Akshara Brahma Yoga: Shlokas 11 to 18
If you have not already done so, I would request you to review the Chapter 7, Jnana Vijnana Yoga before studying chapter 8 as that would help set the right context.
You can find the explanation of the previous set of shlokas, 5 to 10 of chapter 8 here. Please go through that to get a better understand and maintain continuity in your learning.
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Verses 8.11 to 8.18
यदक्षरं वेदविदो वदन्ति विशन्ति यद्यतयो वीतरागा: | यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं संग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये || 11||
yad akṣharaṁ veda-vido vadanti viśhanti yad yatayo vīta-rāgāḥ yad ichchhanto brahmacharyaṁ charanti tat te padaṁ saṅgraheṇa pravakṣhye
यदक्षरं (Yadakṣaraṃ) – That which is imperishable; वेदविदो (Vedavido) – Knowers of the Veda; वदन्ति (Vadanti) – say; विशन्ति (Viśanti) – enter; यद् (Yad) – which; यतयो (Yatayo) – the disciplined; वीतरागाः (Vītarāgāḥ) – free from attachment; यदि (Yadi) – which; इच्छन्तो (Icchanto) – desiring; ब्रह्मचर्यं (Brahmacaryaṃ) – celibacy; चरन्ति (Caranti) – practice; तत् (Tat) – that; ते (Te) – to you; पदं (Padaṃ) – position; संग्रहेण (Saṃgrahēṇa) – in summary; प्रवक्ष्ये (Pravakṣye) – I will explain;
Scholars of the Vedas describe Him as the Imperishable Supreme; ascetics, free from desires, practicing celibacy, aim to merge into this reality. This path to attain the ultimate goal, I shall succinctly explain to you.
सर्वद्वाराणि संयम्य मनो हृदि निरुध्य च | मूर्ध्न्याधायात्मन: प्राणमास्थितो योगधारणाम् || 12||
sarva-dvārāṇi sanyamya mano hṛidi nirudhya cha mūrdhnyādhāyātmanaḥ prāṇam āsthito yoga-dhāraṇām
सर्वद्वाराणि (Sarvadvārāṇi) – All gates; संयम्य (Saṃyamya) – controlling; मनो (Mano) – mind; हृदि (Hṛdi) – in the heart; निरुध्य (Nirudhya) – confining; च (Ca) – and; मूर्ध्न्याधाय (Mūrdhnyādhāya) – placing; आत्मनः (Ātmanaḥ) – of the self; प्राणम् (Prāṇam) – the life breath; आस्थितः (Āsthitaḥ) – having situated; योगधारणाम् (Yogadhāraṇām) – the yoga of meditation;
By restraining all the bodily gates, focusing the mind in the heart region, and directing the prana (life-breath) to the crown of the head, one establishes oneself in the steadfast concentration of yoga.
ओमित्येकाक्षरं ब्रह्म व्याहरन्मामनुस्मरन् | य: प्रयाति त्यजन्देहं स याति परमां गतिम् || 13||
oṁ ityekākṣharaṁ brahma vyāharan mām anusmaran yaḥ prayāti tyajan dehaṁ sa yāti paramāṁ gatim
ओमित्येकाक्षरं (Omiti ekākṣaraṃ) – Om, the single syllable; ब्रह्म (Brahma) – the absolute; व्याहरन् (Vyāharan) – uttering; माम् (Mām) – me; अनुस्मरन् (Anusmaran) – remembering; यः (Yaḥ) – who; प्रयाति (Prayāti) – departs; त्यजन् (Tyajan) – leaving; देहं (Dehaṃ) – the body; स (Sa) – he; याति (Yāti) – attains; परमां (Paramāṃ) – the supreme; गतिम् (Gatim) – goal;
Departing the body with the mind fixed on Me, the Supreme Personality, and uttering the sacred syllable Om, one achieves the supreme goal.
अनन्यचेता: सततं यो मां स्मरति नित्यश: | तस्याहं सुलभ: पार्थ नित्ययुक्तस्य योगिन: || 14||
ananya-chetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśhaḥ tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ
अनन्यचेताः (Ananyacetāḥ) – With undivided mind; सततं (Satataṃ) – always; यो (Yo) – who; मां (Māṃ) – me; स्मरति (Smarati) – remembers; नित्यशः (Nityaśaḥ) – constantly; तस्य (Tasya) – to him; अहं (Ahaṃ) – I; सुलभः (Sulabhaḥ) – easily available; पार्थ (Pārtha) – O son of Pritha (Arjuna); नित्ययुक्तस्य (Nityayuktasya) – ever united; योगिनः (Yoginaḥ) – to the yogi;
O Parth, I am easily accessible to those yogis who continuously engage in exclusive devotion to Me, their minds focused unwaveringly upon Me.
