What does yuga mean?
A yuga is a great age or cycle of time, most commonly understood through Hindu cosmology as one of the four vast periods in the cycle of cosmic time. The Kali Yuga is the final and longest of these ages, while the other three are named Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, and Dvapara Yuga. English speakers also use yuga more broadly, sometimes poetically, for an immense historical era or a decisive phase in the life of a person, nation, or civilization. The word is related in origin to yoke, yoga, and join, all reflecting ideas of joining, fastening, or binding together. Yuga should not be confused with yoga: a yuga is an age or cycle, whereas yoga refers to disciplines and practices that unite body, mind, and spirit. Although uncommon outside specialized or literary contexts, yuga is a precise and evocative word for a period of immense duration or significance.
nounA great age or cycle of time, especially one of the four cosmic ages in Hindu cosmology. More generally, it can refer to an immense or legendary historical period.
- One of the four great ages or periods in Hindu cosmology.
- A vast age, era, or cycle of time, especially when used figuratively or in a literary or religious context.
"In Hindu tradition, the Kali Yuga is the final and longest of the four great ages."
"According to Hindu cosmology, the Kali Yuga is the final and longest of the four cosmic ages."
"Many writers use yuga more broadly to evoke an immense historical epoch."
The standard plural is yugas, though the word is often used attributively, as in the four yugas.
"The four yugas form the larger cosmic cycle known as a mahayuga."
A yuga is not merely an era: in Hindu cosmology, it is one of the four vast ages of cosmic time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of yuga
Yuga was borrowed from Sanskrit yuga, meaning an age, cycle, or period of time, especially a cosmic age. The Sanskrit word is connected with an Indo-Aryan root associated with joining or yoking, reflected in related forms such as yoga. The English words yoke and join are also cognates through the wider Indo-European tradition of this root.
How yuga is actually used
In general English, yuga is relatively uncommon and often has a literary or religious tone. The names of the four cosmic ages are conventionally capitalized, as in Kali Yuga and Krishna Yuga.
Easily confused with yuga
A yuga is an age or cosmic cycle, whereas yoga is a set of physical, mental, and spiritual practices.