Four Yugas in order According to Calculation in Hinduism.

In this episode, we are discussing the period of four Yugas in order mentioned in Sanatan Dharma. About which there is always a debate. We have already done two parts to this. In the first part, we gathered a lot of facts. In the second part, we analyzed them and also tried to know how we got the physiological or philosophical explanation of Yugas. After that, we discussed the date of the beginning of Kali Yuga. And in the final, we got stuck in a problem. From which it seems almost impossible to get out. Because if we see, now we are not able to accept millions of years of Yugas, nor thousands of years.

Because considering the period of millions of years. Then Ramayana should have happened about 9,00,000- 10,00,000 years ago. And if we accepted the period of Yugas of thousands of years. Then Kali Yuga should have ended almost by now. It is becoming difficult to accept the concept of both periods of Yugas. In this episode as third part, we will try to solve this problem. Will try to know what mistakes we have made. And what things we have not understood properly. If you are new to the Website, then keep continue reading to the website regularly. Because every week we keep bringing Articles on scientific topics related to religion like this.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak opinion on Puranas.

At the beginning of this part. I will start with one thing about the great Sanskrit scholar and nationalist leader Honorable Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He told in his book "The arctic home in the Vedas" that when the Puranas were composed. The author of the Puranas composed the Puranas almost in the first century AD. This was the same time Christianity was spreading very fast.

So at that time, we had the facts about the Yugas. That there are 4 Yugas of 12,000 years out of which Kali Yuga is of 1,200 years. Now if it is seen from that point of view then according to 1,200 years. Kali Yuga should have already ended. But the authors of the Puranas were not ready to accept that Kali Yuga is over. Because Christianity was spreading very fastly.

There is no concept of divine years.

So what they did do? they brought a factor of 360 and they told that the 1200 years we are talking about Kali Yuga. This is the divine year and the divine year is equal to 360 human years. That's why we have to multiply 1200 by 360. So we get Kali Yuga of 4,32,000 years. And then Kali Yuga is going on. It has been proved that Kali Yuga is still going on.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak has also said this only because if you see, before the Puranas, be it Vedas or Mahabharata. Which were composed before Puranas. There is no concept of divine years. We had seen in Atharva Veda also, the mantra which I had presented before you in the context of Four Yugas in order. It is mentioned nowhere about divine years. So it can be assumed that the concept of divine years came in Puranas. Then from there we have been considering the period of Yugas of millions of years.

Mystery of Divyavarsha as per Four Yugas in order

But now we also have to understand why the authors of Puranas considered 1 divine year as 360 human years only. Why not considered 300 or considered 240? or considered to be 500 human years? there is a scientific principle behind it too. When they considered 360 human years, it was the total duration of 4 Yugas i.e. 12,000 So when they multiply 360 by 12,000, we get 43,20,000, and this number was very important in ancient Indian astronomy. If you see Surya Siddhanta or Aryabhatiya, then there is the biggest unit of time, which was called 'Maha Yuga'. A Maha Yuga was that period in which the earth used to make 43,20,000 rounds of the sun.

This means this unit was created so that all the events happening in the universe at the cosmic level could be measured. These units have to be made, as such if you see what is the unit of distance we have? We have centimeters, meters, and kilometers to measure the distance but we use all these in our world. But if we want to measure the distance of a star or how far is a galaxy from our galaxy? Then if we measure in meters, centimeters, and kilometers, a very large number will come out. For this, we made a light-year unit. Our modern astronomy brings the concept of a light year, that the distance traveled by light in one year is light-year distance. Now when this unit came, this unit is big enough so when we talk in this unit, we have manageable numbers.

Indian tradition of astronomy on Four Yugas in order

So that's why our ancient Indian tradition of astronomy has been that there is the largest unit of time as well as we have the smallest unit such as truti, and kala. As well as the larger unit was also made that the things that are happening at the cosmic level, like when the earth formed? when the universe started? So that we could easily handle those huge numbers that are why the concept of Maha Yuga came.

