Manus come and go.
    * "Bhagavad-gītā As It Is 8.17". Bhaktivedanta Vedabase. Retrieved 2020-05-10. By human calculation, a thousand ages [yuga] taken together form the duration of Brahmā’s one day. And such also is the duration of his night.
  4. Kane, P. V. (September 1936). Sukthankar, Dr. V. S.; Fyzee, A. A. A.; Bhagwat, Prof. N. K. (eds.). "Kalivarjya (actions forbidden in the Kali Age)". Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. The Asiatic Society of Bombay. Vol. 12: 1–2. In a few places yuga means yoke ... In many places it appears to refer to a very brief period ... Generally yuga appears to mean in the Rigveda 'generation' ... In other places 'yuga' must be given the sense of a 'long period of time' ...
  5. Lewis Ph. D., Charlton T. (1879). A Latin Dictionary. Oxford University Press. p. 1016. ISBN 0198642016. Jugo : in general, to join, connect. Jugum : [kindred to sanskrit yuga from yug-, jungere ; v. jungo], a yoke for oxen, a collar for horses.
  6. yuj hypothetical source is yeug.
  7. "The Age of Kali". vedabase.io. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  8. "Bg. 8.17". vedabase.io. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  9. "CHAPTER SEVENTEEN". vedabase.io. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  10. "During Treta-yuga". vaniquotes.org. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
  11. "The Symptoms of Kali-yuga". vedabase.io. Retrieved 3 November 2020.
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