What the Vedas Say About Time: It Will Change Your View of the Universe

Universe Cycle of creation, maintenance and annihilation. Mahayuga, Manvantara and Kalpa or the Cosmic Day of Brahma

Our Vedic scriptures speaks of the yugas and the mahayugas that last for millions of years. Four yugas: Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. The mahayuga, also known as chaturyuga (four yugas combined), comprising all four yugas rotate in cyclical order.

The length of Satya(4 times of Kali), Treta(3 times of Kali), Dvapara(2 times of Kali) and Kali yugas is in earth years.

The duration of the yugas in terms of earth years are:

Satya-yuga 17,28,000 years
Treta-yuga 12,96,000 years
Dvapara-yuga 8,64,000 years
Kali-yuga 4,32,000 years

1 chatur yuga (or mahayuga) = 43,20,000 or 4.32 million years
As we progress from Satya through Treta and Dvapara to kali yuga, there is a decline of man in all respects, physical, mental, moral, spiritual and intellectual. Accordingly, Satya yuga is known as the golden age, Treta yuga as the silver age, Dvapara as the bronze age and Kali yuga as the iron age.

One thousand Mahayuga period is called Kalpa, or a day of Brahma, the creator of the universe. Another one thousand mahayugas constitutes Brahma’s one night. Thus a cosmic day and night of Brahma comprises two thousand Mahayugas or two Kalpas.

It is said that 71 cycles of Mahayugas makes one Manvantara, at the end of which there is massive devastation and also further creation. We are believed to be in the 7th Manvantara (named Vaivasvata after the name of Manu of this cycle), and 7 more Manvantaras will be coming in order to complete one day of Brahma. Each Manvantara has been named after the Manu being the first ruler of each Manvantara, beginning with Swayambhuva Manu.