Caturyuga, aka: Catur-yuga; 7 Definition(s)
Introduction
Caturyuga means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
Alternative spellings of this word include Chaturyuga.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Caturyuga (चतुर्युग) refers to a time period consisting of four times the amount of one Kaliyuga, according to the Nīlamatapurāṇa. The passage of the sun through one sign of the zodiac, we are informed, is called a solar month. Two months make a season, three seasons an Ayana and two Ayanas a year. Four lacs and thirty two thousand years make Kaliyuga. Twice as much as Kaliyuga is Dvāpara, thrice is Tretā and four yugas make one Caturyuga and seventy one Caturyugas make one Manvantara.
Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary studyCaturyuga (चतुर्युग).—(See Manvantara).
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopaediaCaturyuga (चतुर्युग) refers to a set of “four yuga periods”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.10, while explaining the span of life of the deities (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Hara):—“[...] A thousand sets of the four-yuga periods [viz. caturyuga] constitute one day of Brahmā [viz., brahmadina]. The period of night is also similar. Further measurement of time is based on this calculation. Thirty such days (days and nights) constitute one month and twelve months, one year. The span of life of Brahmā is hundred such years”.
Source: archive.org: Siva Purana - English TranslationCaturyuga (चतुर्युग).—Kṛtam, Treta, Dvāparam and Kali. The section deals with the differences between them under the heads yugadharma, yugasandhi, aṃśaka and yugasandhāna. These are in Bhāratavarṣa;1 According to the yugas the height of men, birds, beasts and plants decreases or increases;2 Manu's height is aṣṭatāla and one whose height is navatāla is praised even by Gods.3 Kṛta 4000 years sandhya 400 sandhyāṃśa 400; Treta 3000 years sandhya 300 sandhyāṃśa 300; Dvāpara 2000 years sandhya 200 sandhyāṃśa 200; Kali (Tiṣyam) 1000 years sandhya 100 sandhyāṃśa 100; Thus on the whole the yugas comprise 12000 divine years;4 described.5
- 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 29. 1 ff. Matsya-purāṇa 142. 2 and 17, 23.
- 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa 32. 8 ff.
- 3) Ib. 35. 172.
- 4) Vāyu-purāṇa 23. 105; 24. 1; 32. 65, 67; 45. 137; 57. 5 and 21-8.
- 5) Viṣṇu-purāṇa VI. 1. 5-7; 3. 11-40.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
In Buddhism
General definition (in Buddhism)
Caturyuga (चतुर्युग) or simply Yuga refers to the “four ages” as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 88):
- kṛta-yuga (the accomplished age),
- tretā-yuga (the threefold-life age),
- dvāpara-yuga (the twofold age),
- kali-yuga (the dark age).
The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (eg., catur-yuga). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgrahaLanguages of India and abroad
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Caturyuga (चतुर्युग).—the aggregate of the four Yugas or ages of the world.
Derivable forms: caturyugam (चतुर्युगम्).
Caturyuga is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms catur and yuga (युग).
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryCaturyuga (चतुर्युग).—n.
(-gaṃ) The aggregate of the four Yugs or ages of the Hindus, a Mahayuga or 4,320,000 years. E. catur four, and yuga an age.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Relevant definitions
Full-text: Manvantara, Tretayuga, Kaliyuga, Dvaparayuga, Yuga, Suvarca, Kalamana, Vishnu, Divyavarsha, Aikshvaku, Aha, Devapi, Pralaya, Satya.
Relevant text
Search found 9 books and stories containing Caturyuga, Catur-yuga; (plurals include: Caturyugas, yugas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 8 - The span of life of the trinity < [Section 7.1 - Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (1)]
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.2.31 < [Chapter 2 - Divya: In Heaven]
Verse 2.2.61 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna: Knowledge]
The Brahmanda Purana (by G.V. Tagare)
Chapter 1 - Description of the dissolution of the Universe (a) < [Section 4a - Upasaṃhāra-pāda]
Chapter 74 - Royal Dynasties < [Section 3 - Upodghāta-pāda]
Chapter 35 - The legend of Yājñavalkya’s receiving the Veda from the Sun-God < [Section 2 - Anuṣaṅga-pāda]
Laghu-yoga-vasistha (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
Part 1 - The Story of Śukra or Venus < [Chapter IV - Sthiti-prakaraṇa]
Part 1 - The Story of Bhuśuṇḍa < [Chapter VI - Nirvāṇa-prakaraṇa]
The Bhagavata Purana (by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
Chapter 3 - The Marriage of Sukanya and Cyavana Muni < [Canto IX - Liberation]