Hindu cosmology

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to Hindu mythology, the universe is cyclically created and destroyed. The life span of Brahma, the creator, is 120 divine years (Mahakalpamu). Everyday, Brahma creates 14 Manus one after the other, who in turn create and regulate the world. Thus, there are fourteen generations of Manu in one day (Kalpamu) of Brahma. Each Manu’s life (Manvantaramu) consists of 71 quartets of eras. Each quartet is composed of four eras: Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. The span of Krita era is 1,728,000 human years, Treta era is 1,296,000 human years, Dvapara era is 864,000 human years and Kali era is 432,000 human years. When Manu perishes at the end of his life, Brahma creates the next Manu and the cycle continues until all fourteen Manus and the Universe perish by the end of the day. When night falls, Brahma goes to sleep for a period of time equal to fourteen lives of Manus. The next morning, he begins the creation with first Manu again. The cycle goes on for 100 divine years at the end of which Brahma himself perishes and is regenerated.[citation needed]

The present period is the Kaliyuga or last era of the seventh Manu’s life. According to Aryabhata, the Kaliyuga began in 3102 BC, at the end of the Dvapara era that was marked by the disappearance of Vishnu's Krishna avatar. Aryabhata's date is widely repeated in modern Hinduism.

The beginning of the new Yugamu (era) is known as "Yugadi/Ugadi", and is celebrated every year on the first day (Paadyami) of the first month (Chaitramu) of the 12-month annual cycle.[citation needed]

The Ugadi of 1999 begins the year 1921 of the Salivahana era (5101 Kali Era, 1999 AD). The end of the Kali Era is 426,899 years from this year in the beginning of the new Krita era of the 8th Manu's life.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] Creation of the Universe

[edit] In the Vedas

The Nasadiya Sukta of the Rigveda describes the origin of the universe.

The Rig Veda's view of the cosmos also sees one true divine principle self-projecting as the divine word, Vaak, 'birthing' the cosmos that we know, from the monistic Hiranyagarbha or Golden Womb[original research?]. The Hiranyagarbha is alternatively viewed as Brahma, the creator who was in turn created by God, or as God (Brahman) himself. The universe maintained by Vishnu (The god of presence) and destroyed by Shiva (The god of destruction). These three constitute the holy trinity of the Hindu religion. Once the universe has been destoyed by Shiva, Brahma starts the creation once again. This creation-destruction cycle is called Yuga which is the highest measuring unit of time in the Hindu religion.

Most of present day physics, believes that the world started off with the Big Bang. To ask questions like "What was there before the Big Bang?" or "What happened 1 year before the Big Bang started?" are considered as irrelevant questions, because Time and Matter, became extant only when the Big Bang started. Thus in most senses, the Rig Veda in the above mentioned verses, conveys the same idea. The idea of the non-existence of Time or Matter. And in some ways it goes further, as it also mentions non-existence of a Creator, i.e. "What caused the Big Bang?" also becomes an irrelevant question.

[edit] In The Puranas

The later puranic view asserts that the universe is created, destroyed, and re-created in an eternally repetitive series of cycles. In Hindu cosmology, a universe endures for about 4,320,000 years (one day of Brahma, the creator or kalpa) and is then destroyed by fire or water elements. At this point, Brahma rests for one night, just as long as the day. This process, named pralaya (Cataclysm), repeats for 100 Brahma years (311 trillion human years) that represents Brahma's lifespan. It must be noted that Brahma is the creator but not necessarily regarded as God in Hinduism. He is mostly regarded as a creation of God / Brahman.

We are currently believed to be in the 51st year of the present Brahma and so about 155 trillion years have elapsed since He was born as Brahma. After Brahma's "death", it is necessary that another 100 Brahma years pass until he is reborn and the whole creation begins anew. This process is repeated again and again, forever.

Brahma's life is divided in one thousand cycles (Maha Yuga, or the Great Year). Maha Yuga, during which life, including the human race appears and then disappears, has 71 divisions, each made of 14 Manvantara (1000) years. Each Maha Yuga lasts for 4,320,000 years. Manvantara is Manu's cycle, the one who gives birth and governs the human race.

Each Maha Yuga consists of a series of four shorter yugas, or ages. The yugas get progressively worse from a moral point of view as one proceeds from one yuga to another. As a result each yuga is of shorter duration than the age that preceded it. The current Kali Yuga (Iron Age) began at midnight 17 February / 18 February in 3102 BC in the proleptic Julian calendar.

See also: Hindu units of measurement

[edit] Structure of the universe

 Please help improve this section by expanding it.
Further information might be found on the talk page or at requests for expansion.
Large scale structure of the Universe.
Large scale structure of the Universe.
Map 2: Intermediate neighbourhood of the Earth.
Map 2: Intermediate neighbourhood of the Earth.
Map 3: Local neighbourhood of the Earth.
Map 3: Local neighbourhood of the Earth.