Aa well as 1 Maha Yuga was equal to 43,20,000 years, but this Maha Yuga had nothing to do with the 4 Yugas. It was just an astronomical number to understand things, to understand physics. Later, when this number matched, then the author of Puranas added with the 4 Yugas, and then from there, we started considering the total period of 4 Yugas as Maha Yugas, and then these things have been going on from there. If we leave the period of Yugas of millions of years and come back to the period of Yugas of thousands of years, then there is still the problem of Kali Yuga ending. So let's look ahead and try to understand it.

The Four Yugas in order And Yuga Cycle of 24000 Years

In 1894, sage Sri Yukteswar Ji from Bengal. He wrote a book called "The Holy Science", in which he discussed in detail the period of the Yugas. Why the book is important now, for this you have to know about Sri Yukteswar ji. Sri Yukteswar ji was the teacher of Paramahansa Yogananda ji. You must have heard the name Paramahansa Yogananda ji, his book "Autobiography of Yogi" is very popular. He was his guru and while on one hand, he had knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads, on the other hand, he had a lot of interest in astronomy.

Also he had two school runs one in Bengal and one in Orissa. Where he used to give knowledge on astronomy along with Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita to his disciples. He also continued the traditional knowledge of our astronomy in the 19th century. Sri Yukteswar ji tells in his book that the total duration of the 4 Yugas is only 12,000 years, but the cycle that takes place is not 12,000 years. This cycle is of 24,000 years. Why did he say this? He said that first, this cycle in 12,000 years comes slowly from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga. And after that the second 12,000 years, it goes back from Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga.

Four Yugas in order of Ascending and Descending

It is not that Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, Kali Yuga come and immediately Satya Yuga starts and then we again come from Satya Yuga to Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga and again it starts from Satya Yuga. He said that it is not a cycle of 12,000 years. This cycle is of 24,000 years. We will come from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga and then we will go back from Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga. Why does he say this?

There are two reasons behind this. Firstly, if we see, whatever changes are coming from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga in our society or our materialistic world, they are coming slowly and gradually. We're on one side in Satya yuga there was religion all around, then in Treta Yuga, there were three pillars of religion. Then in our Dvapara Yuga, there were two. And in Kali Yuga, there is one. And slowly becomes zero and unrighteousness comes.

When religion is re-established, it happens slowly.

Then it will not happen that unrighteousness has come and one night came such that as soon as the night ends and when the sun rises there is again religion all around, and Satya Yuga has come. This type of sudden change does not happen in nature. This is in contradiction to the law of nature, then Sri Yukteswar ji said that any change in nature will be gradual. Like if religion is slowly dying from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga, then when religion is re-established, it happens slowly. Then after that when we move forward from zero, a pillar comes from Kali Yuga. Then two pillars come from Dvapara Yuga and then three pillars come from Treta Yuga and then Satya Yuga comes, this the whole cycle continues. Then Satya Yuga starts declining, Kali Yuga comes, and then ascending cycle comes from Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga.

Four Yugas in order According to "Precession of the Equinoxes".

So Sri Yukteswar ji told according to the natural cycle. This is the first reason. The second reason is scientific. It is the Precession cycle which we also called the "Precession of the Equinoxes". Means the Earth, which is its axis, around which it is rotating. That axis is tilted by 23.4 degrees. And the angle of tilt is 23.4 degrees at present. It does not last forever. Also keeps on changing.

It goes from 21.5 to 24 degrees, because the axis of the earth itself is also rotating. So this one rotation takes approximately 25,700 to 25,800 years. And if you go to the calculation made in Surya Siddhanta, then there one rotation is taking about 24,000 years according to the calculation of Surya Siddhanta. So that's why it is believed that the earth's axis takes a complete rotation in 24,000 years. That's why the seasons repeat themselves again after 24,000 years.

