The Eternal Dance
न त्वेवाहं जातु नासं न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः।
न चैव न भविष्यामः सर्वे वयमतः परम्॥
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
In Vedic cosmology, the universe is not created once but undergoes infinite cycles of manifestation and dissolution, each lasting unimaginable eons.
The Divine Trinity (Trimūrti)
ब्रह्मा (Brahmā) - The Creator
- Four heads (sees all directions)
- Creates universe at beginning of kalpa
- Lifespan: 100 Brahma years (311 trillion human years)
- Sits on lotus emerging from Vishnu’s navel
विष्णु (Viṣṇu) - The Preserver
- Maintains cosmic order (dharma)
- Ten avatars (Daśāvatāra) to restore balance
- Sleeps on cosmic serpent Śeṣa during dissolution
- Eternal, beyond creation and dissolution
- Destroys to renew
- Lord of yoga and meditation
- Natarāja—cosmic dancer
- Dissolution necessary for new creation
Not three gods, but three functions of one reality (Brahman).
The Four Yugas (Ages)
The Cycle of Decline
Satya Yuga (सत्य युग) - Age of Truth
- Duration: 1,728,000 years
- Virtue: 100% (all four feet of dharma present)
- Human lifespan: 100,000 years
- Characteristics:
- No disease, no poverty
- Natural righteousness
- People meditate, see Truth directly
- No need for temples or rituals
Treta Yuga (त्रेता युग) - Age of Three-Quarters
- Duration: 1,296,000 years
- Virtue: 75% (three feet of dharma)
- Human lifespan: 10,000 years
- Characteristics:
- Righteousness requires effort
- Fire sacrifices begin
- Rama’s age (Ramayana)
- Still mostly truthful
Dvapara Yuga (द्वापर युग) - Age of Two-Quarters
- Duration: 864,000 years
- Virtue: 50% (two feet of dharma)
- Human lifespan: 1,000 years
- Characteristics:
- Vice and virtue balanced
- Krishna’s age (Mahabharata)
- Vedas divided into four
- More conflict, disease appears
Kali Yuga (कलि युग) - Age of Strife
- Duration: 432,000 years
- Virtue: 25% (one foot of dharma)
- Human lifespan: 100-120 years
- Characteristics:
- Maximum materialism
- Hypocrisy, lying common
- False teachers proliferate
- Yet, liberation easiest (because even small practice yields great result)
- We are currently in Kali Yuga (began 3102 BCE with Krishna’s death)
The Great Cycle
One Mahāyuga = 4 Yugas:
- Satya + Treta + Dvapara + Kali
- Total: 4,320,000 years
After Kali Yuga:
- Dissolution (pralaya)
- Universe rests
- New Satya Yuga begins
- Cycle repeats
The Larger Time Scales
Manvantara (मन्वन्तर)
One Manvantara:
- 71 Mahāyugas
- Duration: 306,720,000 years
- Ruled by one Manu (progenitor of humanity)
- 14 Manus in one Kalpa
Current Manu: Vaivasvata Manu (7th of 14)
Kalpa (कल्प) - Day of Brahmā
One Kalpa:
- 14 Manvantaras
- 1,000 Mahāyugas
- Duration: 4.32 billion years
- Equals one day of Brahmā
Brahmā’s night:
- Another 4.32 billion years
- Universe dissolved
- Rests in Viṣṇu
- No creation exists
One full day-night cycle: 8.64 billion years
Brahmā’s Lifespan
100 Brahmā years:
- Two Parārdhas (50 years each)
- Each year: 360 Brahmā days
- Total: 311.04 trillion human years
At end of Brahmā’s life:
- Mahāpralaya (Great Dissolution)
- Entire universe dissolves into Brahman
- All souls return to seed state
- After cosmic rest, new Brahmā born
- Cycle begins anew
This has happened infinite times, will happen infinite more.