मामुपेत्य पुनर्जन्म दु:खालयमशाश्वतम् | नाप्नुवन्ति महात्मान: संसिद्धिं परमां गता: || 15||
mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśhāśhvatam nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ sansiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
माम् (Mām) – to me; उपेत्य (Upetya) – having come; पुनर्जन्म (Punarjanma) – rebirth; दुःखालयम् (Duḥkhālayam) – place of suffering; अशाश्वतम् (Aśāśvatam) – impermanent; न (Na) – not; आप्नुवन्ति (Āpnuvanti) – attain; महात्मानः (Mahātmānaḥ) – the great souls; संसिद्धिं (Saṃsiddhiṃ) – perfection; परमां (Paramāṃ) – ultimate; गताः (Gatāḥ) – having reached;
The great souls who reach Me do not reincarnate into this transient and sorrowful world, for they have realized the highest state of perfection.
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोका: पुनरावर्तिनोऽर्जुन | मामुपेत्य तु कौन्तेय पुनर्जन्म न विद्यते || 16||
ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino ’rjuna mām upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate
आब्रह्मभुवनाल्लोकाः (Ābrahmabhuvanāl lokāḥ) – From the world of Brahma down; पुनरावर्तिनोः (Punarāvartinoḥ) – subject to return; अर्जुन (Arjuna) – O Arjuna; माम् (Mām) – to me; उपेत्य (Upetya) – having come; तु (Tu) – but; कौन्तेय (Kaunteya) – O son of Kunti (Arjuna); पुनर्जन्म (Punarjanma) – rebirth; न (Na) – not; विद्यते (Vidyate) – exists;
From the lowest to the highest realms, including Brahma’s abode, beings are subject to rebirth, O Arjuna. However, O son of Kunti, upon reaching My divine abode, one gets freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदु: | रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जना: || 17||
sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te ’ho-rātra-vido janāḥ
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तम् (Sahasrayugaparyantam) – For a thousand yugas; अहर्यद् (Aharyad) – one day; ब्रह्मणो (Brahmaṇo) – of Brahma; विदुः (Viduḥ) – know; रात्रिं (Rātriṃ) – night; युगसहस्रान्तां (Yugasahasrāntāṃ) – lasting a thousand yugas; ते (Te) – they; अहोरात्रविदो (Ahorātravido) – knowers of the day and night; जनाः (Janāḥ) – people;
A day of Brahma spans a thousand cycles of the four ages, and so does his night. Those who understand this truth grasp the essence of cosmic time and its cycles.
अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तय: सर्वा: प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे | रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसञ्ज्ञके || 18||
avyaktād vyaktayaḥ sarvāḥ prabhavantyahar-āgame rātryāgame pralīyante tatraivāvyakta-sanjñake
अव्यक्ताद् (Avyaktād) – From the unmanifest; व्यक्तयः (Vyaktayaḥ) – manifestations; सर्वाः (Sarvāḥ) – all; प्रभवन्ति (Prabhavanti) – emanate; अहरागमे (Aharāgame) – at the coming of day; रात्र्यागमे (Rātryāgame) – at the coming of night; प्रलीयन्ते (Pralīyante) – dissolve; तत्र (Tatra) – there; एव (Eva) – indeed; अव्यक्तसञ्ज्ञके (Avyaktasañjñake) – in the unmanifest;
With the dawn of Brahma’s day, all beings manifest from the unmanifest, and at the onset of his night, they dissolve back into it, returning to the primal unmanifest state.
Momentum of thought
In the previous verses, we discussed the importance of ‘abhyasa’, practicing the act of focusing our minds on God all the time and how that will ensure that we are able to think of God during our antakale and reach Him. This kind of practice can be difficult. Many times we feel distracted and we may get frustrated with the seemingly random negative thoughts that keep bothering us.
I want to share a secret with you all. This is the secret of “momentum of thought”. Most of you may know what the term “momentum” means. The easiest explanation of this term is that it is the strength or force that something has when it is moving. The strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes. For example, a cricket ball when it is still in the hand of the bowler, is relatively harmless. However, once it leaves the bowler’s hand, it starts gaining momentum and by the time it reaches the batsman, it can prove lethal. Technically, momentum is defined as mass X velocity. The faster an object moves, the more force or momentum it gains. That is why it is easier to stop a car when it is going slow and so hard to stop the same car when it is going very fast.
Thoughts also have momentum. Thoughts are the currents that steer the ship of our being. They also gain momentum that can either lead us to the shores of peace and fulfillment or into the storm of chaos and despair. Understanding the momentum of thought is not just an intellectual exercise; it’s a spiritual journey that can profoundly transform our lives.
