3-Four Yug

Shuk Dev Jee said - "When Prithvi sees that, the kings want to rule over her, they want to win her, she laughs and says - "It is so surprising that in spite of knowing they are like toys in the hands of Kaal, still they want to win me. Everybody knows that they will die one day, still they want to own me. They think that "first we will control our Indriyaan, then will win outside enemies, and the whole land will be ours", but they don't think that every moment is controlled by Kaal. So many big people came and went without me - Prithu, Pururavaa, Gaadhi, Nahush, Bharat, Sahastrabaahu Arjun, Maandhaataa, Sagar, Khatwaang, Dhundhumaar, Raghu, Trinbindu, Yayaati, Sharyaati, Shaantanu, Gaya, Bhageerath, Nal, Nrig, Hiranyakashyap, Vritraasur, Raavan - all of them knew everything, they were very brave, but all died. Now all are history. All these stories are not just to tell the stories sake, they are told to preach mortality of this world, Gyaan and Vairaagya (detachment). Therefore only Krishn Kathaa should be told and heard."

Pareekshit said - "Bhagavan, I can see only bad elements in Kali Yug. How people will face them in that Yug? Besides, describe the form of all Yug, their Dharm, Kalp, measurement of Pralaya and the Kaal form of Bhagavaan." Shuk Dev Jee said - "Sat Yug has all the four legs of Dharm - Satya, Dayaa, Tap and Daan - and everybody follows his Dharm religiously in this Yug. People are very kind, contented, friendly and live peacefully. Like Dharm, A-Dharm also has four legs - A-Satya, Hinsaa, A-Santosh and Kalah (quarrel). Till the Kali Yug comes, three legs of Dharm are replaced by the three legs of Adharm, and the fourth one also is in deteriorating condition slowly. In Kali Yug people become lusty, they love only to satisfy their lust only.

Besides, every living being has three Gun - Sat, Raj, Tam - and according to Kaal, they increase or decrease at time to time. In Sat Yug, Sat Gun is prominent and all people love to attain knowledge and do Tap. When all Indriyaan including mind work in harmony, one should take it as sat Yug. As the next Yug approaches, Sat Gun decreases and Raj increases, then Tam also enters, and in the end only Tam remains. In Kali Yug people become very greedy, tell lies, trouble others. Form, nature and actions of people become like Raakshas. They can kill their own people even for pennies.

Pareekshit, Now your time of death is near, so be careful. Meditate on Krishn from the bottom of your heart. Kali Yug is full of ill-wills, but still it has one good thing that even chanting Krishn's name can control your desires. In Sat Yug one has to meditate, In Treta Yug one has to do big Yagya, in Dwaapar Yug one has to worship methodically, but the same results can be attained in Kali Yug only by chanting Bhagavaan Krishn's name.

Shuk Dev Jee said - "Hey Pareekshit, I have already told you the measurement of time - from Paramaanu to Dwi-Paraardh; and the number of years in a Yug. Now you hear about Kalp and its Pralaya.

(1) Naimittik (Causal) Pralaya - [Nimitt means for some reason. Here the reason is that Brahmaa Jee is going to sleep.] You already know about the form of Kaal. Now you listen to about Kalp and Pralaya. 1,000 human 4-Yug periods make Brahma's one day. Brahma's same day is called one Kalp on Prthvi. There are 14 Manu in one Kalp. In the end of the Kalp comes Pralaya and the [duration of this Pralaya] is also of the same duration as of Kalp - means 1,000 human 4-Yug period - and this is called Brahma's night. Thus 2,000 human 4-Yug periods is Brahmaa's one day and night. At the time of Brahmaa's night, these three Lok are destroyed. This is called "Naimittik Pralaya" in which by collecting the three Lok inside Himself Bhagavaan sleeps on Shesh Shayyaa (bed). [So this daily Pralaya is like Brahmaa Jee's daily sleep time. Next day again he starts his day with creating his Creation. It is like same as a child keeps all his toys at their places at night and when he gets up in the morning, he again arranges his creation.]

(2) Praakritik (Natural) Pralaya - When day after night and night after day, Brahma finishes his age of 100 Divine years with his own Kaal measurement, and he is two Paraardh old (50 Divine Years = 1 Paraardh), according to human years, then Mahat-Tattwa, Ahankaar and Panch-Tanmaatraa, these seven natures also enter their cause "Mool Prakriti". This is called " Praakritik Pralaya". At that time this Brahmaand also leaves its physical body and joins its cause. [This Pralaya is like death of a human being after his age is over, so this Pralaya is when Brahmaa Jee's age is over like a human being, and then a new Brahmaa is born. It is after one Brahmaa's age is over - after many many million years.]

