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Kali Yuga (Devanāgarī: कलियुग [kəli juɡə], lit. "age of [the male demon] Kali", or "age of vice") is the last of the four stages that the world goes through as part of the cycle of yugas described in the Indian scriptures. The other ages are Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga and Dvapara Yuga. The duration and chronological starting point in human history of Kali Yuga has given rise to different evaluations and interpretations. According to one of them, the Surya Siddhanta, Kali Yuga began at midnight (00:00) on 18 February 3102 BCE[1] in the proleptic Julian calendar, or 23 January 3102 BC in the proleptic Gregorian calendar. This date is also considered by many Hindus to be the day that Krishna left earth to return to his abode. Most interpreters of Hindu scriptures believe that earth is currently in Kali Yuga. Many authorities such as Swami Sri Yukteswar,[2] and Paramhansa Yogananda[3] believe that it is now Dwapara Yuga. Many others like Aurbindo Ghosh have stated that Kali Yuga is now over. The Kali Yuga is sometimes thought to last 432,000 years although other durations have been proposed.[4]
Hindus believe that human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga,[5] which is referred to as the Dark Age because in it people are as far removed as possible from God. Hinduism often symbolically represents morality (dharma) as a bull. In Satya Yuga, the first stage of development, the bull has four legs, but in each age morality is reduced by one quarter. By the age of Kali, morality is reduced to only a quarter of that of the golden age, so that the bull of Dharma has only one leg.[6][7]
Kali Yuga is associated with the apocalyptic demon Kali, not to be confused with the goddess Kālī (read as Kaalee) (these are unrelated words in the Sanskrit language). The "Kali" of Kali Yuga means "strife, discord, quarrel, or contention."
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A discourse by Markandeya in the Mahabharata identifies some of the attributes of Kali Yuga:
The Brahma Vaivarta Purana mentions a ten thousand year period, starting from the traditional dating of the Kali Yuga epoch of February 18, 3102 BC/BCE, during which bhakti yogis will be present.[8]
"When flowers will be begot within flowers, and fruits within fruits, then will the Yuga come to an end. And the clouds will pour rain unseasonably when the end of the Yuga approaches." Then Lord Vishnu in the form of infant Krishna on a leaf will come to earth and again everything will start producing from the beginning. Many prominent Hindu scholars believe that we have either crossed the era of Kali Yuga or approaching arguing for the repeated invasions on Hinduism in the last millenium in India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Indo-China, Central Asia etc. as the proof of the height of Kali Yuga.
Kali is the reigning lord of Kali Yuga and the nemesis of Sri Kalki, who is the tenth and final Avatar of Lord Vishnu. According to the Vishnu Purana, Kali is a negative manifestation of Vishnu who perpetually operates in this world as a cause of destruction, along with his evil extended family.[9] Kali also serves as an antagonistic force in the Kalki Purana. It is said that towards the end of this yuga, Kalki will return riding on a white horse to do battle with Kali and his dark forces. The world will suffer a fiery end which will destroy all evil, and a new age, Satya Yuga, will begin.
In Sikhism, it is believed that one should meditate on God as much as possible because of the world being in Kali Yuga. Because of Kali Yuga it is stressed that one should meditate as much as possible to reach the state of Nirvanna and be liberated or be one with God. Guru Granth Sahib Ji on Ang:1185 says: ab kaloo aaeiou rae || Now, the Dark Age of Kali Yuga has come. eik naam bovahu bovahu || Plant the Naam, the Name of the One Lord. an rooth naahee naahee || It is not the season to plant other seeds. math bharam bhoolahu bhoolahu || Do not wander lost in doubt and delusion.[10]
According to the Brahma Kumaris & Prajapita Brahma Kumaris, there are also five ages or yugas in a single cycle or Kalpa of 5,000 years in which the Kali Yuga or Iron Age is the lowest, most impure, vicious and where ignorance rules. It lasts for 1,250 years at the end of which a fifth age of only 100 years exists called the Sangum Yuga (Confluence Age or meeting with God) during which time the Iron Age is destroyed and the Golden Age re-created. Every 5,000 Year kalpa cycle repeats identically the same.[11]
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