That's why this is the complete cycle of 1 Yuga. And if you see at Greek astronomy, then there are also 24,000 years that take as a great year means a perfect year. In Jainism too, we have a cycle of 24,000 years, because Sri Yukteswar ji was a great scholar of Western texts and Indian texts, he told that this cycle of Yugas is not of 12,000 but of 24,000 years. But the problem is not solved yet.

Is Kali Yuga over?

Because if we see then Kali Yuga is of 1,200 years. And even if we assume that Kali Yuga begins after the end of Kali Yuga. Means descending Kali Yuga is over after that ascending Kali Yuga comes. Then 1,200 and 1,200 will be 2,400 years the total duration of Kali Yuga. And the starting date of Kali Yuga that we have is 3,000 BC and 5,000 BC. Even if we add 2,400 years to it. Then only the Kali Yuga is over. But is the Kali Yuga over? And are we live in Dvapara Yuga? Or is there something else left or is there any such aspect that we cannot understand properly? So there is one more thing left. We will understand this very well.

The Four Yugas in order of Equal Duration

Till now we have read this, and know that there is a portion in the duration of the yugas. There is an arithmetic progression in their periods. For example, if we double the period of Kali Yuga. Then we will get Dvapara Yuga. And if we multiply it three times then we will get Treta Yuga. And then if we multiply it four times, we will get Satya Yuga. So, we have accepted that period is there, it is in portion. There is also a dispute regarding this, and this dispute is not of today. These disputes have happened between astronomers like Brahmagupta, and Aryabhatta. Because if we see, Al Biruni named was a very good astronomer from the Islamic golden age, mathematician, and philosopher.

He came to India around the 11th century and read many Sanskrit scriptures in India. In India he stayed in many schools in India, and tried to understand things. Then he wrote a book on the history of India by the name of "History of India". In that book, he told that Brahmagupta ji did not agree with Aryabhatta ji about the duration of Yugas. And he said because Aryabhatta ji takes an equal duration of Yugas. He had said that Satya Yuga is also of 3,000 years. After that Treta Yuga is also of 3,000 years, after that Dvapara Yuga is also of 3,000 years and Kali Yuga too 3,000 years.

Brahmagupta ji did not agree with Aryabhatta ji.

But Brahmagupta ji used to say that which goes against the Smriti. Meaning that which is mentioned in our scriptures. Written about proportions, who talks against them is our enemy. So Brahmagupta ji did not agree with Aryabhatta ji. As we have seen that Aryabhatta ji also told us in his verse that after passing the 3 Yugas when 3600 years of the 4th Yugas had passed. He was 23 years old. So it is also know very well that he believed that the fourth Yuga is not of 1,200 years. That's why he is talking about 3,600 years. So the number of his Yugas or the proportion of his Yugas was equal.

That's why somewhere we can also believe that Aryabhatta ji can also be right. Because it is a matter of disput and we do not know the truth. What can be the truth and we have a scientific theory behind it. Let's see it, the concept made by Aryabhatt ji that the equal duration of Yugas. There is a reason behind this too. If you look at Sanatan Dharma. It has been told in our religion that. And you will find it in Mahabharata as well that whenever there is a beginning of Yugas. Saptarishi appears at the beginning of Yugas and those Saptarishi establish religion and knowledge for kings of Sanatan Dharma. If its meaning is taken out then the Saptarishi which is visible in the sky. In our constellation it was assuming that when these Yugas begin. They come to their initial position.

Four Yugas in order according to Saptarishi in constellation.

Now, this Saptarishi constellation is in every constellation. Like we have 27 constellations in each constellation, it spends 100 years. Then the complete cycle from one constellation to come again in that constellation is of 2,700 years. So it means that when one Yuga is coming to an end. The time taken in one Yuga is of 2,700 years. But if 12,000 are divided into 4 equal Yugas. Then one Yuga is made up of 3000 years. So now there is a Yuga of 3,000 years and in 2,700 years our Saptarishi appears again in the same place.

