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How does the cosmic cycle involving Brahma extend beyond the yuga cycle?
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eschatology
The Second Coming as depicted in “The Last Judgment,” fresco by Michelangelo, 1536-41, on the west wall of the Sistine Chapel, Vatican Palace, Vatican City.
In Hindu cosmology, the cosmic cycle extends far beyond the yuga cycle through a hierarchical structure of time. While a mahayuga consists of four yugas (Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali), 1,000 mahayugas constitute a single kalpa (eon).12
This kalpa represents one day in the life of Brahma, the creator god. The progression of this cosmic scale is as follows:2
- The Kalpa: A kalpa encompasses the origination and destruction of a world system. It is followed by an equally long period of abeyance (pralaya), during which the universe remains in a state of sleep.32
- Brahma’s Lifespan: Brahma’s life lasts for 100 years, with each year composed of these vast kalpa cycles. This total lifespan equates to 311.04 trillion human years.24
- Eternal Return: The universe is subject to cyclical dissolution and recreation (pratisarga). While the universe appears to end at the conclusion of Brahma’s 100-year life, Hindu tradition holds that there are innumerable Brahmas, and a new universe is reborn with each new Brahma, reflecting the doctrine of eternal return.42