absorption, is at once explained by a
clear understanding of the duration of the time of the gods' own life
and of the divine heaven. Whereas the Greek notion of four ages
includes within the four all time, all the four ages of the Hindu are
only a fraction of time. Starting at any one point of eternity, there
is, according to the Hindu belief, a preliminary 'dawn' of a new cycle
of ages. This dawn lasts four hundred years, and is then followed by
the real age (the first of four), which lasts four thousand years, and
has again a twilight ending of four hundred years in addition. This
first is the Krita age, corresponding to the classical Golden Age. Its
characteristics are, that in it everything is perfect; right eternal
now exists in full power. In this age there are neither gods nor
demons (D[=a]navas, Gandharvas, Yakshas, R[=a]kshas, Serpents),
neither buying nor selling. By a _lucus a non_ the derivation of the
name Krita is _k[r.]tam eva na kartavyam, i.e_., with a pun, it is
called the '_sacred_ age' because there are no _sacrifices_ in that
age. No S[=a]ma Veda, Rig Yeda, or Yajur Veda exist as distinct
Vedas.[49] There is no mortal work. Fruit comes by meditation; the
only duty is renunciation. Disease, lack of mental power, moral
defects (such as pride and hate) do not exist; the highest course of
the ascetic Yogis is universally _brahma (paramakam_). In this age
come into existence the Brahman, Kshatriya, V[=a]icya, C[=u]dra,
_i.e_., the distinct castes of priest, warrior, husbandman, and slave;
all with their special marks, and all delighted with their proper
occupations. Yet have all the castes like occupations, like refuge,
practice, and knowledge. They are joined to the one god (_eka deva_),
and have but one _mantra_ in their religious rites. Their duties are
distinct, but they follow only one Veda and one rule. The four orders
(of the time of life) are duly observed; men do not desire the fruit
of their action, and so they obtain the highest course, _i.e_.,
salvation by absorption into _brahma_. In this age the 'three
attributes' (or qualities) are unknown. After this age follows the
dawn of the second age, called Tret[=a], lasting three hundred years,
then the real age of Tret[=a], three thousand years, followed by the
twilight of three hundred years. The characteristics of this age are,
that men are devout; that great sacrifices begin (_sattram
pravartate_); that Virtue decreases by one quarter; that all