Earth is about 4.32 billion years old and as per Puranic description it is 1 Kalpa old. 2 Kalpa make a day and a night of a Brahma and He lives a 100 years in this life cycle. Current Brahma age is 51 years. 1 Kalpa is divided in 14 Manvataras and we are in 7th Manvatara: in the mid of the creation and recreation process. Each Manvatara has 71 Chaturyugas and each Chaturyuga consists 4 Yugas (Krita/Satya, Treta, Dwaper and Kali).
The time period of each Yuga is calculated in Divine years as follows:
1 Humane year (360 days) = 1 Divine day (day & night) and 360 Divine days= 1 Divine year.
1 Divine year= 360*360= 12900 Humane year, and after covering that time period the humane will reach to Deva status. The time is a distance itself!
Life cycle of Chaturyuga is calculated as:
12,000 Divine years= 1 Chaturyuga
4,800 DY (Krita Yuga)+ 3,600 DY(Treta Yuga)+ 2,400 DY(Dwaper Yuga)+ 1,200 DY(Kali Yuga)
==1200,00 DY==120,000*360== 4,32,000,00 Humane Year
There are 71 such Chaturyugas in 1 Manvatara and there are 14 Manvataras in 1 Kalpa of Brahma. Afterwards, Brahma goes to sleep and the whole creation and our earth will go to dissolve for the same time period (71 Chaturyaga periods) until the new creation starts the next day of Brahma. 1 Day and Night of Brahma is end with the creation and destruction of universe and Brahma lives for 100 years!
For a normal being the reality lives in 3-dimensional objects but for the exalted one the time is perceived as another direction or plane of existence. So the future appears to us as something will happen in time at certain point and the Siddhas see the future as another dimension that they have to cover to reach that point. They are taking 12900 Humane year to reach to Devas places, consider the penances and hardships they are indulged in his life time. Though, for Devas it is mere 1 Divine year! This is the Metaphysical interpretation to represent the humane potential to reach to Devas status! The exalted one sees the universe parallel where the events are occurring simultaneously in universe while for us it seems to be happened in next Yuga cycle. Thus, time is also a dimension they can travel in.
There is a Long Living (surpassed the time and reached to another dimension) KakBhusandi (Crow-Swan) who had seen many versions of Ramayana and Mahabharat, Samudra Manthan, Koorma avatar, Mohini avatar, Varaha avatar, many Brahma, Vishnu, Vashistha, Vamana at different time periods. They may be the rebirth of earlier one as we know Atma is imperishable! They might give the feeling of Déjà vu!
In Mahabharata, sage Lomasha told Yudhistera that this is the 3rd time he is taking them to the same teertha. Yudhistera had gone through the same cycle two times before, but didn’t learn his lesson form life. Third time was the final visit to the same teertha and afterwards, he courageously came upfront for the war against evils. Life gives many chances to humane to correct their mistakes of previous birth, learn the unfinished lesson and act accordingly. One cannot escape with his/her karma. The entire concept of having a life is to unite Jeeva with Parmatama.
The source of the universe is the eternal Brahman; beginingless and endless, unborn and incomprehensible. It is always existing since time immemorial s as this universe is not the beginning of a creation. As per Nasaditya Sukta of Rigveda, they didn’t know who created the universe and to whom they should give havi (offerings). The ancient scriptures say the elementary composition of the universe is Sun and the rest of the universe are woven in a string (Vayu). Vayu is not just air! Vayu means which is all pervading and which takes the shape of every object in the universe.
The creation starts with principle Mahat (divine intellect) and ends with five elements (Water, Vayu, Earth, Ether/sky, and Agni) of life. The Brahman or Mahat was un-manifest and in unconscious state, Gunas were in equilibrium state. There was no change or movement or energy flow from one state to other. The Brahman or Atman was still and in tranquil state. It was in Sata or eternal state.
Vayu moves and wake Brahma, it changes the balance between gunas, allow energy to start flowing and the divine intellect came into existence. Vayu, the divine thread of the universe, or string take the form of Varaha and extracts earth from the celestial ocean. The Varaha set the earliest geography, rearrange mountains, oceans, lands, environment for the creation to start. In the beginning there was a large ocean or celestial water (dark matter). Brahmananda is the cosmic egg lying there for an innumerable yugas. Brahma, being Vayu, Rochana (divine thread) himself, moves over the cosmic celestial ocean, brings up the earth from the bottom. This was the appearance of life and movement on earth where the wind, Vayu, the vital breath cannot be disassociated from earth.
