yuga | युग
Yuga (Devanagari: युग; ISO 15919: yuga) refers to a cyclical age of cosmic time in Vedic cosmology.
There are four distinct Yugas that repeat in a continuous cycle known as a Chaturyuga (totaling 4.32 million human years). They appear in descending order of duration and virtue, corresponding to the gradual loss of the four "Pillars of Dharma" (Truth, Austerity, Mercy, and Charity).
The Four Ages
- Satya Yuga (Golden Age): Lasts 1,728,000 years. Dharma stands on all 4 pillars.
- Treta Yuga (Silver Age): Lasts 1,296,000 years. Dharma stands on 3 pillars.
- Dvapara Yuga (Bronze Age): Lasts 864,000 years. Dharma stands on 2 pillars.
- KaliYuga (Iron Age): The current age, lasting 432,000 years. Dharma stands on only 1 pillar.
Further Reading and Reference
- Related Concepts: Vedic time
- Reference: Prema Rasa Madira - The Intoxicating Bliss of Divine Love, Vol. 1, Ch. 1