Every era, or span of time, is called a Yuga. First came the Treta Age, when the ideals of righteous living were upheld. In Dwapara Yuga that followed, the cleansing and sharpening of the intellect (Jnanadeva tu Kaivalyam) in order to realise the Reality was propagated as the means of saving mankind. In this Kali Yuga, the paths of Devotion, of Righteous Deeds and of the acquisition of Wisdom are all declared equally effective, so that people of different dispositions and temperaments have the fortunate chance of having the Truth revealed to them. Education must open these paths to the children. (SSS Vol.8, p. 84)
This day is called Yugadi. It is related to the Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali Yugas. These yugas are believed to last some thousands of years. But they are continually coming in a cycle like the days of the week. Nor should they be considered as coming one after the other after long durations. If the matter is properly examined, it will be found that the yugas appear in a cycle every day. From 4 a.m. to 12 noon, it is Krita Yuga. During this period, man can devote himself to Dharma (envisaged as an animal with four feet). From 12 noon to evening 6.00, it is Treta Yuga. During this period. Dharma is said to have lost one of its legs. During this period, Dharma survives on three legs. From 6 pm. to 12 midnight, it is Dwapara Yuga, during which Dharma has only two legs. This means that man’s capacities have suffered a further decline and only the Manomaya and Vijnanamaya capacities are present. From midnight to 4 am. it is Kali Yuga. In this period Dharma has only one leg to stand on. Dharma in this period means to be plunged in sleep, oblivious to everything else. There are four Purusharthas (goals) in life for man: Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. In the period from 4 am. to 12 noon, man has the capacity to pursue all the four Purusharthas. In giving the duration of the different yugas and estimating the life of Brahma (the Creator) in terms of the yugas, the scriptures have given the life span of Brahma as extending over many crores of years. As these crores convey no meaning by themselves, the scriptures have described Brahma as Anaadi (without a beginning of creation. Instead of declaring that creation began so many billions of years ago, is it not more sensible to say that it is Anaadi (beginning less)? If Brahma is described as Anaadi, it is treated as superstition, but if some fabulous date is given, it becomes science! This passes for knowledge today. These are futile exercises. What is relevant for man is the awareness of the changes taking place in a single day.
God has been envisaged as the embodiment of Time. He is the source of the Yugas. He presides over Time. He is the Time-Spirit and the Kaalagarbha (container of Time). Time is the devourer of the physical. The Lord is the devourer of Time itself. When there is faith in God, man transcends the physical. (SSS Vol.14, pp. 49-50)
Of the four Yugas - Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali Yugas-we are today in the Kali Yuga (Iron Age). The Krita Yuga is said to have begun in the Vaishakha month; the Treta Yuga in the month of Kartika and the Dwapara Yuga in the month of Mrigasirsha. The ancients celebrated the days of the beginning of each Yuga in an appropriate manner, with due ceremony. By efflux of time, with the decline in human qualities, the significance of these observances was forgotten and the Ugadi day came to be observed in Chaitra maasa, when the Sun enters the Mesha (Rasi) asterism and marks the beginning of a new year. The Ugadi is not celebrated as in olden times. We have now only New Year days based upon the position of the Sun or the Moon. (SSS Vol.17, p. 53)
The teachings of Manu offer an unsurpassed guide for achieving lasting happiness and joy in each and every Yuga or age. Manu declared that for the Krita Yuga the right path was penance and meditation; for the Treta Yuga it was performing appropriate Yajnas (Vedic rituals); for the Dwapara Yuga the prescribed path was worship, and for the Kali Age it is namasmarana or chanting the Name of the Lord. (SSB 2000, p. 241)
In those days, everything was pure. The environment was unpolluted, the food was pure, and the habits were sacred. All actions were based on truth. Manu recognised even then, the sanctity of human life and the divinity latent in the human being. Having done so, he shared this knowledge with one and all. The declarations of Manu form the foundations of Bharatiya culture.
Ignorance has driven away the fear of sin;
Love of God too has vanished.
No wonder human values have disappeared,
No wonder there is turbulence everywhere,
And no wonder peace is being threatened.
The people of the Krita Age were engaged in the constant meditation of the Lord. They meditated not for just a few minutes or hours or even days; they were always absorbed in the thought of God. They were guided by the scriptural teaching: Sarvada, sarvatra, sarva kaleshu Hari Chintanam.
Contemplate on God at all times and under all circumstances. In those days, people were beyond unworthy desires and narrow-minded feelings. Their hearts were pure, their feelings were sacred, their mind was mature, and they were ever in bliss. They therefore never entertained any petty or worldly desires. They enjoyed God’s grace and were blessed with good crops as well as all the other needs of daily life. Such people are not to be found these days. The essence of Bharatiya culture was amply reflected in the behaviour, conduct, and the sacred feelings of the people of the Krita Yuga. People of those times sought unity in diversity. They did not have any kind of dissatisfaction or discontent. A sacred heart produces a mature mind. In that age, life moved at a leisurely pace. Unlike people of modern times who are tied to rigid schedules, they did not have specific meals at specific times, like breakfast, lunch, etc. They did not have the wide variety of vegetables that is available today. Their meals were thus very simple in nature; they ate rice with curds in the morning and did so again at night. That is why people of those days were both healthy and strong. They made use of all available time for contemplating on God. However, with the passage of time, this practice of simple living and high thinking began to get slowly eroded. (SSB 2000, p. 241)
After the Krita Yuga came the Treta Yuga when devotion began to decline. It was during this period that kings and kingdoms came into existence and politics made its first appearance. The king ruled, and the people followed the king. Thus it came to be said ‘as was the king so were the people’ – the king became a role model whom the subjects copied. It was no longer possible to spare time for continuous meditation as in earlier times. Instead, certain specific times and occasions were set apart for the performance of various Yajnas and yagas (Vedic rituals). Yajna is an offering to God. It also means a selfless act of sacrifice. People of the Treta Yuga believed that Yajnas provided the pathway to divinity. Like the people of an earlier age, they too desired, pined, and yearned for God; but the path they chose was different. In course of time, certain aggressive and selfish tendencies arose that corrupted the original sacred feelings behind the Vedic rituals. (SSB 2000, p. 243)
After this came the Dwapara Yuga when Yajnas and yagas slowly receded to the background, getting replaced by archana or ritual worship. People of this age sought to reach God through worship performed at prescribed times, through the study of the scriptures and other sacred texts, and by observing vows and other such austerities. In course of time, as the number of kings, landlords, and power brokers increased, matters of polity began to receive dominant attention, and all forms of worship started declining. (SSB 2000, pp. 243-244)
Accumulate deservedness and protect it. This deservedness is not obtained from outside but from within your own self. Therefore, aim at enhancing your deservedness and never give up Bharatiya Culture Culture that has come to us through many ages like Krita Yuga, Treta Yuga, and Dwapara Yuga. The superficial aspects of the culture might have changed but its core remains intact. Changes are inevitable and nothing to worry about. After all, you too have undergone changes. When you were born, you were a baby. A few years later, you became a boy. At the age of thirty, a person is called a man. When the person becomes seventy-five, everyone calls him grandfather. Are these not changes? Yet, the person undergoing the external changes remains the same. In the same manner, although yugas have come and gone, our ancient Dharma remains the same. You too should not allow any change in your basic nature as a human being. Your intrinsic nature is Truth. To ensure that this intrinsic nature does not get tainted, it is necessary to develop intense devotion for God. Always keep chanting the Name of God and you will never be able to forget Him at any time. God’s Name is so sweet! (SSB 2000, p. 263)