Vayu is the life force in a body and we are alive till the life force is inside the body otherwise we are no more: the life force has left him, he is no more in the body. At the very beginning, life has taken form of a unicellular and then gradually it developed into multicellulars. Those, who were regularly striving with their surroundings, actively functioning and inactivating their cells to produce more, converted into multicellulars.
They were endeavoring for life, for joy instead of surrendering the merciless and harsh nature. This Prana or life force is the first and last manifestation of life and movement. This Prana or Vayu is the Prabhanjana (destroyer) or Shiva also as unicellular has to be destroyed to take form of a multicellular. So Brahma (Vayu) is creating life and sacrificing himself (Shiva) for the sake of life! And, we are part of a Brahma (Super Soul) connected to the Brahma and one’s end give the new beginning to another. Passion or activity or Karma in the pursuit of knowledge or enlightenment or Satya make us the Brahma!
Beautifully the concept is explained through Puranic mythology. The Mahat (divine intellect) created the consciousness, the Purusha or Atma or Jeeva. And Prakriti is the material components prevalent in nature which configure the human brain,thoughts, and gunas. Brahma immediately created the Prajapati Ruci. Ruci is the interest, interest of life, interest to create and that interest has created through of agitation/imbalance of Gunas (Sata, Rajas, and Tamas). Ruci had 2 sons: Yagneya and Rochana. Yagneya is the chief of the universe, who manages and preserves the universe as Vishnu, destroy and unleash the pralaya as Shiva. He is the ultra powerful god of Rigveda, the Indra himself.
Then there are many levels of creations where they created various groups of Devas, Pitras, Prajapatis, Dharmas, Rudras, Aditayas, Vasus, Ganas, Visvedevas, Maruts and etc. Prajapati daughters married Dharma and gave birth to various groups of Devas or religions who had spread to different world and different pantheons. Dharma or YamaDharma is known in all cultures across the earth, from Japanese, to Mongol, Ugrians, Finns, Scandinavians and many more.
Indra is the brain (king), which controls the Indraiyan (devas).There is the step ladder to reach to the ultimate state of Moksha:
The matter- Senses (Devas) - The mind (Indra) - Intelligence ('buddhi, or awareness) - The Soul (Moksha or Parmatama). Intelligence or Mahata is higher, the Dharma himself and finally the Parmatma. Intelligence or awareness is important to flow energy in right direction which enlighten your path. Destruction of status quo is needed to create a new beginning and Vayu take the role of Shiva or Prabhanjana and Purushartha of kama (Purusha) to break the inertia and starts a movement of Gunas. Satva Gunas (Purity) is the Moksha state or balance state, it needs a Rajas (passion or activity) in the mind as attributes to create and Satva to preserve the creation. Then Tamas to destruct (evils, greed, igo, ignorance, inactivity), though it is also opening the new door for a life to enter.
Rigvedic Indra was the first elected and conquering Indra. He was the illegitimate son of Kushika family. This energetic young man was servicing Asura chief and would rise against their Adharma and won his independence and established Swarajya or Swargya. He was Purandara, who won several hearts and resides in their body. The transcendental interpretation is he is the God (lord of senses or devas) living inside us that needs to win the senses to become Purandara. Thus, the soul or Indra is the king of Triloki (Humane body exists in past, present and future).
The Indras are selected from all societies whether it’s, Rishis, Kings, Daityas, Danavas, Manavas, all qualify to get the Indrahood. Prahalad, Virocana (Danavas), Viprachitti (Daityas) and many other rakshas all were Indras. There were many Indras in our ancient texts and Indra was representing a group of people who have won the past, present and future by deep penance, intellect, strength, learning and exploits.
It is shown many times that Indra is in fear to losing his throne when any rishi or king do tapa but in reality Indra is always looking for the new one who can hold His throne. Thus, he conducts many tests where he sends Apsaras (his qualified agents) to check whether they transcend the lures of flesh or desire. Apsaras denoting the lust of a man! It was not that rishi had have to deprived of women. Vishwamitra lived with Menaka for 10 years and still achieved the power to challenge the Indra and all devas and created new Swargya for Trishanku. Next step was to test the willingness and strength of a man to fight the status quo or inertia prevailing in society. The great men like Bheeshma, Drona, Kripa couldn’t pass this step, they had cowardice or unwilling (chalta hia) attitude to rise against the evil rule of Duryodhana.
Our scriptures have always been misinterpreted and wrongly translated. These scriptures are written in a way to give three interpretations:
- · Upachariradi (higher interpretation)--transcendental
- · Astiakdi (historical interpretation)
- · Manvadi (dharmik or bhakti interpretation)
That’s why here we see many Deva-Sura Sangram, various Avataras of Gods, various gods for different purposes, various kinds of Astras, and various kinds of species: Ghandharva, Kinnara, Apsaras, Vanara, Gaja, Naga, Garuda, Birds, Pitras, Bhuta, Ganas, Rakshas, Yakshas, and all. We take literal meaning so it appears to us blatant mythology and exaggeration. It is injustice to these huge and profound creations to see them with our narrow tinted lenses and twist their wisdom to match our shallow ideologies and to prepare arguments in support of our tiny understandings.
