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The latest findings in astronomy and an impartial observation of the current trends indisputably indicate that the human race is in the ascending phase of Dwapara Yuga, says Quanto Shivo

There is a widespread misconception among the Indian masses that we are passing through Kali Yuga, the period of lowest consciousness in human history. Whenever we come across particularly disturbing news about human cruelty or apathy, we often blame it on Kali Yuga. It is said that we have crossed mere 5000 years of Kali Yuga and have 4,27,000 years more to go. Which explains the mass belief that the period of miseries has only begun, and things will get far worse before they begin to get better. 

So entrenched is this idea in people’s minds that they often overlook the tides of positive changes sweeping the world and dismiss any progress as temporary or superficial. However, this is far from the truth. 

Sprouting of optimism  

Our own experience of life defies this notion of Kali Yuga. Almost all parameters of life seem to be getting better for the past 100 years. We have seen the fruits of industrial revolution spurring the economy and helping the masses enjoy a far more luxurious lifestyle. While kings and nobles lived in an oasis of luxuries just a few centuries ago, the masses reeled in abject poverty. Today, average human life expectancy has crossed 70 years and is moving up consistently. This is in stark contrast to the fact that in 15th-century Europe, a person was expected to live only till the age of 29. Even though democracy has its own share of evils, it is far more dignified and empowering than the autocratic rule of kings. With the spread of education, many social evils like untouchability, sati tradition, as well as inequality based on caste and gender have been largely eliminated or are on the wane. In general, it does not appear that things are getting worse. 

A mystic’s declaration

In 1895, Sri Yukteswara Giri, one of the greatest spiritual masters/astrologers and guru of Sri Paramhansa Yogananda (author of Autobiography of a Yogi), declared in his book The Holy Sciences that the Kali Yuga is over and the Dwapara Yuga has already begun. He suggested an astronomical model as the probable cause for changes in yugas. Even though that model was invalidated later, it aroused immense curiosity among astronomers about the phenomenon of yuga cycles. With an explosion of astronomical knowledge in the past few decades, the yuga cycles are being validated based on a certain astronomical phenomenon. Astronomical evidence generated in the recent past is indicating that we are already in Dwapara Yuga. Even though this is not yet part of mainstream astronomy, it is expected that with more evidence flowing in, yuga cycles will be scientifically validated. 

Mechanism of yuga cycles

Classic Hindu texts mention the existence of yuga cycles of 24,000 years which are divided into two halves of descending and ascending yugas of equal duration. Each of these 12,000-year cycles is further divided into four periods of Sat Yuga (4800 years), Treta Yuga (3600 years), Dwapara Yuga (2400 years) and finally, Kali Yuga (1200 years). It is also mentioned that in Sat Yuga, dharma stands on four legs; in TretaYuga, three legs; in Dwapara Yuga, two legs; and in Kali Yuga, just one leg. Which means that consciousness goes on decreasing through the descending order of the yuga cycle. The consciousness we experience in Kali Yuga is just one fourth of that experienced in Sat Yuga. Once the descending phase of the yuga cycle is over, the ascending phase begins with consciousness rising through Kali Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, Treta Yuga and finally peaking to Sat Yuga.

Consciousness is nothing but electromagnetic field (EMF)

Recent scientific theories like Quantum Mechanics explain consciousness as an electromagnetic field. We all have our individual EMF, also called soul in spiritual terms, which leaves us at the time of death.  Similarly, the all-pervading EMF across the cosmos has been termed as God. When individual EMF vibes in harmony with cosmic EMF, it becomes the phenomenon of merging with God. 

Astronomical evidence now suggest that one yuga cycle comprising 24,000 years is nothing but the cycle of consciousness. Probably the EMF as experienced on earth varies in the ratio of 1:4 over this period of yuga cycles. This is just a brief overview of the phenomenon.

