The Story of the Rise
and Fall of human souls
We will understand this lesson with
the help of the adjoining picture. It is a wonderful story of how
the souls, who once were deities became the devotees and very ordinary
human beings. It also explains how they lost the divine virtues,
spiritual and moral values and developed devilish tendencies. The
illustration shows that originally, human souls had complete purity,
peace and prosperity and that they became defiled and peaceless
later. Now it is time to again inculcate those lost virtues.
First of all is shown
the Golden Age or the Satyuga, which is completely righteous. Shri
Lakshmi and Shri Narayana and their dynasty rule the world free
from disease, sorrow, worry or vice. The people then had truly virtuous
nature and outlook. During this period of 1250 years, the average
age was 150 years. In this epoch, there are high souled, excellent
persons who are completely viceless and are invested with all good
qualities and live under Divine Law. These people are considered
to be class of deities.
Next comes Silver
Age. In this epoch of 1250 years, average age of a person varies
from 100 to 125 years. All are happy in this period as well. They
have the rank of what are called Kshatriyas because they are not
as pure as their predecessors – the deities.
Then in the Copper
Age, they become body-conscious and are led to vices. So they have
a fall, from a deity’s position which is worship-worthy exalted
position to be just supplicant men or poor worshippers. Their rank
is of middle class or Rajopradhana type. Their position is that
of ‘Vaishyas’ –mediocre.
After this comes
the Iron Age (Kaliyuga). The picture represents how in this epoch,
Maya which symbolizes the vices, has grown in power over the world.
In Iron Age, tamoguna, the basest form in man – is pre-dominant.
All the persons are ranked as Shudras. In this epoch of 1250 years,
there are 42 births. In this era, we see disputes and strifes, based
on want of respect for authority and differences in ideology, religion,
states and languages. People do not look upon one another as spiritual
brothers and are thus turned away from God, who is the Supreme Father.
At present, we are
in the Confluence Age – the confluence of the fag end of the
Kaliyuga and the dawn of Satyuga or the Golden Age. This is the
time to receive Divine Knowledge from God and practise spiritual
discipline and easy Raja Yoga and re-acquire deity status. When
the Iron Age is very near it’s end, unrighteousness and the
wicked people are eliminated to make room for Righteousness(Dharma)
and the deity-world. With this comes the Golden Age.
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