In the Hindu texts, a year was taken to comprise 12 months (360 days). Multiply these two numbers to get 360×12=4320. Now, suffix this number with the requisite number of zeroes to produce long structured time-spans. One Mahayuga equals 4,320,000 years. A Kalpa, is defined as equal to 1000 Mahayugas. A Mahayuga, in turn, is composed of four ages or yugas. The other yugas are Satya or Krita-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga and Kaliyuga. The smallest yuga is Kaliyuga, which is 1/10th of Mahayuga.
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But are they real counts? Are yugas really of such a long time period? Let see some ideas.
Traditional concept is miscalculated: Sri Yukteswar Giri
According to Sri Yukteswar Giri, guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, the traditional view is based on miscalculations made by astronomers and astrologers. In his book, The Holy Science, Sri Yukteswar proposes a four Yuga cycle of 12,000 years with transitional periods called ‘Sandhis’ coming in between. Each Sandhi is 10% the length of the main period and occurs at both its beginning and end. Kali Yuga of 1000 years has two sandhis of 100 years for a total of 1200 years. Dwapara Yuga of 2000 years has two sandhis of 200 years for a total of 2400 years. Treta Yuga of 3000 years has two sandhis of 300 years for a total of 3600 years. Satya Yuga of 4000 years has two sandhis of 400 years for a total of 4800 years. This makes for a total of 12,000 years for the cycle of the four yugas. Yukteswar has the yuga cycles coming in pairs. One set of ‘descending Yugas’ from Satya to Treta, Dwapara and Kali is followed by another set of ‘ascending Yugas’ from Kali to Dwapara, Treta and Satya. The midpoint of the descending and ascending Yuga cycles occurred around 499 AD. The ascending phase of Kali Yuga began in September of 499 C.E. So it follows that we have been in the ascending phase of Dwapara Yuga since September of 1699.
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He says that at the end of the last descending Dvapara Yuga (about 700 BC), “Maharaja Yudhisthira, noticing the appearance of the dark Kali Yuga, made over his throne to his grandson [and]…together with all of his wise men…retired to the Himalaya Mountains… Thus there was none in the court…who could understand the principle of correctly accounting the ages of the several Yugas.”
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According to Sri Yukteswar, nobody wanted to announce the bad news of the beginning of the descending Kali Yuga, so they kept adding years to the Dvapara date (at that time 2400 Dvapara) only retitling the epoch to Kali. As the Kali began to ascend again, scholars of the time recognized that there was a mistake in the date (then being called 3600+ Kali, even their texts said Kali had only 1200 years). “By way of reconciliation, they fancied that 1200 years, the real age of Kali, were not the ordinary years of our earth, but were so many daiva (or deva) years (“years of the gods”), consisting of 12 daiva months of 30 daiva days each, with each daiva day being equal to one ordinary solar year of our earth. Hence according to these men 1200 years of Kali Yuga must be equal to 432,000 years of our earth.”
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Sri Yukteswar explained that just as the cycle of day and night is caused by a celestial motion (the earth spinning on its axis in relation to the sun), and just as the cycle of the seasons are caused by a celestial motion (the earth with tilted axis orbiting the sun) so too is the yuga cycle (seen as the precession of the equinox), caused by a celestial motion. He explained this celestial motion as the movement of the whole solar system around another star. As our sun moves through this orbit, it takes the solar system (and earth) closer to and then further from a point in space known as the “grand centre” also called ‘Vishnunabhi‘, which is the seat of the creative power, ‘Brahma’, [which]…regulates…the mental virtue of the internal world.” He implied that it is the proximity of the earth and sun to this grand centre that determines which season of man or yuga it is.
A deeper look on Shri Yukteshwar’s theory by David Frawley
David Frawley, an astrologer and author of many books on Vedic traditions, provides a similar revision of the traditional timescale. His reinterpretation is based on the writings of Manu, who, in his Manhu Samhita, posits a much shorter Yuga cycle of 2,400 years. Manu’s Yuga cycle happens to correspond roughly to the same length of time that astronomers attribute to the Precession of the Equinoxes. As with Sri Yukteswar, Frawley’s interpretation of scripture suggests that we are currently near the beginning of a Dwapara Yuga cycle that will last a total of 2,400 years. He further points out that that the traditional 432,000 year cycle is questionable, based on Vedic and Puranic historical records. He explains that the shorter yuga theory offers better proof of the age of Rama and Krishna and other important historical Indian figures than other dating methods, which conceive of some of these figures to be millions of years old; far too old to place them within the accepted chronology of human history on Earth.
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In addition to Sri Yukteshwar’s scheme of Yugas and Sandhis, he propose dividing up each Yuga itself into four sections or subyugas of Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali in the same relative proportions. He divides up the 1000 year yuga of Kali into four yugas, 400 years of Satya Kali, 300 years of Treta Kali, 200 years of Dwapara Kali and 100 years of Kali Kali. He would divide up Dwapara Yuga of 2000 years into 800 years of Satya Dwapara, 600 years of Treta Dwapara, 400 years of Dwapara Dwapara and 200 years of Kali Dwapara. He is sure that in this manner, we can bring more specificity into the kind of historical changes that we can expect during the long period of each Yuga.
