Kali Yuga (Devanāgarī: किलयुग [kəli juɡə], lit.

"age of (the male demon) Kali", or "age of vice") is the last of the
four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The
other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga. According to the Surya Siddhanta,
an astronomical treatise that forms the basis of all Hindu and Buddhist calendars, Kali Yuga began at midnight
(00:00) on 18 February 3102 BCE [1] in the proleptic Julian calendar, or 23 January3102 BC in the proleptic
Gregorian calendar. This date is also considered by many Hindus to be the day that Krishna left earth to return
to his abode. Most interpreters of Hindu scriptures believe that earth is currently in Kali Yuga. Some, such
as Swami Sri Yukteswar,[2] and Paramhansa Yogananda[3] believe that it is now near the beginning of Dvapara
Yuga. The Kali Yuga is traditionally thought to last 432,000 years.

Hindus believe that human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga,[4] which is referred to as the
Dark Age because in it people are as far removed as possible from God. Hinduism often symbolically
represents morality (dharma) as a bull. In Satya Yuga, the first stage of development, the bull has four legs, but
in each age morality is reduced by one quarter. By the age of Kali, morality is reduced to only a quarter of that
of the golden age, so that the bull of Dharma has only one leg.[5][6]

Kali Yuga is associated with the apocalyptic demon Kali, not to be confused with the goddess Kālī (read as
Kaalee) (these are unrelated words in the Sanskrit language). The "Kali" of Kali Yuga means "strife, discord,
quarrel, or contention."

Contents
[hide]

• 1 Attributes of Kali Yuga

o 1.1 In relation to rulers

o 1.2 In human relationships

o 1.3 A special 10,000 year period within

Kali Yuga

o 1.4 The end of Kali Yuga

• 2 Personification

• 3 Other interpretations of Kali Yuga and the Yuga

cycle

• 4 Notes

• 5 See also

• 6 External links

[edit]Attributes of Kali Yuga

A discourse by Markandeya in the Mahabharata identifies some of the attributes of Kali Yuga:

[edit]In relation to rulers

 Rulers will become unreasonable: they will levy taxes unfairly.

 Rulers will no longer see it as their duty to promote spirituality, or to protect
their subjects: they will become a danger to the world.

 People will start migrating, seeking countries where wheat and barley form
the staple food source. But then, they will also love their subjects so much that
they will sacrifice their lives for them. This is what kaliyuga says.

[edit]In human relationships

 Avarice and wrath will be common. Humans will openly display animosity
towards each other.

 Ignorance of dharma will occur.

 People will have thoughts of murder for no justification and they will see
nothing wrong with that mind-set.

 Lust will be viewed as socially acceptable, and sexual intercourse will be

seen as the central requirement of life.

 Sin will increase exponentially, whilst virtue will fade and cease to flourish.
 People will take vows only to break them soon after.
 People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks and drugs.
 Men will find their jobs stressful and will go to retreats to escape their work.
 Gurus will no longer be respected and their students will attempt to injure
them. Their teachings will be insulted and followers of Kama will wrest control
of the mind from all human beings. Brahmins will not be learned and
honoured, Kshatriyas will not be brave, Vaishyas will not be just in dealings
and Shudras will not be honest and humble to their duties and to the other
castes.

[edit]A special 10,000 year period within Kali Yuga

The Brahma Vaivarta Purana mentions a ten thousand year period during which bhakti yogis will be present.
[7]
Starting from the traditional dating of the Kali yuga epoch of February 18, 3102 BC/BCE.

[edit]The end of Kali Yuga

"When flowers will be begot within flowers, and fruits within fruits, then will the Yuga come to an end. And the
clouds will pour rain unseasonably when the end of the Yuga approaches."

[edit]Personification

Kali (right) wielding a sword.

