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In today's world, we have advanced a lot in science and technology, and people have distanced themselves from all the Puranas and Vedas. All that is fine, because it is predicted that the Kali Yuga is like that.

My question: Since this is the 28th Kaliyuga, what about all the other Kaliyugas? They obviously must have been similar. But for all those dynasties to continue into ages such as ours and survive to the next Chaturyuga seems impossible! Then how is this explained?

Note: Even if one wants to refute the concept of 71 Chaturyugas, please do so with constructive arguments.

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  • I posed this question to learned mentor of mine. In his opinion, the technology of Kali Yuga and understanding of the universe is nothing compared to that of the previous Yugas. In Kali Yuga, man is merely given complete freedom to exploit nature if he chooses so and technology is only a natural consequence of this freedom. As for the previous Kali Yuga, I don't have references in handy, but it must have been similar. Perhaps, Keshav can answer this. It would however be prudent to take Hindu timeless of Manvantra/Kalpa with a pinch of salt as it contradicts modern scientific data.
    – Naveen
    Nov 7, 2015 at 17:33
  • You may also find answers to your question in this post - hinduism.stackexchange.com/questions/7990/…
    – Naveen
    Nov 7, 2015 at 17:35
  • I don't think technology was this advanced in previous Kali Yugas; for instance Parashurama killed the kings of the Earth in the 19th Kali Yuga, and things weren't advanced at all. I don't think technological advancement is a fundamental characteristic of the Kali Yuga - it's certainly not mentioned as one in Hindu scripture. I think the technological advancement of the present Kali Yuga is a very contingent state of affairs. Nov 13, 2015 at 9:08
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    Basically the essential nature of the Kali Yuga is that men abandon Dharma. And when you abandon Dharma, you need to fill that void in your heart with something - it's similar to how the secularization of modern society has led to campaigns against things like racism and pollution. Now in ancient times, while abandoning Dharma man filled the void with reason - and through reason he was able to grasp certain Platonic truths which enabled him to understand and manipulate the world around him - hence our technological advancement. Nov 13, 2015 at 9:12
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    @KeshavSrinivasan Forget about previous kali yuga. Kalki purana which talks about our very own kali yuga is also enigmatic. Also when I read Kalki purana , it talks about kings of sambala , simhala(Srilanka?), Marriage between kalki and Padmavati , donating cows to brahmins etc. Also they talk about kalki using divine horses using which he conquers world. I am not sure how these correlates with current technology
    – tekkk
    Nov 29, 2015 at 18:10

3 Answers 3

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I dont know about technologies of Previous Kali yugas. But there is a verse in bhagavatam, which predicts about humans going to other planets by manipulation of Maya(or material elements) in this kali yuga.

(S.B 2.7.37)

deva-dviṣāṁ nigama-vartmani niṣṭhitānāṁ  pūrbhir mayena vihitābhir adṛśya-tūrbhiḥ lokān ghnatāṁ mati-vimoham atipralobhaṁ  veṣaṁ vidhāya bahu bhāṣyata aupadharmyam

Here are two translations

Translation 1:

When the atheists, after being well versed in the Vedic scientific knowledge, annihilate inhabitants of different planets, flying unseen in the sky on well-built rockets prepared by the great scientist Maya, the Lord will bewilder their minds by dressing Himself attractively as Buddha and will preach on subreligious principles

Translation 2:

For those who became well informed on the path of education but envious with the divine, roam the worlds and the ether with inventions of Maya [or with modern technology], He will dress up most attractively and [as the Buddha and His representatives] by extensive discourses bewilder their minds with the use of many terms deviating from the tradition.

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Ravana was flying the Vimaana way before the Wright brothers invented one. There is nothing new under the Sun. People have not distanced themselves from all the Puranas and Vedas as hinduism.stackexchange.com is a living example of the same. Yes there is corruption in the interpretation of the Vedas as sanskrit is not the preferred language of learning, but with time this will get resolved. Yugas are a state of mind and can change for the better/worse very fast with a push in the right/wrong direction. Science can never match the visionary insights of the MahaRishis and this has been clearly answered by Bhishma to Yudhishtira in the Anusasana Parva section CXLII (162) of the Mahabharata as below:

"Vaisampayana said, 'After Krishna, the son of Devaki, had said these words, Yudhishthira once more asked Bhishma the son of Santanu, saying, 'O thou of great intelligence; O foremost of all persons conversant with duties, which, indeed, of the two, direct perception and the scriptures, is to be regarded as authority for arriving at a conclusion?'

"Bhishma said, 'I think, there is no doubt in this. Listen to me, O thou of great wisdom! I shall answer thee. The question thou hast asked is certainly proper. It is easy to cherish doubt. But the solution of that doubt is difficult. Innumerable are the instances, in respect of both direct perception and audition (or the scriptures), in which doubts may arise. Certain persons, who delight in the name of logicians, verily imagining themselves to be possessed of superior wisdom, affirm that direct perception is the only authority. They assert that nothing, however true, is existent which is not directly perceivable; or, at least they doubt the existence of those objects. Indeed, such assertions involve an absurdity and they who make them are of foolish understanding, whatever may be their pride of learning. If, on the other hand, thou doubtest as to how the one (indivisible Brahman) could be the cause, I answer that one would understand it only after a long course of years and with the assistance of Yoga practised without idleness. Indeed, O Bharata, one that lives according to such means as present themselves (without, i.e., one's being wedded to this or that settled mode of life), and one that is devoted (to the solution of the question), would be capable of understanding it. None else, truly, is competent for comprehending it. When one attains to the very end of reasons (or reasoning processes), one then attains to that excellent and all comprehending knowledge--that vast mass of effulgence which illumines all the universe (called Brahma). That knowledge, O king, which is derived from reason (or inferences) can scarcely be said to be knowledge. Such knowledge should be rejected. It should be noted that it is not defined or comprehended by the word. It should, therefore, be rejected!'"

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  • Use quotes when you are copying others translation. Otherwise, it is plagiarism. Plagiarism is discouraged on StackExchange.com Add the link to the passage, give proper attribution. Why did you keep the who paragraph in the header? It is only for headings. Nov 3, 2017 at 4:06
  • can you explain how you did that. I don't know how get the actual quote in the yellow box. thanks.
    – Rama27
    Nov 3, 2017 at 10:14
  • Sure I will. Visit this page in the help center. How do I format my posts using Markdown or HTML? or click on question marks when you write a question or answer. Hope it helps. Nov 3, 2017 at 10:17
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The technology as you would see in Ramayana or Mahabharata were still there it is like according to a Purana whose name I unfortunately can`t remember it is well mentioned in the original version that there is a group of people who are working towards the fact that the advancements in technology which is productive for human life is sustained and other stuffs deteriorate over time , I can say this is true for the reason that during one of the real archaeological research(of a place I wont be able to tell you about ) remains were found actually indicating the fact that nuclear fusion was carried out successfully over there so the idea that the tech today can destroy everything isn't well held as fusion weapons would have been far more dangerous to humans as compared to fission ones.

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