An astrological view by N P Ramadurai
N P Ramadurai concentrates on astronomical views. The fundamental points that N P Ramadurai uses as his foundation for his findings are four in number:
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1. The planets, including Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, complete one full rotation (in respect of their mutual positions) and all come back to their ‘starting’ point every 12160 years. Precession of the equinoxes is taken as 53.2894736842 seconds of arc per year
The modern astronomers take precession as about 50”. The difference of 3” has a significant effect on the massive calculations that Ramadurai makes, but this is purely a technical matter of practical astronomy. Similarly the number 12160, which Ramadurai uses significantly, is a matter for astronomers to decide.
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2. The unit for duration of each Yuga mentioned in scriptural texts is not to be taken as the divine year (equal to 360 earthly years) but should be taken as ordinary earthly years. Ramadurai declares that every time the duration of a Yuga is mentioned in terms of divine years, the statement should be interpreted as a ‘decorative’ statement and not as an actual statement of facts.
At first glance this seems logical. But there are some statements in puranas, which clearly states like “One hundred human years” When puranas want the text to show ‘earthly years’ they mention it invariably. When they want to refer to ‘human’ years, they say so and they do not leave it to our imagination whether the reference is to ‘human’ or ‘divine’.
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3. Regarding the Saptarishi era Ramadurai assumes that the stay of the saptarishis in each nakshatras is only 81 years and not 100 as traditionally accepted. Again he takes the number 100 as a rounding-up approximation and not a precise number.
According to traditional opinion, the Saptarishis stay in each nakshatra for 100 years and when they stayed in Magha for 100 years that cycle is called the Magha cycle. Thus, each of the Saptarishi cycles was named after the nakshatra in which they stayed. After the Magha cycle there was Purva Phalguni cycle and so on. Ramadurai’s ’81 years’ for the stay of saptarishis in one nakshatra comes from 1000 lunar months converted into solar years.
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4. The significance of the Magha cycle
The Magha cycle of 160 sidereal years which Ramadurai uses, is an original idea. Ramadurai proceeds as if there is another cycle called Magha cycle and he estimates it as 160 sidereal years. While it might be true that the concept of these 160 sidereal years may be useful to ‘relate full moon with the respective stars during Tamil months’, to associate it with the Magha cycle of the saptharishi movement, has yet to be accepted by scholars. This is a point which must be left to scholars for further investigation.
A mathematical approach by R.R. Karnik
R.R. Karnik concentrates on the mathematics presented in Hindu Text. According to him “In the hightech uses of computer technology there is an area called simulation, in which time is used in two different manners. One is called “real time” and the other, “non-real time” — either slow motion or fast motion. The surprising thing is that the Surya Siddhanta makes use of this concept of time. All the arithmetics in the Surya Siddhanta is in terms of integers for which some times “real time” is not suitable.”
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Some people believe that these huge number of years correspond to an L.C.M. of the periods of revolution of the planets around the sun. There have been attempts in Vedanga Jyotisha, where a period of five years has been used and by Varahamihira in Romaka Siddhanta using 2,850 years.
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Cicero gives 12,954 years in the thirty-fifth fragment of Hortensius by the name of Magnun Annum. Neither of these numbers can divide 4,32,000. In fact no number however large can give an integer multiple of the number of years required.
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The answer is simple and elementary. The least count used in Surya Siddhanta for general computations is one Kala or minute of the arc of which there are 21,600 in the whole circle. If one has to specify the movement of planetary element to the accuracy of one Kala in a year a period of 21,600 years will have to be taken. This is the period of a Mahayuga and its tenth part which is 2,160 years is the period of Kaliyuga. Dwaparyuga is twice this or 4,320 years, Tretayuga is thrice this or 6,480 years and Kritayuga (Satyayuga) is four times this or 8,640 years, all four totaling up to 21,600 years.
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The accuracy of one Kala in a year is not adequate. To therefore obtain an accuracy of one two-hundredth of a Kala in a year, a period that is two hundred times 21,600 or 4,320,000 years is necessary. The first number of 21,600 years is the real time and the other number of 4,320,000 years taken for Mahayuga is the frame time or the non-real time.
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According to the above, the real time calculation will be like this:
1 kalpa = 1000 X Mahayuga = 21,600,000 years = 1day of Brahma
1 Mahayuga = 10 X kaliyuga = 21,600 years = One cycle of 4 yugas
1 Satyayuga = 4 X Kaliyuga = 8640 years
1 Tretayuga = 3 X Kaliyuga = 6480 years
1 Dwaparyuga = 2 X Kaliyuga =4320 years
1 Kaliyuga = 2160 years
According to Valmiki, Ramayana starts in the beginning of Tretayuga, so approximately 12960 years before.
