How is kalyug's age 432,000 years?

Question

I'm very confused about this:

As we know, the "Mahabharata" happened around 5,000 years ago and the "Ramayana" happened around 18,000 to 20,000 ago(according to google). So, if the age of "dvapara yug" is around 850,000 years, then the "Ramayana" should be happened around "850,000 + 5,000" years ago. Someone please clear my confusion..

Answer 1

I) Your first question How is Kali Yuga's age 432, 000 years?

• In the Rig Veda[10.72.1] a yuga refers to generations, a long period, a very brief period, or yoke (joining of two things).
• The names "Yuga" and "Age" commonly denote a Chatur Yuga(चतुर्युग), a cycle of four world ages which are: Krita Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga and Kali Yuga.
• Seventy-one Caturyugas make a Manvantara (or period of a Manu) [Vishnu Smriti 20.11]..
• A thousand Caturyugas make a Kalpa [Vishnu Smriti 20.12].
• A kalpa is a day of Brahma [Vishnu Smriti 20.13].
• What is Sāvana Varsha(सावन वर्ष/Human Year)? A sāvana year consists of 360 days (1 day = 24 hours).
• What is Deva Varsha(देव वर्ष/Divine Year)? A deva varsha (An year of Devas or Gods) is defined as 360 sāvana (human) years.
• What is definition of Kali Yuga(कलि युग)? According to Vishnu Smriti [20.6], The kaliyuga itself consists of 1000 years only; but is preceded and followed by a twilight lasting 100 years. Its is similar to other three Yugas [2000, 3000 and 4000 for Dvapara, Treta, Krita yugas respectively].
• What is duration of Kali Yuga(कलि युग)? Kali Yuga (the fourth age in a cycle) lasts for 1,200 divine years = Yuga Sandhya + Main Period + Yuga Sandhya = 100 + 1000 + 100 = 1,200 divine years. Therefore, duration of Kali Yuga is 1,200 * 360 = 432,000 sāvana (human) years.

The connection between Bhagavān Vishnu’s Dasāvatāra(दशावतार) to Yuga duration Computation: In krita yuga four avatāras (matsya, kūrma, varāha and narasimha), in treta yuga three avatāras (vāmana, parasurāma and rāma), in dvāpara yuga two avatāras (balarāma and krishna) and kali yuga one avatāra (kalki which will be assumed at the end of kali yuga). Let us call duration of kali yuga 432,000 sāvana (human) years as Yuga Factor.

1. Duration of Kali Yuga = Number of Avataras * Yuga Factor = 1 * 432,000 = 432, 000 sāvana years.
2. Duration of Dvāpara Yuga = Number of Avataras * Yuga Factor = 2 * 432,000 = 864, 000 sāvana years.
3. Duration of Treta Yuga = Number of Avataras * Yuga Factor = 3 * 432,000 = 1,296, 000 sāvana years.
4. Duration of Krita Yuga = Number of Avataras * Yuga Factor = 4 * 432,000 = 1,728, 000 sāvana years.
5. Duration of Chatur Yuga = Dasāvatāra * Yuga Factor = 10 * 432,000 = 4,320,000 sāvana years.

Beware-1: This above table establishes the connection between Bhagavān Vishnu’s Dasāvatāra and duration of Chaturyuga(चतुर्युग). By remembering the Yuga Factor which is 432,000 sāvana years(1,200 divine years), the duration of four yugas can be arrived at mentally by multiplying “Yuga Factor” with “Number of Avadāras” assumed by God Vishnu in that particular yuga. Refer the above figure to know the Number of Avadāras assumed in that yuga.

II) Your second and final question As we know, the "Mahabharata" happened around 5,000 years ago and the "Ramayana" happened around 18,000 to 20,000 ago(according to google). So, if the age of "dvapara yug" is around 850,000 years, then the "Ramayana" should be happened around "850,000 + 5,000" years ago. Someone please clear my confusion.

Bhagavān Krishna's death marks the end of Dvāpara Yuga(द्वापर युग) and the start of Kali Yuga(कलि युग), which is dated to 17/18 February 3102 BCE. Lasting for 432,000 years(1,200 divine years/देव वर्ष), Kali Yuga began 5,125 years ago and has 426,875 years left as of 2024 CE. Kali Yuga will end in the year 428,899 CE.

Dvāpara Yuga beginning = Kali Yuga Beginning + Dvāpara Yuga Duration = 5,125 + 864,000 = 869,125.

Treta Yuga beginning = Dvāpara Yuga Beginning + Treta Yuga Duration = 869,125 + 1,296,000 = 2,165,125.

With reference to present year (2024 CE), the beginning of Treta Yuga and Dvāpara Yuga are as follows:

• As of 2024 CE, Treta Yuga began 2,165,125 sāvana years ago.

• As of 2024 CE, Dvāpara Yuga began 869,125 sāvana years ago.

Conclusion:

Beware-2: Assumption is Dvāpara Yuga begins soon after after Sri Rama's demise.

Beware-3: If someone comes out with accurate data for Sri Rama's demise, then he/she is most welcome and please comment about it.

Assume that Sri Rama ruled 11,000 years and then add just 100 years, then Rāmāyanam (birth of Sri Rama) began approximately 11,100 years before beginning of Dvāpara Yuga.

As of 2024 CE, Rāmāyanam began (869,125 + 11,100) at least 880,225 sāvana years ago.

Answer 2

I am answering the first question.

Yuga

O brahmins, the Krta yuga consists of four thousand years. Four hundred, three hundred, two hundred and hundred years respectively constitute the period of transition both at the beginning and end of a yuga. [1]

Linga Purana I.4.5-6

[1] Each Yuga is prefixed and suffixed by a sandhya which specifies the advent and culmination of yuga. The two sandhyas of a yuga are of equal length though their period of duration differs from yuga to yuga. Thus Krta Yuga lasts for four thousand divine years and its sandhyas for eight hundred such years; Treta lasts for three thousand divine years and its sandhyas for six hundred such years; Dvapara lasts for two thousand years and its sandhyas for four hundred; Kali lasts for one thousand and its sandhyas for two hundred such years. The total period for the four yugas is ten thousand divine years and that for their sandhyas is two thousand divine years.

The amsaka, therefore, is one-sixth of the duration of each yuga. The period of duration of Treta, Dvapara and kali is respectively three thousand, two thousand and one thousand years without their amsaka parts.

Linga Purana I.4.7-8

The people who know arithmetic say that the three hundred and sixty thousand human years constitute the period of a thousand divine years.

Linga Purana I.4.23

The duration of a yuga is calculated according to the divine reckoning. The first yuga is name Krta; thereafter comes Treta and then Dvapara and Kali. O men of holy rites, these are the (names of the four) yugas. Henceforth the number of years of each yuga which have been mentioned earlier in divine reckoning are now being counted according to human reckoning. The Krta consists of one million four hundred and forty thousand human years; Treta of one million eighty thousand years; Dvapara of seven hundred twenty thousand years and Kali of three hundred and sixty thousand human years; Thus the duration of the four yugas without the period of junction and transition totals to three million six hundred thousand human years. If Sandhya period is included, the set of four ages will consist of four million three hundred and twenty thousand years.

Linga Purana I.4.24-30

This means that Kali together with its Sandhya lasts for 1200 divine years. Since 1000 divine years means 360,000 human years, a simple calculation shows that Kali together with its Sandhya implies 432,000 human years.

When did Ramayana happen?

No one knows for sure. Bibek Debroy thinks that Ramayan happened after Mahabharata.