[edit] The four Yugas

Main article: Yuga
  1. Satya yuga (Krita yuga):- 1,728,000 Human years (already past)
  2. Treta yuga:- 1,296,000 Human years (already past)
  3. Dwapar yuga:- 864,000 Human years (already past)
  4. Kali yuga:- 432,000 Human years (5,110 years have passed; 426,890 years remain). Kaliyuga started in 3,102 B.C.; CE 2008 corresponds to Kaliyuga year 5,110

[edit] Six Shaka-karta kings of Kali yuga

The age named Kali yuga or the "Black Age" is now running. The age is to last 432,000 human years in all; of this number, 5,110 years have already passed (as of 2008 CE), and 426,890 years are yet to pass before the age ends.

It is prophesied in legend that six kings in Kali yuga will create new eras (Shaka's) which will be named after them. Hence, these kings may be called the "Shake-karta" or "era-creator" kings. These six kings are:

  1. Yudhishthira (Dharmaraja):- Ruled in Indraprastha and started his own calendar dating in the year 3,102 B.C (Before Jesus Christ or Christian or current Roman calendar dating). He was the elder brother of Pandavas of the great Indian war of Mahabharata. His dating continued for 3,044 years until king Vikrama, the second Shakkarta king broke it and started his own dating or the new Shaka.
  2. King Vikrama:- Ruled in Ujjaini city (Present day Ujjain city in Madhya Pradesh state of India) in the year 57 B.C. He started his own calendar dating by breaking the old Yudhishthira Shaka. But his dating was continued only for 135 years as the third Shakakarta king King Shalivahan at Paithan city in Maharashtra state near by Aurangabad city came in power and broke the running Vikrama Shaka. Although in north India still the Vikrama Shaka is running, it is said that some kind of understanding or truce was fixed up between these two great kings to continue both the calendar in their respective areas or nations.
  3. King Shalivahana(Gautamiputra Satkarni):- Ruled in the old city Paithan of Maharashtra state in the year 78 A.D., that is after 78 years later Jesus Christ or the Christian dating started. This king is mentioned in old Christian books as it is written that King Shalivahan had met the founder of Christian religion, The Jesus Christ himself on a trip to great Himalayan mountains. His Shaka will continue for 18,000 years that is for Eighteen thousand years. That comes to in the year 18,078 this Shalivahan Shaka will be broken, discontinued by the next coming Shakakarta king and his name is King Vijayabhinandan, who will happened on the banks of the river of Vaitarna in Thane district of near Mumbai city of Maharashtra state. Shalivahana belonged to the "Satavahana" dynasty.[citation needed]
  4. King Vijayabhinandan (coming):- This great king's era will begin on the banks of river Vaitarna probably in Thane district of Maharashtra state. This place is near the Bombay alias Mumbai city. And the river Vaitarna flows in Thane district of Maharashtra state. He will break the King Shalivahan Shaka and start his own Shaka or the calendar dating. This is a kind or prophecy of Hindu religion. The epoch of this king Vijayabhinandan's era will occur in year 18,078 A.D or after Jesus Christ. His Shaka will run, continue for 10,000 years. That does mean that in the year 28,078 A.D after Jesus Christ his Shaka or dating will be broken, discontinued by the next Shakakarta king Nagarjuna who will happen in the West Bengal state of India. As this king Vijayabhinandan is to happen in the region of Maharshtra it is certain that he will be from Maharashtra.[citation needed]
  5. King Nagarjuna (coming):- He will be the fifth great Shkakarta king of Kali yuga. His era will happen, appear in Bangal state of India in the year 28,078 A.D. He will terminate the shaka or calendar of Vijayabhinandan and start his own calendar or shaka and that will continue for 400,000 years afterward. This Nagarjuna has the most long running calendar in Kaliyuga Shaka dating.[citation needed]
  6. King Kalki (coming):- He is the last and final shakakarta king of the Kali yuga. As Hindu religion has predicted that there are ten Avatar of lord Vishnu, this king Kalki is the tenth and final avatar of that series. He is the final avatara who will end the present Kali yuga and again start the cycle if yuga that is the Satya yuga will be started after this grand termination. Hindu religion has prediction that he will come on a white horse. This Kalki avatar will happen, appear in the region of Kolhapur of Maharashtra state in India. He will end the then running shaka of Nagarjuna and start his own shaka or dating or calendar in the year 428,078 A.D. His calendar or shaka will run for 821 years.[citation needed]

[edit] Some calendars in use in India

Image:Splitsection.svg
 It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article entitled Hindu calendar. (Discuss)


Several traditional calendars are in use in India today. Six of them are listed below, with information on how they correspond to the Gregorian christian calendar:

  1. Shalivahan shaka calendar (used in South India and Maharashtra):- year 1927
  2. Vikram Samvat calendar (used in northern and eastern India):- year 2061-62
  3. Shiv shaka or King Shivaji’s calendar dating:- 331-32
  4. Mahaveer calendar Samvat (Jain religion calendar):- year 2531-32
  5. Kali yuga calendar dating:- year 5107
  6. Hijri (The Islam religion calendar dating):- year 1426-27
  7. Parshi or Parsi calendar dating (Zoroastrian religion calendar):- year 1374-75

[edit] Literature

  • Tilak, Bal Gangadhar: The Orion or Researches into the antiquities of the Vedas, The Arctic home in the Vedas.
  • Sri Yukteswar Giri. The holy science. Los Angeles, Ca: Self-Realization Fellowship, 1984.
  • Date Panchang -- an Indian calendar published from Solapur city in Marathi language.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links