It is the beauty of writing that could have compiled 3 or many interpretations that explained the historicity, spirituality and common believes of the same event. It is the beauty of the reading that could have distinguished the facts, transcendental, and bhakti meaning of the same event.
For instance, Gayatri Mantra is not associated with any religion and we all are the descendants of ancient people who were not aware of any religion. Sun and knowledge are widespread and anyone can get enlightenment. Gayatri Mantra is the gift to mankind by the GOD! Gayatri is the form of Saraswati--the goddess of light and knowledge.
When Brahma was meditating, he uttered 3 words: bhu, Bhuvah and Svaha. Bhu is Earth, the satta, the existing and visible Loka. Then, Bhuvah means will happen in future time—the Loka of potential (Bhuvarloka) lies around you. The firmament of earth! The potential in you, which take shape in earth or cumulatively Earth’s potential as per our old philosophy “Vasudhave Kutumbkam”. Bhuvar is the distance between earth and sun and domain of Vayu. Earth is You and Sun is the light or enlightenment—the soul! Then, the Svaha loka or Swargya loka, grand loka, that ought to be reached so the purpose of Earth or You to reach that loka. And the Indra or Natha is the lord of all three worlds. These are the three states (Bhu, Bhuvah, Svaha) of the fourth dimension. Svaha is not perceivable and we are not aware where it lies.
The step ladder is: Earth—Spiritual pane—Heaven. We do worship/Nishkam Karma at earth and aspire to reach to heaven. But heaven (Svaha) is illusion as our soul aspires to merge with Parmatama (enlightenment). That is it Sole Purpose to take birth on earth! Hence, heaven is Maya (illusion) land. Oh, and the earth is very real and our accumulated Karmas on earth decide our destiny of next birth. The Bhuvar loka or the surrounding environment or spiritual plane is the land between Earth and Swargya (or upper loka). It is the inner plane, our awareness to the truth to reach to the soul (Swargya).
To know YOURSELF!! Know your deep routed soul and then recognize your enemy and overcome them. Renounce all undesired weights and be as light as balloon to fly on sky, be bird or aeroplane to travel on Uparichara (higher) region. Bhuvar loka, the Vayu connect beyond to the mundane and it is our potential, our passion and activity to reach to the Soul (enlightenment).
The whole Gayatri Mantra is:
ओम् भूः ओम् भुवः ओम् सुवः ओम् महः ओम् जनः ओम् तपः ओम् स॒त्यम् ।
ओम् तत्स॑वि॒तुर्वरे॑ण्य॒म् भर्गो॑ दे॒वस्य॑ धीमहि ।
धियो॒ यो नः॑ प्रचो॒दया॑त् ।
ओमापो॒ ज्योती॒ रसो॒ऽमृतं॒ ब्रह्म॒ भूर्भुव॒स्सुव॒रोम्)
There are 4 more states: Maha, Jana, Tapa, Satya in other dimensions. Total there are 7 upper lokas and similarly there are 7 lokas underground.
In Maharloka, the lifespan of being the Mahatamas is One Kalpa. The life time of Devas in Swargya is 1200 to 12000 years and at Maharloka, the life time of a Mahatma is a 1000 time the lifetime of a Deva. These are not just the lifespan; it is a distance that Devas need to cross to reach to Mahatama status. At that dimension time itself becomes a distance to be crossed! The Mahatama Gandhi was born at October 2, 1869 and he is still living in the millions of hearts in India and in World. He is living since 146 years and will continue to live for a century atleast. These Mahatamas or the legends live on through their ideas, their words, and their actions and we remember their lives to the eternity. Rama and Krsna are living since Treta and Dwaper Yuga and till now they have crossed higher upper lokas. These 3-dimensional lives have given immortality to these legends!
The highest loka is the Satya Loka. This is the resident of who cross the barriers of eternal cycle of birth and death and assimilate in Super Soul (Parmatama)! Similarly, there are 7 descending lokas also known as Patala. Patala is even more splendor, beautiful, and prosper than Swarjya. Astiakadi or Historical interpretation is that the Raksha, Daityas, Danavas, Nagas, Sarameya, Vasuki and all are living in Patalas. They are defeated by Devas due to their old, stale and rigid policies and so they don’t share place with Devas and Mahatamas and given, respectfully, the underground dimensions.
