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As there are seasonal changes within a year, so there are

changing ages in the duration of the manifest cosmic world.
These changing ages are called yugas, or periods. As there are
three modes of nature, there are also various ages dominated by

these three modes. The period dominated by the mode of good-

, ness is called Satya-yuga, the period of passion is called Treta-
yuga, the period of mixed passion and ignorance Is callled Dva-

| para-yuga, and the period of darkness and ignorance (the last
period) is called Kali-yuga, or the Age of Quarrel. The word kali
means ‘‘quarrel.’’ Kali-yuga is compared to the rainy season

) because many difficulties in life are experienced during this damp
season.

In Kali-yuga there is a dearth of proper guidance. One may take
guidance in the evening from the stars and moon, but in the rainy
season the light of guidance comes from insignificant glow-
worms. The real light in life is the Vedic knowledge. The Bhaga-
vad-gita affirms that the purpose of the Vedas is to know the
all-powerful Personality of Godhead.

sarvasva cdham hrdi sannivistho
mattah smrtr jadnam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedvo
vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
“] am seated in everyone's heart. and from Me come remem-
brance. knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be
known: indeed I am the compiler of Vedanta, and | am the knower

ot the Vedas.” (Bg. 15.15)

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