Cosmology and Creation

The Hindus believe that there is no end or beginning to God and His Creation. God creates and destroys this Universe in a cyclical pattern. The creation and destruction repeats in a cycle of four yugas (eras). These are: 

1. Krita Yuga (1,728,000 years), 2.Treta Yuga (1,296,000 years),.3. (Dwapara Yuga (864,000 years) and 4. Kali Yuga (432,000 years)

Our universe is now in Kali Yuga. It has been approximately 5,042 years since the beginning of Kali Yuga (according to Swami Dayananda). At the end of each of these four-yuga periods, there is a transition period which is characterized by rains and flooding.

If we count the combined total of the four yugas as one unit (one four-yuga period), then 71 of such units comprise the rule of one Manu (ruler of the men). Since the creation, it has been six different Manus who ruled our part of the Universe. The current time period is the 28th four-yuga cycle of the seventh Manu. He will rule for 43 more four-yuga periods. Then there will be seven more such Manus who will rule in the future before the entire Universe will come to an end and recreated again.

 

A thousand four-yuga periods comprise one day of the creator Brahma and another thousand four-yuga periods make one night for him. The Universe lasts for the duration of one creator’s-day (= 4.320 Billion years). The Universe stays unmanifested for the duration of his night. When he wakes up, the Universe is set in motion again.