The Sun-Sirius cycle

Most of the time cycles such as the lunar month or year have their foundation in some or the other astronomical cycle, e.g., the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun constitutes a year, which causes variations in the form of seasons. Similarly, there exists an astronomical phenomenon behind the yuga cycles too. Over time, it is becoming evident that the sun is not stationary as believed previously but moves in a cycle with its binary partner, the star system called Sirius. And this cycle lasts 24,000 years. During this cycle, for half of the period, the sun and Sirius come closer forming the ascending phase; during the other half, the sun and Sirius move farther from each other forming the descending phase of the yuga cycle. During Sat Yuga, both these stars are closest to each other and during Kali Yuga, they are at the farthest. 

Ascending yuga—Sun and Sirius getting closer

We are already in the ascending phase of the yuga cycle. Compelling evidence for this is being provided by the Doppler effect. According to it, stars moving away from the earth appear red in colour and those moving closer appear blue. Most of the stars in the night sky appear red because the expanding universe causes them to move away from the earth. However, currently, Sirius is the brightest blue star in the sky, which means that it is coming closer to the earth, making us part of the ascending yuga cycle. Famous astronomer, Claudius Ptolemy in his famous astronomy textbook Almagest, written almost 2000 years ago, described Sirius as reddish in colour. That means, 2000 years ago, Sirius was moving away from the earth and we were in a descending yuga cycle back then. Multiple Chinese and Arabic texts written around the seventh century describe Sirius as white in hue. It means that Sirius was almost stationary in motion, which happens at the bottom of the cycle. This is in tune with Sri Yukteswara’s proclamation that Kali Yuga hit bottom sometime in the sixth century AD. 

Sirius C—vast EMF influencer 

Now the important question is: Why the varying distance between the sun and Sirius should cause fluctuations in consciousness or electro-magnetic field? Let’s look into the EMF details of Sirius comprising three stars - Sirius A, Sirius B, and Sirius C. Sirius A has magnetic fields of around 50 G (gauss), which is almost in the range of the sun’s EMF of five to 20 G and the earth’s surface EMF of around one gauss. Sirius B is a star classified as ‘white dwarf’, with EMF in the range of one million gauss. Even though such an EMF is quite huge in comparison to that of the sun and the earth, it cannot make a huge difference to the earth’s EMF, from the distance of around 8.6 light years.

Even though Sirius C has never been spotted, evidence of its existence is provided by the massive influence it has on the orbital characteristics of Sirius A and B. Chances are that it is a neutron star, which is extremely small, having a diameter of around 10 km and a mass of one and a half times that of the sun. These stars are also extremely dark, almost like black holes, and hence are impossible to spot. The typical EMF of a neutron star is around one trillion gauss, which is simply huge, and can cause substantial variations on the earth, even from such a vast distance. If the farthest distance between the sun and Sirius is double that of their closest distance, then the EMF experienced because of Sirius will vary four times, as EMF is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. Hence, it can be understood that a variation of the distance between the sun and Sirius, over a period of the yuga cycle of 24,000 years, will cause huge swings in the electro-magnetic fields, resulting in a variation in consciousness. 

Consciousness—the force of oneness

During the time of high consciousness, there is a strong sense of oneness between all entities, including humans, nature, animals, and even the divine beings. Hence, there is a deep harmony. When consciousness begins to deteriorate, beings begin to feel a separation from each other which causes all kinds of conflicts. In times of higher consciousness, humans care for each other deeply and operate from creative motivations. Even divine beings feel close to highly conscious humans and operate almost in partnership. Nature manifests its divine aspect; hence disasters are almost absent. Humans value love over outer possessions, making the society largely peaceful and happy. 

Sat Yuga is known to be a time of perfect harmony and goodwill. Nature produced enough food for everyone. No one had to toil hard for survival, and work was as enjoyable as play. Humans could easily make sense of the world; hence no wonder the Upanishads—the most insightful and mysterious of all spiritual texts—were written during this period. By the dawn of Treta Yuga, the experience of Divinity did not remain so easy.