History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.701.1

v4.c63.t2.701.1

The germ of the theory of progressive deterioration in morals is found even in the Ṛgveda. In the famous dialogue of Yama and Yamī the former exclaims in one place¹⁷³¹ (Ṛg. X. 10. 10) 'those later ages are yet to come when sisters would do what is not sister-like'. The word 'yuga' occurs at least 33 times in the Ṛg., but the exact meaning is somewhat doubtful. In a few places it means 'yoke' (Ṛg. X. 60. 8, X. 101. 3 and 4). In several places it appears to stand for a very brief period of time (e. g. Ṛg. III. 26. 3). Generally it means 'a generation' (as in Ṛg. I. 92. 11, I. 103. 4, I. 124. 2, II. 2. 2, III. 33. 8, V. 52. 4). In Ṛg. I. 158. 6 'dīrghatamā māmateyo jujurvān daśame yuge' *yuga* probably means 'a period of four or five years', while in Ṛg. VI. 15. 8, VI. 8. 5, X. 72. 2, X. 94. 12, X. 97. 1 it should mean¹⁷³² 'a long period of time'. In the Atharvaveda VIII. 2. 21 yuga appears to mean a period of several thousand years, two yugas being indicated as longer than 10000 years (*śataṁ te'yutaṁ hāyanān dve yuge trīṇi catvāri kṛṇmaḥ*). Here there is a clear reference to four yugas and to the fact that yuga meant a very long period of time. Whatever be the meaning of the word in each passage, the Ṛgveda does not contain the names of all the four well-known yugas viz. Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali. The word 'Kṛta' when used in the Ṛgveda appears to mean 'the best throw of dice or of the seeds of vibhītaka in gambling' (X. 34. 6, X. 43. 5). In the Atharvaveda VII. 52.