Gaping of 300 years as the 'transitional period'

This means there is a gaping of 300 years. Which we can call the 'transitional period' or 'Sandhya Kal'. As told in our Puranas or other texts. Our Yugas are of 2,700 years and in between, there are 300- 300 Years. And if they are devising. Then there is a transition period of 150 years in the beginning and 150 years in the end. So this way 12,000 years are of 4 Yugas which are of 2700- 2700 years and 300- 300 years of Sandhya Kal.

"Tradition of Seven Rsis" and Saptarishi calendar.

Using this fact, ancient India had created the Saptarishi calendar for using in our Country. The proof of this is found in Dr. J E Mitchiner writing a book name is "Tradition of Seven Rsis". Where he has told about the Saptarishi calendar. It was using in India during the Mauryan period in the 4 century BC. And there he has told that Saptarishi calendar was first used in 6676 BC. There is a believe that when the Saptarishi constellation was in Krittika Nakshatra. We can assume that in 6676 BC some of the Yuga started.

According to this calculation. We can also assume that after 3,000 years in 3676 BC. When all these Saptarishi constellations had reached the Rohini Nakshatra. Completing one cycle. A new Yuga had started. Now we have two facts. The first Sri Yukteswar ji told that the complete cycle of Four Yugas in Order are 24,000 years. Which is made up of two cycles, one is the descending cycle and one is ascending. The first is from Satya Yuga to Kali Yuga and then Kali Yuga to Satya Yuga. This is the first fact. And the second fact we have come to know is that the duration of Yugas is equal to 2,700 years. And Sandhya Kal is of 300- 300 years.

The Final Timeline of Four Yugas in order

Using these two facts, that is forming the sequence of Yugas will be coming on your screen. And if we see it, then Kali Yuga started in 3676 BC and it will end in 2325 AD. And according to this if we see. The Mahabharata and Ramayana are also being studied in the same period. In which astrological and archeological evidence show them. If we see such a sequence of Yugas that can fit in such an orderly manner. Also can include many facts in itself, then it is one sequence that is visible.

But we also have to understand that for centuries in India. There have been different theories regarding Yugas in different subjects. Yugas word was not using only in astronomy but also using for philosophy, Physiology, and also for Historical events. So there are many chances of overriding of these concepts. If you want to know my opinion on the duration of Yugas. Then I find both the duration of millions of years and the duration of thousands of years to be correct. Both the period of Yugas is correct in their respective places. For this, we have to understand the difference in the use of both. Because the word "Yugas" have different applicability, like time scale had.

Conclusion for Four Yugas in order.

If you see at modern astronomy. Also you take the time scale and if we are looking at our historical events then we talk about centuries. We talk about decades, we talk about months, we talk about years. But when we go to the cosmic scale, when we talk of billions of years then we have cosmic days. There is a unit, there are cosmic hours, cosmic seconds. So just like Yuga is there, Yuga means time scale. Now, if you put Yuga on the cosmic level when did the earth form? When did the universe form? What is the age of 1 day of Brahma ji? When a large scale is applying on it, then Yuga is of millions of years. in our astronomical texts it has talked about As Maha Yuga. But if you talk about historical events, how did our ancient history happen?

So then we will take Yugas of thousands of years. There is no difference between Four Yugas in Order, This is just a time scale. Yugas mean time scale. To understand the events That time scale can use for your cosmic level. That time scale can also use for which are happening on our earth. Yugas is a type of unit, in my opinion. If you have liked this episode and this Article, then definitely share it with your friends and family. Continue read to the Website as well, because we keep bringing Articles like this every week. Now I will stop this episode here. I will gift you with a new topic next week. Till then Jai Sree Ram.

1st Part:- Four Yugas in Hinduism: Cycles of Time in Hindu Mythology.

2nd Part:-Yugas as per Hindu Mythology

3rd Part:-Four Yugas in order According to Calculation in Hinduism.