Chapter 1 | With Sanskrit and Hindi Commentaries

In combination. This means "of the two." A year. The word "only" is used to dispel the slow-witted doubt that there might be a difference in the year based on the distinction between their day and night. || 14 ||

Vernacular Commentary: The day and night of the Gods and Demons are opposites; that is, when it is day for one, it is night for the other. 360 such divine days and nights constitute one year of the Gods and Demons. || 14 ||

Now, wishing to explain the measure of a Kalpa A vast cosmic period consisting of 1,000 Great Ages, the author first describes the measure of the Yugas and other cycles in two verses:

Twelve thousand of those divine years constitute a Chaturyuga Chaturyuga: A cycle of four ages. This means a "Great Age" (Mahayuga), which is the sum or combination of the four ages known as Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. The word "four" is used specifically to indicate this; otherwise, simply saying "Age" (Yuga) would be redundant. This is stated by those expert in measurement. Now, he describes the specific number according to solar measurement: "In the count of solar years." That Chaturyuga mentioned by the measurement of the Gods and Demons—the Great Age consisting of 12,000 years—includes the "dawns" (Sandhya) and "twilights" (Sandhyansha). Each part of the Age is joined at its beginning and end by a dawn and a twilight respectively; these are included within the divine measure and are not separate. In terms of solar years, it is "two-three-oceans" original: "dvitri-sagara". Following the rule "numbers move from right to left" original: "ankanam vamato gatih" - a traditional Indian mathematical convention where digits are read from units place upwards, this results in 432 multiplied by a "myriad" (Ayuta), which is ten thousand. This means it should be known as 4,320,000 years.

Now, since the specific measurements of the individual quarters of the Chaturyuga are not explicitly heard, one might apply the logic that "in the absence of specific instruction, parts should be equal," implying each age is one-fourth of a Great Age. He refutes this result by saying: "The arrangement of the Golden Age (Krita) and others." This arrangement is based on the "quarters of Virtue" (Dharma-pada). This upcoming arrangement must be understood as based on the status of the legs of Virtue, not as a status of equal time duration. The meaning is this: In the Krita Age, Virtue has four legs, so its measure is greatest. Then, in Treta, because Virtue has three legs, the measure of Treta is less in proportion. Similarly, because Virtue has two legs and one leg in Dvapara and Kali respectively, their measures are less in accordance with the aforementioned sequence following the Krita and Treta measures. The measures are not equal. || 15 || 16 ||

Vernacular Commentary: 12,000 years of the divine measure make one "cycle-age" (Chaukadi-Yuga). The number in solar years is 4,320,000 years. || 15 || In the Four-Age cycle, which includes the dawn and twilight periods, the arrangement of the measures of the Krita and other ages is according to the quarters of Virtue. || 16 ||

Now, if the Great Age consists of ten parts by the total combination of all quarters of Virtue, then what is the specific knowledge of the measures of the Krita and other ages by proportion of their own quarters of Virtue? He explains this with specific detail: