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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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.

"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."

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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