The Structure of the Universe
The 14 Realms (Lokas)
7 Higher Realms (Svarga):
- Satya Loka - Brahma’s abode, highest
- Tapo Loka - Realm of great sages
- Jana Loka - Realm of Brahma’s sons
- Mahar Loka - Realm of holy sages
- Svar Loka - Heaven of gods (Indra)
- Bhuvar Loka - Atmospheric realm
- Bhur Loka - Earth realm (where we are)
7 Lower Realms (Pātāla):
- Atala - First underworld
- Vitala - Second underworld
- Sutala - Third underworld (King Bali’s realm)
- Talātala - Fourth underworld
- Mahātala - Fifth underworld
- Rasātala - Sixth underworld
- Pātāla - Lowest realm (Nāgas dwell)
Note: Lower realms not “hell” (those are Narakas, places of purification)
Cosmic Geography
Mount Meru:
- Axis of universe
- 84,000 yojanas high
- Sits at center
- Surrounded by seven seas and seven continents
Jambudvīpa:
- Rose-apple island
- Central continent
- Contains Bhārata (India)
- Where karma can be worked out
The Purpose of Cycles
Why Creation and Dissolution?
The teaching:
- Universe is līlā (divine play)
- Brahman creates for joy, not necessity
- Like dreamer creating dream
- Souls evolve through experiences
The cosmic breathing:
- Creation = Brahman breathing out
- Dissolution = Brahman breathing in
- In-between = souls evolve
- Purpose: Each soul realizes “I am Brahman”
Evolution of Souls
Through countless births:
- Mineral → Plant → Animal → Human → God → Liberation
- Each life: Lessons learned, karma worked out
- Human birth precious (only here can one seek liberation)
- After liberation, no more rebirth (unless Bodhisattva vow)
Time gives perspective:
- Your life: 100 years
- One yuga cycle: Millions of years
- One kalpa: Billions of years
- Infinite kalpas: No beginning, no end
The urgency and the patience:
- Urgency: Human birth rare, life short
- Patience: Infinite time available
- Balance: Practice diligently, but without anxiety
Modern Science and Vedic Cosmology
Age of universe:
- Modern science: ~13.8 billion years
- Currently in Brahmā’s 51st year (halfway through life)
- Current day-night cycle: 8.64 billion years
- Remarkably close!
Cycles of expansion and contraction:
- Modern science: Big Bang, possible Big Crunch
- Vedic: Creation and dissolution cycles
- Similar concept
Evolution:
- Darwin: Species evolve
- Vedic: Souls evolve through species
- Different frameworks, similar insight
Multiverse theory:
- Modern: Infinite parallel universes possible
- Vedic: Infinite universes, each with own Brahmā
- This universe is one bubble in cosmic ocean
Differences
Purpose:
- Modern science: No inherent purpose
- Vedic: Purpose is soul evolution and liberation
Consciousness:
- Modern science: Emergent from matter
- Vedic: Fundamental, creates matter
Time:
- Modern: Linear (universe born once, dies once)
- Vedic: Cyclical (eternal recurrence)
Living with Cosmic Perspective
The Meaning of Human Life
In context of vast time:
- Your life: Brief flash
- Your actions: Still meaningful
- Your liberation: Beyond all time
The paradox:
- Life is momentary ripple in infinite ocean
- Yet each ripple matters
- Because: You ARE the ocean
Practical Wisdom
Don’t be attached to outcomes:
- Civilizations rise and fall
- Yugas come and go
- Even universes dissolve
- Only Brahman remains
But act with full engagement:
- This life is your opportunity
- This moment is precious
- Do your dharma completely
- Serve, love, grow, realize
The eternal now:
- Past infinite yugas: Already happened
- Future infinite yugas: Will happen
- Only now exists
- Be present, be awake
The Ultimate Teaching
Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 4.5:
“He who is one, who dispenses the inherent needs of all peoples and all times, who is in the beginning and end of all things, He is Brahman.”
The Cosmic Secret:
- All these vast cycles: Appear in Brahman
- All these infinite universes: Dreams of Brahman
- All these evolving souls: Brahman playing hide-and-seek
- You: The eternal witness of the cosmic dance
Beyond even the cycles:
- Brahmā’s lifespan: Finite
- Universe cycles: Finite
- Even time: Within awareness
- Pure awareness (You): Timeless, eternal, free
For Contemplation
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः।
रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः॥
Those who understand a day of Brahmā lasting a thousand yugas, and a night of equal length, they know the meaning of day and night.
The teaching: Understand the cosmic cycles to gain perspective. But don’t stop there—realize you are beyond all cycles, all time, all creation. You are the eternal Brahman, playing in time while remaining timeless.