Jal (Water) Pralaya - Hey Pareekshit, At this time, clouds do not rain, people do not get grains, so by eating one another all people die. The Sun sucks all the juices from the ocean, bodies and Prithvi through his rays but does not give them back. At that time a fire appears from Sankarshan Bhagavaan which burns all the seven lower Lok. On the surface is fire and from the above is severely hot Sun, all this makes Brahmaand looks like a burning lump. At that time it seems like burning lava. After that Pralaya wind blows for hundreds of years, and clouds are formed and they make rain for hundreds of years. At that time all inside Brahmaand is only water every where. This is called "Jal (water) Pralaya".

Praakrit Pralaya - Water sucks the attribute of Prithvi - smell. Thus Prithvi gets destroyed and becomes water. After water takes the nature of Prithvi - smell; Tej takes the nature of water - Ras, and water mixes with Tej; then air takes the attribute of Tej - Roop (form) - and Tej mixes with air losing its Roop. Then sky takes the attribute of air - the touch and the air disappears in the sky losing its attribute - touch. Then Taamas Ahankaar takes the Shabd (sound) - the attribute of sky and sky mixes with Taamas Ahankaar losing its attribute - sound. In the same way Tejas Ahankaar takes up Indriyan in it, and Vaikaarik (Saatwik) Ahankaar mixes Devtaa and nature of Indriyaan in itself. Then Mahat-Tattwa mixes Ahankaar and Sat, Raj and Tam Gun in itself.

Hey Pareekshit, This is all Kaal's game and in the end only Prakriti remains. It is the main cause of creation. It is hidden, without beginning and end, immortal, and indestructible. At the time of Pralaya, it also stops doing its job and becomes lull. At that time it has no Vikaar related to division of Kaal - year, months, day and night, old, deterioration, increase etc. Imagination of Creation, Sat, Raj and Tam Gun, Praan, Buddhi, Indriyan, Devta, consciousness, sub-consciousness etc, Sun, Moon, Prithvi, Air, Agni etc nothing exists at that time. Everything is just in sleep condition. One cannot even imagine all this with logic. This situation is called "Praakrit Pralaya". At that time powers of both Purush and Prakriti deteriorate and are absorbed in their root form helplessly.

(3) Aatyantik Pralaya - Pareekshit, Now you listen to the form of Moksh - Aatyantik Pralaya. Whatever has the beginning and end, that is not truth, that is Maayaa. The three states - consciousness, sub-consciousness and unconsciousness, are only of Buddhi, that is why whatever is seen because of these that is all Maayaa. This Universe is created then destructed therefore sometimes it is within Brahm, and sometimes it is not within Brahm, therefore it is not truth. See, cloud comes from the Sun and is enlightened by the Sun only, but to the people of earth clouds can cover the Sun. In the same way, Ahankaar comes from Brahm and is enlightened through Brahm, but hinders the Brahm Darshan to Jeev. As when Ahankaar is removed through Gyaan, Brahm can be seen and Jeev can join Brahm. This Maayaa-free situation of Jeev is called "Aatyantik Pralaya".

(4) Nitya (Continuous) Pralaya - Learned people say that from Brahmaa to a straw, all take birth and die, means they are all created and destroyed. - all keep changing all the time. Many times people cannot see the change but the change is always there. This is called "Nitya (Continuous) Pralaya". 

The last two concepts are only broader concepts. Even Brahmaa Jee cannot describe all the Leelaa of Bhagavaan, so I have described you all in brief. And whatever I have told you, this is Shree Mad-Bhaagvat Puraan. In the beginning Nar-Naaraayan told this to Shree Naarad Jee, Naarad Jee told this to my father Krishn Dwaipaayan Vyaas Jee, and he told it to me. Hey Pareekshit, When in the future, Shaunak etc Rishi will gather in Naimishaaranya, then Shree Soot Jee will tell this on their request."

Hey Pareekshit, Now you don't be sad about your death, because as this body has taken birth, and so it will be destroyed, All states are of body, not of soul. As till oil, lamp, wicker and fire are together, the lamp lights; in the same way till soul, actions, heart, body are all together, this Jeev lives and dies. But as on finishing the oil lamp is put out, but still the Tej is not get destroyed; in the same way on the death of a person his body is destroyed but his soul does not get destroyed. Now you meditate upon Paramaatmaa with your wisdom, Takshak will not be able to harm you in any way. Think "I am Paramaatmaa" and think about Him only. Even if Takshak bites you at that time, it doesn't matter. Now what else do you want to hear?"