Momentum of thought refers to the increasing speed and power with which thoughts build upon themselves. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, each thought attracts similar thoughts, growing larger and more forceful with each moment. Positive thoughts can spiral into a powerful force for good, propelling us towards our goals and dreams. Conversely, negative thoughts can trap us in a vortex of fear, doubt, and despair. The key lies in recognizing that we have the power to influence this momentum, to steer it in a direction that serves us.
Cultivating Positive Momentum
Awareness (Viveka): The first step is to become a mindful observer of our thoughts. By paying attention, we can notice when negative patterns begin to emerge before they gain too much momentum.
Detachment and Replacement (Vairagya and Bhakti): Interrupting negative thought patterns isn’t enough; we must replace them with positive ones. This doesn’t mean ignoring our problems but choosing to approach them with a mindset of hope and surrender to the divine.
Attitude of Gratitude: Gratitude is a powerful tool for building positive momentum. By focusing on what we’re thankful for, we attract more positivity into our lives.
Positive association (Satsang): Connecting with other devotees, through shared activities, spiritual practices, and meaningful conversations, can amplify positive momentum.
The Ripple Effect
The momentum of thought doesn’t just affect us individually; it has a ripple effect that impacts those around us. By cultivating positive thought momentum, we contribute to a collective energy that can uplift and inspire others. We become a source of light and hope to others who may be in pain or despair. As we can see, cultivating positive thoughts and staying positive in itself generates a lot of good karma.
The technique for leveraging momentum of thought
According to the law of attraction as taught by Abraham Hicks, when you think of something for 17 seconds, it gains enough momentum to make it easier to continue that thought. Also, the momentum helps generate more similar thoughts. If you can think of God, focus on God for just 17 seconds without deviating or getting distracted, you will be able to hold that thought for much longer and it will start creating the momentum and generate more thoughts about God. Give it a try.
Likewise, break negative thoughts before 17 seconds otherwise it will generate momentum and create more negative thoughts. Hope this tip helps you practice focusing your mind on God all day as recommended by Krishna.
Mishra bhakti and pure bhakti
As discussed during earlier chapters, there are a few major types of yoga, like Karma yoga, Jnana yoga, Bhakti yoga and Raja yoga. In Sanskrit, the word miśhra means ‘mixed’. When we mix any of the yoga with bhakti, it is termed as miśhra bhakti. So, for example, when we mix raja yoga with bhakti, it is termed as yoga-miśhra-bhakti.
In verses 8.11 to 8.13, Shri Krishna explains in brief (sangraheṇa), how to reach him via yoga-miśhra-bhakti. He has explained this in brief because He says that this path is very difficult to follow and not suitable for everyone. This path of yoga-miśhra-bhakti leads to attaining the formless aspect of God. It demands living a life of strict discipline and rigorous abhyasa of yoga, renouncing worldly desires and practicing celibacy.
Shri Krishna had previously detailed in verse 6.14:
प्रशान्तात्मा विगतभीर्ब्रह्मचारिव्रते स्थित: | मन: संयम्य मच्चित्तो युक्त आसीत मत्पर: || 14||
praśhāntātmā vigata-bhīr brahmachāri-vrate sthitaḥ manaḥ sanyamya mach-chitto yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ
Having a serene spirit, fearless, firm in the vow of a Brahmachari (celibate), controlling the mind, thinking of Me and having Me as the supreme goal, one should sit in meditation devoted to Me
The practice of celibacy conserves a person’s life energy or prana. This energy, when channelized through sadhana, gets transformed into spiritual energy. It also enhances the intellect and memory power of the practitioners and helps them understand the spiritual topics in depth.
Shri Krishna says that at the time of death, the mind must be fixed in devotion to God. For those who have practiced ashtanga yoga, Krishna recommends that they raise the life force between the eyebrows.
The particular use of the word yoga-balena (by the power of yoga) is significant in this verse because without practice of yoga (that Krishna calls abhyasa), one cannot reach this state at the time of death. One cannot suddenly remember God during antakale unless they have done the required abhyasa during their life.
To practice such yoga, one first has to close the door of all sense enjoyment. This practice is called pratyāhāra, or withdrawing the senses from the sense objects. In chapter 2, Shri Krishna had said that just as a tortoise withdraws all its limbs into the shell when it senses some disturbances outside, we should withdraw our sense organs from the sense objects whenever we are troubled by desires. Then we become sthitaprajna.
यदा संहरते चायं कूर्मोऽङ्गानीव सर्वश: | इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थेभ्यस्तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता || 58||
yadā sanharate chāyaṁ kūrmo ’ṅgānīva sarvaśhaḥ indriyāṇīndriyārthebhyas tasya prajñā pratiṣhṭhitā
When one withdraws their senses completely from sense objects, like a tortoise withdraws its limbs, then their wisdom is firmly established.