Main article: Kali (Demon)

Kali is the reigning lord of Kali Yuga and the nemesis of Sri Kalki, who is the tenth and final avatar of
LordVishnu. According to the Vishnu Purana, Kali is a negative manifestation of Vishnu who perpetually
operates in this world as a cause of destruction, along with his evil extended family.[8] Kali also serves as an
antagonistic force in the Kalki Purana. It is said that towards the end of this yuga, Kalki will return riding on a
white horse to do battle with Kali and his dark forces. The world will suffer a fiery end which will destroy all evil,
and a new age, Satya Yuga, will begin.

Some important events occurred in Kali Yuga as on 2010 AD

 It is 5111 in kaliyuga whereas 2010 AD

 When Kaliyuga acquired 3179 years Shalivahana shaka started. According
to Bhavishya purana Shalivahana is a grand son of vikramaditya. He defeated
shakas (please see Bhavishya puranum Vikramadithy pouthrascha shlokam
 for details). shaka= era,one of the mletcha group ex.vikramarka shaka,
shalivahana shaka, kristhu shaka etc.,

 When Kaliyuga acquired 3101 years Kristhu shakam started.

 When Kaliyuga acquired 3671 years Hajiri shakam started.It is 1432 of Hajiri
shaka, Therefore 5111-1432= 3671

 Before doing Gayathri japa or any puja Indians says sankalpa. In that
sankalpa it is said that Adhya Brahmana, Dwithiya pararde, shvetha
varahakalpe, vaivasvathamanvantare, kaliyuge pradhama padhe....and so on.
Hence it is evident that now we are in kaliyuga pradhama padha (first step).
Parardha kalam is the life time period of Lord Brahma, Kalpa is a day of
Brahma, Vaivasvatha manvantharam is the 7 manvantharam in this present
Svetha varaha Kalpa

[edit]Other interpretations of Kali Yuga and the Yuga cycle

Sri Yukteswar Giri maintains that we are currently in Dwapara Yuga. According to him, the astronomers and
astrologers who calculated the almanacs were guided by the false annotations of certain Sanskrit scholars
such as Kullu Bhatta. As a result, they falsely maintained that the length of Kali Yuga is 432,000 years, of which
4994 would have elapsed as of 1894, leaving 427,006 years remaining. Yukteswar Giri declares this "A dark
prospect! And fortunately one not true." He himself offers an astronomical explanation for a shorter cycle in
which Kali Yuga lasts only 2,400 years (1,200 x 2 = one descending Kali Yuga cycle + one ascending cycle).
He argues that Dwapara Yuga is represented by the introduction of atomic energy and electricity.[2]

[edit]Notes

1. ^ The Indus Script and the Rg-Veda, Page 16, By Egbert Richter-

Ushanas, ISBN 8120814053

2. ^ a b The Holy Science, by Jnanavatar Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri,

Yogoda Sat-Sanga Society of India, 1949

3. ^ Yogananda, Paramhansa. Autobiography of a Yogi. BiblioBazaar.

pp. 200–201. ISBN 9780554224664.

4. ^ Dimitri Kitsikis, L'Orocc, dans l'âge de Kali, Editions

Naaman,1985, ISBN 2-89040-359-9

5. ^ The Mahabharata, Book 3: Vana Parva: Markandeya-Samasya Parva:

Section CLXXXIX

6. ^ Bhāgavata Purāṇa 1.16.20

 7. ^ Ramesh Chaturvedi, Shantilal Nagar. Brahmavaivarta Purana.

Parimal Publications. ISBN 8171101704. Online Book 4, Chapter 129, versus

49-60

8. ^ CHAP. VII

[edit]See also

 Metrics of time in Hinduism

 Kali (Demon)
 Vamadeva
 List of numbers in Hindu scriptures

[edit]External links

Look up Kali
Yuga in Wiktionary, the free
dictionary.

Categories: Apocalypticists | Four Yugas | Eight Yugas | Shabd paths | Hindu eschatology | Prophecy | Sanskrit
words and phrases |Eschatology

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