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If Only We Could Live in Krita Yuga
by Ram S. Sriram
October 9, 2009
When did the world begin? The answer
depends on who you ask. Scientists may say
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Guest Column
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that the earth began several million
years ago. Creationists may say that the world began during the great
flood of Noah, about 3,000 years B.C. More conservative Christians may
believe that the world truly began only after Christ was born, about 2000
years ago. As for the end of the world, followers of various other
religions believe that civilization will come to an end with an
apocalypse predicted to occur soon. To most Westerners, the history of
the beginning and the end of the world is relevant only when it relates
to the physical history of humans, and that too as it relates to the
origins of Western cultures.
In contrast, India philosophers
consider the dissolution of the world, not as an end, but as the
beginning of a new cycle. In their view, the world is a continuum; a
continuum not in terms of space and time, but in terms of evolution, destruction,
and re-evolution of nature. The history of the world is not limited to
the human concept of time measured in hours, months, and years or space
measured by mass and distance. The Indian philosophers contend that when
we study the world only from the angle of time and space, we would fail
to comprehend the mystery of its evolution. True understanding would
evolve only when we study the history of the world as alternating and
unending cycles of birth, death, and rebirth. Also, Indian philosophers did
not consider the birth and rebirth of the world as a physical act but as
a metaphor for the philosophical evolution of all species, including
humans.
The concept of philosophical evolution
is evident in the manner in which Hindu mythology describes the cycles of
the birth and death of this world. According to Hindu mythology, each
life cycle is divided into four yugas or eras - Krita, Treta,
Dvapara, and Kali. Krita yuga can be symbolized as four pillars or
four lines that form a perfect square. The four legs or lines symbolize
balance, totality, and perfection. That is, during Krita yuga, the
world is perfect; everyone follows the path of dharma; virtue and
morality supersede materialism. But as time progresses, Krita yuga
slowly begins to degenerate and order and morality begin to wane.
Eventually, Krita yuga ends and Treta yuga begins.
Treta yuga can be symbolized as three pillars or
a triangle. It is less stable than a structure supported by four pillars
or less perfect than a square. In Treta yuga, dharma and virtue
are diminishing, and when compared to Krita yuga, only
three-fourths of the virtue remains; materialism and self-centeredness
are advancing. Although everything is not lost yet, the moral order is
definitely on the decline.
Eventually, the world moves to Dvapara
yuga. Dvapara yuga can be symbolized as two pillars or two parallel
lines. In Dvapara yuga, the world is dangerously teetering between
virtue and immorality or alternating between good and bad. Compared to Krita
yuga, the world is only half as virtuous. Dharma and morals
are waning at a fast pace and the world is no longer divine. With even
more attachment to material possessions and acquisitions, the concepts of
devotion, love, and sacrifice are ignored.
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"Selfishness, self-importance, and attachment
to material possessions with its attendant ills begin to overwhelm us
and we slowly lose the purity we were born with."
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When Kali yuga arrives, even
the shaky Dvapara yuga appears more balanced. Kali yuga is
born when Dvapara yuga deteriorates to its lowest level of moral
and ethical conduct. The word Kali refers to darkness, strife,
quarrel, and misery. In Kali, ego and materialism triumph over
virtue. Self-interest and selfishness becomes so dominant that dharma
is now imprisoned. Vishnu Purana describes Kali yuga as, “When a
society reaches a stage, where property confers rank, wealth becomes the
only source of virtue, passion is the sole bond of union between husband
and wife, falsehood the source of success in life, sex the only means of
enjoyment, and outer trappings are confused with inner religion.” Kali
yuga is the symbolic representation of the total destruction of
virtue and consequently, human values.
While it is difficult to prove whether
the world moves through the four yugas or cycles as described by
Indian philosophers, there are many lessons to be learnt from the
conceptualization of the yugas. First, it underscores the
existence of the supernatural that functions independent of the life and
birth of humans and that elude our human concepts of time and space.
Every phenomenon in this universe cannot be explained by rational
explanations alone and, as every scientist would confirm, there is much
that is not known to humans. Second, it shows that eternity revolves in cycles
and our role in this eternity and cycles is insignificant. This
recognition should temper our egos. Lastly, unlike the Western
conceptualization of this world, the Indian idea of evolution in cycles
is not merely about individuals or their egos. Evolution is far more
about the preservation of all species and the philosophical values that
lead to such preservation.
There are other parallels to be drawn
from the definitions of yugas as well. When we are born, like
those who lived in the Krita yuga, we are perfect. Our minds are
pure and we are free of jealousy, greed, or material interests. As we
grow older, we acquire qualities that are less than optimal. Selfishness,
self-importance, and attachment to material possessions with its
attendant ills begin to overwhelm us and we slowly lose the purity we
were born with. And, we begin to migrate from Krita yuga to Treta
yuga and eventually, to the unsteady and out of balance Dvapara
yuga. Ultimately, we become so immersed in our poor qualities, that
it is too late to salvage ourselves. All that remains is for us to wait
for Kali to end our life cycle. If only we strive to extend our
stay in the Krita yuga as much we could!
When we view the history of the world
as pristine thoughts and actions deteriorating slowly and eventually
reaching complete annihilation before starting all over again, it
broadens our comprehension of the timelessness and boundlessness of the
world. We begin to view every innovation, discovery, art, sculpture, and
painting as rediscovery of what had existed before and then perished. We
no longer take too much credit for ourselves. World history no longer
reads as just human history or descriptions of the ephemeral ego of
individuals or their religious beliefs. When we acquire such a world view,
we may even regard progress, not just as human progress, but as progress
and preservation of nature and every species within in it.
Ram S. Sriram serves as Distinguished Professor at
College of Business, Georgia State University, Atlanta. He is also a
Mridangist and writes on music philosophy. His articles on music and
other topics are available at the website www.vidyarthi.org.
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