By Victor Epand
 A different view yuga timespan is given by Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, who is the guru of Paramahansa Yogananda, which was given in his detailed book, The Holy Science.
According to this view, one complete yuga cycle is equal to one complete precession of the equinox, which is a period of aprroximately twenty four thousand years. The ascending phase consists of a twelve hundred year of Kali, a twenty four hundred year of Dwapara, a thirty six hundred year of Treta, and forty eight hundred year of Krita yuga. The descending phase reverses this order, but both the ascending and descending phases equal twenty four hundred years.
According to calculations given in his book, the most recent yuga change was in 1699. This was when the Earth passed from Kali Yuga, which is the lowest material age, to Dvapara Yuga, which is the second age associated with electrical, atomic and finer forces. We are in an ascending spiral right now, and we will pass into the Treta Yuga in 4100 AD. Also according to his book, the motion of the stars moving across
the sky is the observable of the Sun's motion around another star.
The quality of human intellect depends on the distance of the Sun and Earth from a certain point in space known as the Grand Center, Magnetic Center, or Vishnunabi Vishnu. The closer the Sun is to it, then the more subtle energy the Solar System receives, and the greater is the level of human spiritual and overall development. As the Sun moves around its companion star, it then brings us closer to or drives us farther away from Vishnunabi, resulting in the rising and falling ages here on Earth.
Yukteswar tells us that the calendars of the higher ages were based on the Yugas, with each era named after its Yuga. As a result, the year 3000 BC or BCE was known as descending Dwapara one hundred two, because the last descending Dwapara yuga began one hundred two years earlier in 3102 BC or BCE. He stated that this method was used up until the recent Dark Ages, when knowledge of the connection with the yugas and the precession cycle was lost.
He stated, "The mistake crept into the almanacs for the first time during the reign of Raja Parik, just after the completion of the last descending Dwapara Yuga. At that time Maharaja Yudhisthira, noticing the appearance of the dark Kali Yuga, made over his throne to his grandson, the said Raja Parik. Maharaja Yudhisthira, together with all the wise men of his court, retired to the Himalaya Mountains." He finished by stating, "there was no one who could understand the principle of correctly calculating the ages of the several Yugas."
Consequently, when the Dwapara was over and the Kali era began no one knew enough to restart the calendar count. They knew they were in a Kali Yuga, which is why the old Hindu calendar now begins with K.Y. However, the beginning of this calendar, which in 2006 stands at 5108, can still be traced to 3102 BC or BCE, (3102+2006=5108), which was the start of the last descending Dwapara Yuga.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and information on yuga.
Keeping The Vow Of Chanting
By Victor Epand
 For a moment, let us imagine that a devotee once they have been initiated is unable to do their sixteen rounds of chanting on one day or for a few days, due to becoming ill or anything of that sort. At this point they may begin to feel as if they are breaking their vows.
What should the devotee do in a situation like this? The power to execute or fulfill an instruction of the spiritual master is within the instruction itself. That is when we accept it with complete faith and submission. Srila Prabhupada enjoined that initiated devotees must chant a minimum sixteen rounds of mantras everyday without fail, and within this order is invested the empowerment to do it. He would not have requested this, if he felt it be impossible.
By taking a solemn vow before the spiritual master, the Vaishnavas and the deities, then we receive also the empowerment to able to keep that vow under every single circumstance, even those very rare and exceptional emergencies. A disciple should there fore be determined to keep their vow at all costs, with the conviction that the ability to fulfill is latent within that commitment that we made. As a result, we simply have to be willing to do it.
This means that by making all the necessary efforts to make it happen, such as giving one's chanting of the mantras the first priority in the day by dedicating a specific time early during the day for this most important activity. This should be done before all other duties demand our attention, which is why we need to arrange our life in such a way that this is made possible.
It also means keeping good association, studying scriptures, and so on, which will ensure that the fire of our determination to chant nicely is maintained healthy and strong. This is why even when minor challenges arise in our day to day life, such as mild illnesses or other exigencies, then we would be able to withstand by virtue of devotional strength. In short, the commitment to chant the sixteen rounds of mantras involves an on going effort and ensuring that we do not create or let circumstances for ourselves where we can not fulfill our commitments.
If after all sincere efforts to do our part, due to some unavoidable situation or emergency you are unable to complete the prescribed chanting on an occasional day, then one should feel genuinely repentant and make up for those rounds the very next day or at the earliest opportunity, which was the recommendation that Srila Prabhupada gave.
The caution, however, is that this should not be made a common practice in our lives, which is a rationale ushering weakness within our internal resolve to fulfill vows. A tendency is commonly there in conditioned souls to relax one's commitments and take solemn vows more lightly over a period of time by genuinely regretting occasional lapses and taking the chanting very seriously, this tendency can be curbed and offenses of negligence can be avoided.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and chanting.
The Hindu Denominations Throughout The World
By Victor Epand
 In today's world, Hinduism comprises of numerous sects or denominations. The main divisions in the current Hinduism are the Shaivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism, and Smartha. Each of these four denominations will often times share rituals, beliefs, and traditions.
However, each of these denominations will often have a totally different philosophy on how to achieve life's ultimate goal, which is moksa or liberation. An established philosophical school within a denomination is called a sampradaya and a traditional lineage of teachers from any sampradaya is known as a parampara. The presence of the different denominations and schools within Hinduism should not be viewed as a schism.
On the contrary, there is absolutely no animosity between the schools nor among the Hindu followers as a whole. Instead, there is a strong belief that there are many paths that can ultimately lead to the One God or the Source, which ever a person chooses to call that ultimate Truth. Instead, there is a healthy cross pollination of ideas and logical debate that serves to refine each school's philosophy.
It is not uncommon, or disallowed, for an individual to follow one school, but then take the point of view of another school concerning a totally different issue. According to the Adherents site, the majority of Hindus are Vaishnavas, though they will often mix in some aspects of the Smarta viewpoint. The Birla Mandir is one of the most famous Vaishnavite temples in India.
Vaishnavism is the monotheistic tradition worshiping of Vishnu, or his forms of Krishna and Rama as the supreme or svayam bhagavan. This also happens to be the largest denomination, with currently has almost six million followers. The different Vaishnava schools, which are known as sampradayas, and the principle teachers, which are known as acharyas, connected with them such as Rudra Sampradaya was the principle acharya in Vallabhacharya.
Brahma Sampradaya associated with Vishnu, who is the para brahma or universal creator, not to be confused with the other Brahma, who is the four faced god in Hindu religion and the principle acharya in Madhvacharya. Gaudiya Vaishnavism is associated with this sampradaya and is associated with Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, International Society for Krishna Consciousness belongs to this sampradaya.
Sri Sampradaya is associated with Laksmi as the principle acharya in Ramanujacharya. Kumara Sampradaya is the tradition associated with Four Kumaras as the principle acharya in Nimbarka, hence Nimbarka Sampradaya. Vaikhanasa tradition in the principle acharya of Vaikhanasa. Modern Vaishnava groups attached to the main sampradayas such as Swaminarayan Sampraday, which stems from the Sri Sampradaya.
Saivites are those who primarily worship God Siva as the Supreme God. They are both immanent and transcendent. Currently, there are over two million followers of Saivism. Saivism embraces at the same time Monism, specifically Nondualism, and Dualism. It focuses on yoga, meditation, and love for all beings.
Major theological schools of Saivism include Kashmir Saivism, Saiva Siddhanta and Virasaivism. To Saivites, God Siva is both with and without form, because He is the Supreme Dancer, Nataraja. He is the linga, without beginning or end.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and information on Hindu denominations.
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