A broader study of Ramayana and Mahabharata by Dr.P.V.Vartak
Dr P. V. Vartak used the Hindu texts Ramayan, and Mahabharat, and dated the events astronomically. As we know Ramayan happened in the beginning phase of Tretayuga, and Mahabharat happened in the last phase of Dwaparyuga, so, by knowing the time of these events, the mystery can be solved enough.
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It should be noted that the ancient Indians had a prefect method of time measurement. They recorded the ‘tithis’, days according to the nakshatra on which the moon prevailed, the months, the seasons and even the different Solstices. By therefore noting a particular arrangement of the astronomical bodies, which occur once in many thousand years, the dates of the events can be calculated. Dr. P.V. Vartak has thus attempted to calculate the dates of important incidents that occured during the Ramayanic Era. The correct astronomical records goes to show that Valmiki’s has chronicled an account of a true story and also, that the an advanced time measurement system was known to the Hindus (Indians) atleast 9000 years ago. Please refer to Dr. Vartak’s celebrated book “Vastav Ramayan” for further reading.
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The Mahabharat Era has already been dated by Dr. Vartak to 5561 B.C. [Refer to Dr. Vartak's book "Swayambhu"].
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Genealogical links available from the Mahabharat and Puranas, Yuga calculations and some archaelogical findings also provide clues to the dating of the Ramayanic era. Also, literary references to the characters from the Ramayanic Era provide limits after which the Ramayan could not have occured. For example, Guru Valmiki (the author of Ramayana) is refered to in the Taittiriya Brahmana (dated to 4600 B.C) and therefore Ramayana must have before the Brahmana was composed. However, archaeological and literary methods can only provide approximate datelines and for determining the precise time of the Ramayanic events, astronomical calculations may alone be useful.
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Mahabharat states that Sage Vishwamitra started counting nakshatras from Shravana (Aadiparva A.71 and Ashwamedha A.44) and a new reference to time measurement thus initiated. According to the old tradition, the first place was assigned to the nakshatra prevelant on the Vernal Equinox. Vishwamitra modified this and started measuring from the nakshatra at the Autumnal Equinox. Sharvan was at this juncture at about 7500 B.C, which is therefore the probable period when Vishwamitra existed and also that of the Ramayanic Era.
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Formerly, the year initiated with the Varsha-Rutu (season) and therefore was termed “Varsha”. Ramayan shows that the flag was being hoisted to celebrate the new year on Ashwin Paurnima (Kishkindha 16/37, Ayodhya 74/36). Ayodhya 77 mentions that the flags were defaced and damaged due to heat and showers. These descriptions point to the fact that their new year started on the Summer Solstice when heat and rain simultaneously exist. The Summer Solstice fell on Ashwin Full Moon, so the Sun was diagonally opposite at Swati nakshatra. This astral configuration can be calculated to have occured around 7400 B.C.
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Kishkindha 26-13 describes the commencement of the rainy season. In shloka 14, refers to Shravan as “Varshika Poorva Masa”. Kishkindha 28/2 clearly shows that the rainy season began in Bhadrapada Masa. Further description “Heated by the Sun and showered by new waters, the earth is expelling vapours” (Kish.26/7) points to Bhadrapada as premonsoon. Kish.28/17 tells that there was alternate sun-shine and shadowing by the clouds. Kish.28/14 describes the on-coming rainy season. Thus Bhadrapada was the month of pre-monsoon, that is before 21st June or Summer Solstice. Naturally, months of Ashwin and Kartika formed the rainy season. It is therefore concluded that Ashwin Full Moon coincided with Summer Solstice, that year being 7400 B.C.
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Rama started forest-exile in Chaitra and ended it in Chaitra. He was coronated in the same month and one month later, proceeded to Ashokavan with Seeta (Uttar 41/18) when the Shishira Rutu terminated. So it seems that Vaishakha Masa coincided with Shishira. So the Winter Solstice was at Vaishakha with the Sun at Ashwini. At present, the Winter Solstice takes place at Moola. Thus a shift of 10 nakshatras has occured since the Ramayanic Era. Precession has a rate of 960 years per nakshatra. Therefore, Ramayan must have occured 9600 years ago, which is 7600 B.C approximately.
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Dr. P. V. Vartak goes beyond the approximate dating, and give exact dating with detailed analysis.
Conclusion
It cannot be concluded by me. Each analysis given above has some evidences in the support of it and some opposing it. One of them may be correct, or may be all the wrong. But in my opinion, the best way to decipher the confusion, is by astronomy. We have to read the texts very carefully, and then date the events astronomically. In this manner Dr. P.V. Vartak may be write. Even the dates are defer as dated by the others, for example Acharya Chatursan, in his book, “Vayam Rakshamah” date the Ramayan approximately 7000 years before today, Aryabhat date the Mahabharat war on 3102 BC. So, as the mystery is not solved yet now, the discussion can not be concluded by me.
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Ref:
Sri Yukteswar, Swami (1949). The Holy Science. Yogoda Satsanga Society of India.
http://www.vedanet.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129
http://www.geocities.com/kvforp/VK1/Review_NPRamadurais_work.html
http://www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/ancient/ramayan/rama_vartak.html
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