Shree Krishna had instructed Uddhav that Vidur, a figure in the Mahabharat known for his wisdom and spiritual depth, would seek him after His departure. Although Uddhav was well versed in the teachings, Shree Krishna directed Sage Maitreya to deliver the knowledge instead due to Vidur’s seniority. Vidur approached Sage Maitreya and began a conversation, known as the Vidur-Maitreya samvaad, touching upon the welfare of human beings and the narrative of the Vedic cosmology.
The understanding of time in Vedic cosmology is nothing short of awe-inspiring. It stretches beyond human comprehension and helps us understand the eternal play of creation, preservation, and dissolution of the cosmos. This blog details the cycle of creation, offering an understanding of the different phases and cycles of time that govern the universe, and elucidating the spiritual significance behind these cycles.
The Units of Time
The Vedic timekeeping system begins with the most minute units and progressively builds up to encompass vast cosmic durations. At the foundation of this temporal hierarchy lies the truti, an incredibly brief interval that corresponds to the time it takes for light to traverse a trasarenu, the combination of six atoms. The truti transitions into the bodh, consisting of three hundred trutis. Three bodhs combine to form a luv, and three luvs create a pal. The progression continues with three pals forming a nimesh, and three nimeshs constituting a kshana.
Moving up the temporal scale reveals units such as the laghu, kaashtha, and ghadi. Five Kshanas make a laghu, while fifteen laghus form a kaashtha. Fifteen kaashthas combine to create a ghadi. Two ghadis form a muhurt and six muhurts constitute a prahar, a unit of time that roughly corresponds to a quarter of a day.
The familiar cycle of day and night emerges from eight prahars. Seven such days and nights form a saptah, or week, while two saptahs create a paksh, or fortnight. Two pakshs combine to form a maas, or month, and two maas’ make a ritu. Three ritus constitute an ayan, and two ayans complete a varsh, or year.
The Four Yugas and Manvantars
The Vedic tradition outlines a cycle of four great ages, called yugas. The first, Satyug, lasts 1,728,000 years, followed by Tretayug at 1,296,000 years, Dwaparyug at 864,000 years, and finally Kaliyug, which spans 432,000 years. Together, these four yugas form a Chaturyug, or Mahayug, which totals 4,320,000 years.
A single manvantar consists of 71 mahayugs, equating to a staggering 316,720,000 years. When 14 manvantars pass, they together form one day of Brahma lasting 4,320,000,000 years, also called a kalp, and is the biggest unit of time. One day of Brahma is equivalent to one night. By the system of day and night, Brahma lives for 100 years.
The Current Cosmic Timeline
We are presently on the first day of Brahma's 51st year, in a period known as the Shvetvaraha kalp. Within this kalp, we are in the 7th manvantar. Furthermore, we are in the 28th Chaturyug specifically in the Kaliyug phase whereby ~5119 years have passed by.
The Role of Divine Play (Leela)
The idea that the universe goes through these vast cycles of creation and destruction is deeply tied to the notion of divine play or Leela. These vast periods of time are not just random; they have a purpose in the divine drama that is being enacted.
Brahma, in his desire to create, brings forth various beings and sages, including the four Kumaras and many other sages. These beings, however, are too advanced and detached from worldly desires, thus they do not fulfill the purpose of creation. To remedy this, Brahma creates the first man and woman, Manu and Satarupa, whose union brings forth the incentive for further creation and the continuation of the world’s material existence.
In this divine play, even anger and curses are not mere acts of human emotion; they are part of the divine plan. For instance, when the four Kumaras curse the gatekeepers of Vaikuntha, Jaya and Vijaya, to be born as demons, it sets the stage for God to descend. Furthermore, a significant part of the drama involves the demons who emerge from the curse.
Jaya and Vijaya are born as demons in three consecutive lifetimes. The demonic forces, driven by ego, ignorance, and desire, provide the perfect foil for the divine play. They are born as Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashipu, then as Ravan and Kumbhakarna, and later as Shishupal and Dantavakra. Each of these demon pairs presents a challenge to the divine, and each time, God incarnates to protect the world from their tyranny, restore balance, and perform pastimes.
Conclusion
The Vidur-Maitreya samvaad offers profound perspectives on the nature of time, creation, and the divine play that unfolds in the universe. One can reflect on human existence within a much larger framework evoking a sense of awe and humility. The Vedic understanding of time helps us realize the transitory nature of life and encourages us to focus on our spiritual journey, knowing that we are ultimately part of something much greater than ourselves. It is through devotion and surrender, that one can move closer to the ultimate truth.
Call to Action
Increase your understanding of Vedic scriptures and gain gems of knowledge by listening to Swami Mukundananda's videos on Youtube. To learn more about what happened to the demons when God descended, listen to the entire Srimad Bhagavatam series.
FAQs
1. Who is Vidur and why is he important?
Vidur is a wise and spiritually profound figure in the Mahabharat. He sought wisdom from Sage Maitreya after Shree Krishna’s departure, leading to the famous Vidur-Maitreya samvaad, which explores the welfare of human beings and the vast cycles of time in Vedic cosmology.
2.What is the Vedic timekeeping system and how does it work?
The Vedic timekeeping system is a hierarchical structure that begins with the smallest units of time, like the truti (the time it takes for light to travel across six atoms), and builds up to vast cosmic cycles. These units of time include the truti, bodh, luv, pal, and more, ultimately leading to the larger units like a year, a manvantar, and a kalp (one day of Brahma), spanning billions of years.
3. How long do the four Yugas last?
The four Yugas are the cycles of time that the universe undergoes. Satyug lasts 1,728,000 years, Tretayug lasts 1,296,000 years, Dwaparyug lasts 864,000 years, and Kaliyug spans 432,000 years. Together, these form one Mahayug (Chaturyug), totaling 4,320,000 years.
3. Where are we in the current cosmic timeline?
We are currently in the first day of Brahma's 51st year, during the Shvetvaraha kalp. In this kalp, we are in the 7th manvantar, and we are currently experiencing the 28th Chaturyug in the Kaliyug phase. Approximately 5,119 years have passed in this Kali Yuga.
4. What is divine play (Leela) in Vedic cosmology?
In Vedic cosmology, divine play (Leela) refers to the purposeful cycles of creation, preservation, and destruction that unfold according to a divine plan. Even events like curses and anger are part of this cosmic drama. For instance, the curses of the four Kumaras set the stage for the divine descent of God to restore balance, and the birth of demons like Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, and others presents challenges for the divine.
References
Specific video:
Understanding the Vedic cycle of creation
Reading resources:
Vidur's Quest for Divine Wisdom: Insights from Uddhav and Sage Maitreya