On yugas, in several places in Mahabharata it is said that Yuga is formed by the King / by the dharma.
The yuga classification of Surya Siddhantha is astronomy.
But in human life, dharma and danda neeti determine the Yugas.
Proof from Mahabharata:-
The yuga classification of Surya Siddhantha is astronomy.
But in human life, dharma and danda neeti determine the Yugas.
Proof from Mahabharata:-
- (Shanti parva -140)
'O bull of Bharata's race, that Krita, Treta, Dwapara, and Kali, as regards their setting in, are all dependent on the king's conduct.'
- (Shanti parva – 68)
'Whether it is the king that makes the age, or, it is the age that makes the king, is a question about which thou shouldst not entertain any doubt. The truth is that the king makes the age.
The king is the creator of the Krita age, of the Treta, and of the Dwapara. The king is the cause of the fourth age called Kali. '- Krishna to karna (Udyoga parva 142)
'when thou wilt hear the twang of Gandiva piercing the welkin like the very thunder, then all signs of the Krita, the Treta, and the Dwapara ages will disappear but, instead, Kali embodied will be present.'
Kunti (Udhyoga parva -132)
'When the king properly abides by the penal code, without making any portion of it a dead letter, then that best of periods called the Krita Yuga sets in. Let not this doubt be thine, viz, whether the era is the cause of the king, or the king the cause of the era, for know this to be certain that the king is the cause of the era. It is the king that creates the Krita, the Treta, or the Dwapara age. Indeed, it is the king that is the cause of also the fourth Yuga viz, the Kali'
- Markandeya (vana parva – 187) Yuga calculation very well detailed
- Vana parva 148 – Hanuman also gives a good explanation on yuga
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I rely on Markandeya's version.
According to him the years of yugas are
400 + 4000 + 400 = 4,800
300 + 3000 + 300 = 3,600
200 + 2000 + 200 = 2,400
100 + 1000 + 100 = 1,200
= 12,000
Add 10-% sandhi for this before and after
1,200 + 1,200 = 2,400
Total = 12,000 + 2,400 = 14,400 years.
The ascending and descending of this = 14,400 + 14,400 = 28,800 years
15 times of this 28,800 = kali maha yuga duration at cosmic level (4,32,000 )
150 times this 28,800 = 1 chathur maha yuga
150,000 times this 28,800 = 1 kalpa.
On the other side, let us see the split up of 28,800 years = precession of the sun around the zodiac.
60 years is the basic unit.
This is equal to the years in one conjunction of the planets of dharma (Jupiter) and karma (saturn)
Jupiter's 1 revolution = 12 years
Saturn's 1 revolution = 30 years.
I rely on Markandeya's version.
According to him the years of yugas are
400 + 4000 + 400 = 4,800
300 + 3000 + 300 = 3,600
200 + 2000 + 200 = 2,400
100 + 1000 + 100 = 1,200
= 12,000
Add 10-% sandhi for this before and after
1,200 + 1,200 = 2,400
Total = 12,000 + 2,400 = 14,400 years.
The ascending and descending of this = 14,400 + 14,400 = 28,800 years
15 times of this 28,800 = kali maha yuga duration at cosmic level (4,32,000 )
150 times this 28,800 = 1 chathur maha yuga
150,000 times this 28,800 = 1 kalpa.
On the other side, let us see the split up of 28,800 years = precession of the sun around the zodiac.
60 years is the basic unit.
This is equal to the years in one conjunction of the planets of dharma (Jupiter) and karma (saturn)
Jupiter's 1 revolution = 12 years
Saturn's 1 revolution = 30 years.
They conjunct in the same place in the same sign once in 60 years. So this is the basic life of dharma - karma of a man.
The ascending and descending part = 60 +60 = 120 years.
120 times 120 = 14,400
14,400 + 14,400 = 28, 800
Now connect this with what I wrote above.
120 times 120 = 14,400
14,400 + 14,400 = 28, 800
Now connect this with what I wrote above.
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