sandhyā-sandhyāṁśayor antar

sandhyā-sandhyāṁśayor antar

yaḥ kālaḥ śata-saṅkhyayoḥ

tam evāhur yugaṁ taj-jñā

yatra dharmo vidhīyate

The period between the sandhyās and the beginning and end of the yuga which are calculated in hundreds of devatā years is called the yuga by the wise. During this period the particular dharmas of the yuga are performed.

The juncture at the beginning is called sandhyā and the juncture at the end is called sandhyāṁśa. What are these? They are counted in hundreds of years. The period between these two is the yuga. In these yugas the special dharmas of meditation, sacrifice, deity worship and chanting are performed.  The regular dharmas are secondarily performed. These are practiced as well in the sandhyā and sandhāṁśa. But even in the sandhyās, the yuga dharmas are more prominent. One year of the devatās is 360 years of humans. The four yugas are described in the scriptures to be 4, 320,000 human years. Satya-yuga is 1,728,000 human years. Treta-yuga is 1,296,000 human years. Dvāpara yuga is 864,000 human years. Kali-yuga is 432,000 human years.

 

|| 3.11.21 ||

dharmaś catuṣ-pān manujān

kṛte samanuvartate

sa evānyeṣv adharmeṇa

vyeti pādena vardhatā

In Satya-yuga complete dharma gives shelter to mankind. In each of the succeeding yugas, dharma decreases by a quarter because of the increase of adharma by a quarter.

In Satya-yuga, complete (catuḥpāt) dharma is aimed at mankind. Because adharma gradually increased by a fourth in the following yugas, dharma gradually decreased by a fourth.

|| 3.11.22 ||

tri-lokyā yuga-sāhasraṁ

bahir ābrahmaṇo dinam

tāvaty eva niśā tāta

yan nimīlati viśva-k

O Vidura! Beyond Svargaloka and extending to Brahmaloka, one day is equal to one thousand yuga cycles or 4,320,000,000 years. The night when Brahmā sleeps is the same duration.

Beyond the three worlds (tri-lokyāḥ baḥiḥ), above Svarga, from Maharloka to Brahmaloka, one thousand cycles of four yugas equals a day. In the night Brahmā falls asleep. He sleeps following the sleep of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Thus a day and night of Brahmā is equal to two thousand yuga cycles. For mankind that is 8,640,000,000 years.

|| 3.11.23 ||