Yuga; 10 Definition(s)

Introduction

Yuga means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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.

In Hinduism

Purāṇa

1a) Yuga (युग).—The intervening time between one yuga-sandhyapūrva and sandhyāṃśa; four in number; Kṛta, Treta, Dvāpara and Kali. The extent is of 12,000 years of celestial measure; the duration of the yugas includes sandhya, 12,000 divine years, 1,000 caturyugas make a day of Brahmā.¹ A yugam of five years, commencing with śravaṇa and ending with dhaniṣṭhā nakṣatra—the five years are respectively Agni, Sūrya, Soma, Vāyu and Rudra; consists of Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara; revolves like the wheel owing to the movement of the Sun.² Social conditions in;³ of Śaptaṛṣis.⁴

• 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa II. 8. 17; III. 11. 18; XII. Ch. 4 (whole) ; Vāyu-purāṇa 7. 22; 23. 83; 24. 1; 31. 21; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 3. 11-15.
• 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 13. 115, 147; 21. 131; 24. 57 and 144; 28. 22; Vāyu-purāṇa 31. 28, 49; 32. 57-65; 50. 182; 53. 116; 56. 21; Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 8. 72.
• 3) Matsya-purāṇa Ch. 165.
• 4) Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 419.

1b) A measurement equal to four hastas or dhanus; equal to a dhanurdaṇḍa.^*

• * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 7. 100; Vāyu-purāṇa 8. 106; 101. 125.

context information

The Purāṇas (पुराण, purana) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahāpurāṇas total over 400,000 ślokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Dharmaśāstra (religious law)

Yuga (युग) is a Sanskrit technical term referring a “piece of wooden pole”, of a chariot (yāna). The word is used throughout Dharmaśāstra literature such as the Manusmṛti. (See the Manubhāṣya, verse 8.291-292)

context information

Dharmaśāstra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharma-shastra) is a category of Hindu literature containing important instructions regarding religious law, ethics, economics, jurisprudence and more. It is categorised as smṛti, an important and authorative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

General definition (in Hinduism)

1) Yuga (युग) in the Rigveda and later denotes ‘yoke’. Cf. Ratha.

2) Yuga (युग) in the Rigveda frequently denotes a ‘generation’; but the expression daśame yitge applied to Dīrghatamas in one passage must mean ‘tenth decade’ of life.
 

There are four yuga's, 1. Kṛta or Satya, 2. Tretā, 3. Dvāpara, 4. Kali, of which the first three have already elapsed, while the Kali, which began at midnight between the 17th and 18th of Feb. 3102 BC. The duration of each yuga is said to be respectively 1,728,000, 1,296,000, 864,000, and 432,000 years of humanity, the descending numbers representing a similar physical and moral deterioration of men in each age. (excerpt from nāma 154)

Yuga (युग) in Hindu philosophy is the name of an epoch or era within a four age cycle. According to Hindu cosmology, life in the universe is created and destroyed once every 4.1 to 8.2 billion years, which is one full day (day and night) for Brahma. The lifetime of a Brahma himself may be 311 trillion and 40 billion years. The cycles are said to repeat like the seasons, waxing and waning within a greater time-cycle of the creation and destruction of the universe. Like Summer, Spring, Winter and Autumn, each yuga involves stages or gradual changes which the earth and the consciousness of mankind goes through as a whole. A complete yuga cycle from a high Golden Age, called the Satya Yuga to a Dark Age, Kali Yuga and back again is said to be caused by the solar system's motion around another star.

The ages see a gradual decline of dharma, wisdom, knowledge, intellectual capability, life span, emotional and physical strength.

• Satya Yuga (Virtue reigns supreme),
• Treta Yuga (3 quarter virtue & 1 quarter sin),
• Dwapar Yuga (1 half virtue & 1 half sin),
• Kali Yuga (1 quarter virtue & 3 quarter sin).

In Buddhism

Pali

yuga : (nt.) a yoke; a pair; a couple; an age or generation.

