Yoga vis-a-vis the Universe & God:-
IT is necessary to know how God acts in relation to this world which passes through five different phases, namely Golden Age, Silver Age, Copper Age, Iron Age and Confluence Age as indicated by the Swastika in the picture of the Time Wheel. The world, during Golden Age, has complete Purity, Peace and Prosperity and, in the Silver Age also, it enjoys all these three though to the extent of two degrees less. In the Copper Age, Sex-lust, Anger, Greed, and attachment appear in- to this world. Abrahim, Buddha and Christ establish their respective religions one after the other. Despite all this, unrighteousness, violence and peacelessness go on increasing gradually in this world. In the Iron Age, there is rapid degeneration in moral and spiritual values so that, at the end of Iron Age, the climax is reached. At this time, God descends into the body of an aged man whom He names Brahma or Adam. He, the Creator of Brahma, Vishnu and Shankara, gets His three acts done.
Through Brahma or Adam, He imparts Godly Knowledge, teaches easy Raja Yoga and inculcates divine qualities. Thus, he trans- forms human beings and elevates them spiritually. This brings about the new, Golden-Aged world again. Those who do not divinise themselves, suffer destruction and also punishment for their evil acts. The act of Destruction of the Iron-aged, vicious world is carried out through Shankara. In the Golden Age and Silver Age, the righteous world is sustained through Vishnu’s corporeal representa- tives-Shri Narayana and Shri Lakshmi and Shri Sita and Shri Rama and their dynasty respectively.
Thus the Wheel of Time goes on non-stop. The four Yugas or epochs, including the Confluence Age, are of 5000 years duration, each of the first four yugas being equal to 1250 years. This cycle has been going on and on since eternity.
Now, we should know that the world is heading towards a catastrophe because of over-population, acute shortage of food, pollution of environment, depletion of the sources of energy, increas- ing mental tension and, above all, erosion of moral values and extinc- tion of the feeling of brotherhood. There will not be total destruction or dissolution of the world but it will be an indescribably major destruction through nuclear war, Natural Calamities, Civil Wars, starvation etc. It is the last chance for man to give up exploitation and greed, anger and vengeance, sex-lust and prurient habits, pride and sloth and, while discharging his social and family obligations, be true yogi for his own sake, for world’s sake and for God’s sake.
