"In the Puranas, the modern times we are now living in are called Kali Yuga, the Age of Confusion and Conflict. Yugas are periods of time, thousands of years long, that recur in a cyclic or spiral progression. Dwapara Yuga is the second age, when people begin to lose some of the great qualities they had in the first or Golden Age, and Kali Yuga (present Age of Darkness) marks the lowest point of moral and spiritual development in each cycle. It is followed by Krita Yuga, the age of transformation or actualisation of spiritual experience, which leads finally to Satya Yuga, the Age of Truth or Reality, in which the Golden Age returns and all man's faculties begin to manifest themselves in their full glory once again. Thus according to the Puranas humanity has great hope of enjoying Satya Yuga which will give peace, harmony and Divine love.
If we tally the description of Kali Yuga in the Puranas with very obvious observations of the present state of our society, it seems to me that the worst period of Kali Yuga started during the first quarter of this century. It is almost unbelievable how culture and thought have completely changed in such a short time, particularly in the West. In Kali Yuga, all traditional values are more and more undermined and destroyed and there is great moral confusion. There is also a restless seeking for new forms and new kinds of order. According to the Puranas, when the lowest point is reached, the people will have lost contact with their inner sense of dharma (innate sense of righteousness which is sustained). There will be confusion between right and wrong. Children will no longer respect their parents. Men will think and act like women and women will become like men. The lowest grades of human beings will take over positions of power and authority, and the higher, spiritual type of human being will be neglected and despised.
About twenty years ago, marking the very first stirring of a new Satya Yuga, the transitional age called Krita Yuga started manifesting itself. Krita Yuga is a unique period of spiritual ascent as the All-Pervading Divine Power called the Paramchaitanya in Sanskrit has become active at the level of ordinary human existence. It is predicted that this Divine activity will bring about the long awaited Satya Yuga, the era of growth and spiritual ascent.
All the signs show that it is the Era of Truth which is now advancing and we can see very clearly. For example, how quite ordinary people are becoming aware of Absolute Truth and Reality through Sahaja Yoga. Sahaja Yoga is the spontaneous union of the individual consciousness with the All-Pervading Divine Power through the awakening of the residual Power of Kundalini which lies dormant within all human beings in the triangular bone at the base of the spine called the sacrum — the sacred bone.
Krita Yuga has another characteristic by which, when this Yuga is manifested, the falsehood of all outside religions, all people in power who are unpatriotic and dishonest will be automatically exposed. All false prophets and cult leaders will be exposed and all organizations that perpetrate falsehood and hatred in the name of God will be exposed because in Krita Yuga the Truth is spontaneously brought out. All corrupt entrepreneurs and false teachers will also be exposed.
A second characteristic of Krita Yuga is that whenever there is a falling away from Dharma the inner Divine Laws of Righteousness which are innate and which regulate both human existence — the whole world structure as well as manifestation of the Cosmos — will arise as a result with a corresponding, compensatory effect. This is called the Law of Polarity or in Sanskrit karma-phalam which means in practical terms that whatever you have done, you will get the fruits of those actions — As you sow, so shall ye reap.
So in this Yuga all persons will get their karma phalam. If they have led their lives in accordance with the Universal and Eternal Laws of Being they will enjoy an existence which is harmonious and fulfilling. But, on the other hand, whatever wrongs they have done — that is, whenever they have fallen out of the central path of Dharma, either individually or collectively — they will have to pay for that in this life time.
In Krita Yuga there may be much to suffer. This is very unfortunate but it is simply the effect of our own actions which we have to face. Of course suffering can be avoided if people achieve their ascent; what in Yoga we call "the State of Spirit" or "union with the Divine Power." In Krita Yuga this manifestation of exposure and punishment through the law of polarity will take place as long as we do not accept the path of spirituality, which is the only true and satisfying path for human beings. The suffering that befalls people, both collectively and individually, will be nothing but their own karma phalam, the result of their own choices.
However, despite this aspect, Krita Yuga is also a very blissful era for those who are genuinely earnest seekers of Truth. In Krita Yuga there are unique opportunities for self-transformation and, with their ascent, these seekers will achieve a very high state of spirituality. But in this Age of Krita Yuga such is the Power of Divine Compassion and Love that those who have made mistakes and are consequently suffering are also redeemed of their sufferings by the activity of this All-Pervading Divine Love.
Further more, it is said in the Puranas that the residual Power, the Kundalini, will be awakened and will grant Self-Realization to the seekers. This Power will also grant them physical, emotional and spiritual bliss, and all the problems which come from our inner being — energy centres of the subtle system — will be solved through the spontaneous cleansing and harmonizing activity of the Kundalini.
In this way all individual human problems as well as those collective or social problems that have been created by human beings will be solved. But is it said that this state is meant only for people who, through their ascent, have achieved the state of Selfhood. These are ancient prophesies which can now be seen vividly.
The Indian sage, who may be called the pioneer in this field, was the first great astrologer, Bhrigumuni. In his book "Nadi Granth", he made clear predictions about these modern times. He also specifically predicted how the Kundalini would be awakened spontaneously through Sahaja Yoga, that is, spontaneous union with the Divine, and become the means of both individual and collective transformation on a mass scale, through teachings and incarnation of a great Yogi. This Yogi would be an unparalleled master of the Kundalini and would teach all the people the ancient secrets of self-transformation. These are the times described in the Holy Bible as the "Last Judgement" and in the Koran as "Qiyamah", the Resurrection Time. Astrologically it is also called the Age of Aquarius, the time of rebirth and of great spiritual development on the Earth.
Of course this is also the Age of science and technology in which human beings progressed beyond the stage of blind faith. And in this great happening of the Last Judgment and the Resurrection Time one need not, and should not, believe blindfolded in whatever is said about ascent or salvation, but should treat it like a hypothesis and observe the facts with an open mind like a scientist. Of course, if a hypothesis is proved then any honest, scientifically-minded modern person has to accept it.
The pure Knowledge of the Divine manifesting itself directly through Self-Realization will progressively lead to the creation of a new race for the New Age. This Knowledge is not then for very few privileged individuals, as it was in the past, but for the benevolence of the whole world. In this way the last breakthrough of our evolution will be achieved en masse. The entire human race can be renewed and transformed. Dharma, righteousness, will once again be universally respected, and human beings will live in Peace — harmoniously with themselves, with Nature, and with each other...
In My opinion every Westerner has, as a matter of urgency, to understand the vital role he has to play in this great Age of Transformation and of the Last Judgment. The Western mind has to realize the enormous responsibility which has been placed upon the West and the Western people need urgently to find out how to achieve the balance, not in terms of money, but in the vision of their responsibility. This is very much required for the ascent of the whole humanity. Otherwise on whom will the blame of destroying the innate human culture by the dynamism of modernism lie, the advanced or underdeveloped?
In these Modern Times, in the evolutionary process, we have reached the state of human awareness. This human awareness can work through its thinking, rationality or conditioning. Many modern poets have described them as "the Calls of Freedom of the Self." But what if one can rise to a higher dimension of awareness? Why not open our hearts and minds to the unique discovery that has been revealed for this vital ascent?
The Kingdom of God that we were promised is at hand. This is not a phrase out of a sermon or a lecture, but it is the actualization of the experience of the highest Truth which is Absolute, now manifesting itself in ordinary people at this present moment."
Shri Divya-vigraha Devi