Yuga, (nt.) (fr. yuj; Vedic yuga (to which also yoga)= Gr. zugόn; Lat. jugum=Goth. juk; Ohg. juh; E. yoke; Lith. jungas) 1. the yoke of a plough (usually) or a carriage DhA. I, 24 (yugaṃ gīvaṃ bādhati presses on the neck); PvA. 127 (ratha°); Sdhp. 468 (of a carriage). Also at Sn. 834 in phrase dhonena yugaṃ samāgamā which Bdhgh. (SnA 542) expl^s as “dhuta-kilesena buddhena saddhiṃ yugaggāhaṃ samāpanno, ” i.e. having attained mastery together with the pure Buddha. Neumann, Sn. trslⁿ not exactly: “weil abgeschüttelt ist das Joch” (but dhona means “pure”). See also below °naṅgala.—2. (what is yoked or fits under one yoke) a pair, couple; appl^d to objects, as —°: dussa° a pair of robes S. V, 71.; DhA. IV, 11; PvA. 53; sāṭaka° id. J. I, 8, 9; PvA. 46; vattha° id. J. IV, 172.—tapassi° a pair of ascetics Vv 22¹⁰; dūta° a pair of messengers S. IV, 194; sāvaka° of disciples D. II, 4; S. I, 155; II, 191; V, 164; in general: purisa° (cattāri p.—yugāni) (4) pairs of men S. IV, 272 sq. =It. 88; in verse at Vv 44²¹ and 53³; expl^d at Vism. 219 as follows: yugaḷa-vasena paṭhamamagga-ṭṭho phala-ṭṭho ti idam ekaṃ yugaḷan ti evaṃ cattāri purisa-yugaḷāni honti. Practically the same as “aṭṭha purisa-puggalā. ” Referring to “pairs of sins” (so the C.) in a somewhat doubtful passage at J. I, 374: sa maṅgala-dosa-vītivatto yuga-yog’âdhigato na jātum eti; where C. expl^s yugā as kilesā mentioned in pairs (like kodho ca upanāho, or makkho ca paḷāso), and yoga as the 4 yojanas or yogas (oghas?), viz. kāma°, bhava°, diṭṭhi°, avijjā°.—Also used like an adj. num. in meaning “two, ” e.g. yugaṃ vā nāvaṃ two boats Dpvs. I, 76.—3. (connected by descent) generation, an age D. I, 113 (yāva sattamā pitāmahā-yugā “back through seven generations. ” Cp. DA. I, 281: āyuppamāṇa); KhA 141 (id.); J. I, 345 (purisa°). There are also 5 ages (or stages) in the (life of the) sāsana (see Brethren, p. 339): vimutti, samādhi, sīla, suta, dāna.

—anta (-vāta) (storm at) the end of an age (of men or the world), whirlwind J. I, 26.—ādhāna putting the yoke on, harnessing M. I, 446.—ggāha “holding the yoke, ” i.e. control, dominance, domineering, imperiousness; used as syn. for palāsa at Vbh. 357=Pug. 19 (so read for yuddha°), expl^d by sama-dhura-ggahaṇaṃ “taking the leadership altogether” at VbhA. 492. See further Nd¹ 177; VvA. 71 (yugaggāha-lakkhaṇo paḷāso); SnA 542; DhA. III, 57 (°kathā=sārambhakathā).—°ṃ ganhāti to take the lead, to play the usurper or lord J. III, 259 (C. for T. palāsin); DhA. III, 346.—ggāhin trying to outdo somebody else, domineering, imperious VvA. 140.—cchidda the hole of a yoke Th. 2, 500 (in famous simile of blind turtle).—naṅgala yoke and plough (so taken by Bdhgh. at SnA 135) Sn. 77= S. I, 172 (“plough fitted with yoke” Mrs. Rh. D.).—nandha (with v. l. °naddha, e.g. at Ps. II, 92 sq.; KhA 27 in T.) putting a yoke on, yoking together; as adj. congruous, harmonious; as nt. congruity, association, common cause Ps. II, 98=Vism. 682; Ps. II, 92 sq. (°vagga & °kathā); KhA 27 (nt.); Vism. 149 (°dhammā things fitting under one yoke, integral parts, constituents).—mattaṃ (adv.) “only the distance of a plough, ” i.e. only a little (viz. the most necessary) distance ahead, with expressions of sight: pekkhati Sn. 410 (“no more than a fathom’s length” Rh. D. in Early Buddhism 32); pekkhin Miln. 398; °dassāvin Vism. 19 (okkhitta-cakkhu+) pekkhamāna SnA 116 (as explⁿ of okkhittacakkhu).—sāṭaka (=s.—yuga) a pair of robes, two robes Dpvs VI, 82. (Page 556)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

General definition (in Buddhism)

Yuga (युग) or Caturyuga refers to the “four ages” as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 88):

1. kṛta-yuga (the accomplished age),
2. tretā-yuga (the threefold-life age),
3. dvāpara-yuga (the twofold age),
4. kali-yuga (the dark age).

The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (eg., yuga). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

yuga (युग).—n An age; the period comprising the four ages. A yoke. A pair.

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