Caturyuga, aka: Catur-yuga; 5 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).—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 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
Search found 392 related definition(s) that might help you understand this better. Below you will find the 15 most relevant articles:
| Yuga | Yuga (युग) refers to the tradition where historical time is divided into four ages (yuga), viz.... | |
| Kaliyuga | Kaliyuga (कलियुग) is a specific period of time, as mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 1.1.—Accordingly... | |
| Tretayuga | Tretāyuga (त्रेतायुग) refers to a time period consisting of three times the amount of one ... | |
| Satyayuga | Satyayuga (सत्ययुग).—Another name of Kṛtayuga. (See under Kṛtayuga). | |
| Caturashra | Caturasra (चतुरस्र).—mfn. (-sraḥ-srā-sraṃ) Four cornered, quadrangular. n. (-sraṃ) A square. E.... | |
| Caturmukha | Caturmukha (Apabhraṃśa Caumuha=nominative Caumuhu), we see that he was one of the greatest Apab... | |
| Yuganta | Yugānta (युगान्त).—m. (-ntaḥ) 1. A destruction of the universe. 2. The end of an age. 3. Mid-da... | |
| Caturbhuja | 1) Caturbhuja (चतुर्भुज) is the father of Rudraṇa and the great-great-grand-father of Kumāramaṇ... | |
| Caturanga | Caturaṅga.—(EI 2), a complete army. Note: caturaṅga is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glos... | |
| Dvaparayuga | Dvāparayuga (द्वापरयुग) refers to a time period consisting of two times the amount of one ... | |
| Kritayuga | Kṛtayuga (कृतयुग).—There are four Yugas (Eras) called Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali yugas. (For... | |
| Catushpada | Catuṣpada (चतुष्पद).—or Catuṣpada is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms catur and pada... | |
| Catur | Catur (चतुर्).—num. a. [cat-uran Uṇ.5.58] (always in pl.; m. catvāraḥ; f. catasraḥ; n. catvāri)... | |
| Yugadi | Yuga-ādi.—(CII 4; IA 18), name applied to certain tithis; day of the commencement of a yuga; e.... | |
| Caturvidya | Caturvidya (चतुर्विद्य).—m. (-dyaḥ) A priest who has studied the four Vedas. E. catur four, vid... |
Relevant text
Search found 8 books and stories containing Caturyuga or Catur-yuga. You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.2.31 < [Chapter 2 - Divya: In Heaven]
Verse 2.2.61 < [Chapter 2 - Jñāna: Knowledge]
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
The Shiva Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 8 - The span of life of the trinity < [Section 7.1 - Vāyavīya-saṃhitā (1)]
Kathasaritsagara (the Ocean of Story) (by Somadeva)
Laghu-yoga-vasistha (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
Part 1 - The Story of Bhuśuṇḍa < [Chapter VI - Nirvāṇa-prakaraṇa]
The Nilamata Purana (by Dr. Ved Kumari)