Sense organs for acquiring knowledge, such as the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and touch, should be fully controlled and should not be allowed to engage in self-gratification. In this way the mind focuses on the Supersoul in the heart and the life force is raised to the top of the head.
Shree Krishna uses the words sarva-dvārāṇi-sanyamya, which mean guarding the gates of the body, and hṛidi nirudhya which means “locking the mind in the heart.” He says that by controlling the passages that enter the body, one can lock the mind in the heart. Restricting the senses and directing the mind towards God. Then with complete focus, we should aim for yoga-dhāraṇām, which means “uniting the consciousness with God.”
The sacred Om
It is stated that the sound of Om is not different from Krishna. The frequency of Om is the frequency of Krishna. It represents the formless aspect of the Supreme Lord. When we attain the state of total inner calmness, by constantly practicing samatvam, we will automatically start vibrating near the frequency of Om.
After being situated in this state of yoga-dhāraṇām and vibrating to the frequency of the sacred sound of Om, if one quits his body, they will reach the ultimate goal of uniting with the supreme God.
Needless to say, this kind of practice is not easy or practical in this age of Kalyug and that is the reason Krishna has reiterated that the path of Bhakti yoga is easier and superior. Before we move on to the next session, I would like to explain how to properly chant the sacred mantra OM.
The emphasis should be on the vibrations of the three letters: A… U… and M… we should start by making an “A” sound from the belly, with an open mouth and throat, then merge into “U” created in the middle of the mouth and ending in “M” with a closed mouth. Technically, these are the only three sounds that we can produce without using the tongue. All other sounds that we can create are just permutations and combinations of these three sounds.
In his yoga sutras, Patanjali has said:
तज्जप स्तदर्थभावनम्
Taj-japaḥ = chanting, Tad-artha = understanding the meaning, Bhāvanam = and with feeling
That is how we should chant the Om mantra and the Maha Mantra.
In the beginning of the 8th chapter, Shri Krishna explained the importance of focusing on and meditating upon God. In the previous verses (8.11 to 8.13), Shree Krishna had explained the process of meditation using yoga-miśhra-bhakti to focus on the formless God. However, this practice is very difficult and impractical in this age of Kaliyug. Therefore, He suggests an alternative method, that is, to meditate upon the personal forms, names and pastimes of God. This is the method of pure bhakti, without any mixture, and it is simpler and superior to other yogas.
In pure bhakti-yoga, the devotees desire nothing but God. Krishna says “ananya-chetāḥ satatam yaḥ mām smarati”.
Ananya-chetāḥ = without deviation of the mind, satatam = always, yaḥ = who, mām = Me, smarati = remembers.
Practicing bhakti
Bhakti yoga is very simple and pure and easy to perform. We discussed various types of devotional activities in chapter 7. Out of those, śravaṇam, kīrtanam and smaraṇam are the top three. Listening about God’s teachings and God’s pastimes and chanting the Hari nama maha mantra while constantly focusing our mind on God is the easiest and fastest way to progress in Bhakti yoga. A pure devotee does not forget the Supreme Lord even for a moment, and similarly, the Supreme Lord cannot forget His pure devotee even for a moment. That is the strength and assurance of Bhakti and it helps in achieving the same ultimate goal of union with God.
The concept of śravaṇam is exemplified in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (SB), particularly in Canto 7, Chapter 5, Verse 23-24, where Prahlada Maharaja speaks to his demoniac schoolmates about the process of Bhakti Yoga:
श्रीप्रह्राद उवाच श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णो: स्मरणं पादसेवनम् । अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥ २३ ॥
इति पुंसार्पिता विष्णौ भक्तिश्चेन्नवलक्षणा । क्रियेत भगवत्यद्धा तन्मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम् ॥ २४ ॥
śrī-prahrāda uvāca śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye ’dhītam uttamam
Prahlada Maharaja says: The nine true ways to worship God involve listening to and speaking about Lord Vishnu’s divine names, forms, qualities, and activities, keeping Him in mind, serving Him closely, worshiping Him respectfully with various offerings, praying to Him, dedicating yourself to serving Him, thinking of Him as your closest friend, and committing everything to Him—meaning, serving Him with your actions, thoughts, and speech. Someone who dedicates their life to Krishna through these practices is the most enlightened person because they have gained complete understanding.
And the importance of smaraṇam has been beautifully explained by Shri Krishna in the 7th verse of this chapter which starts with:
तस्मात्सर्वेषु कालेषु मामनुस्मर युध्य च |
Tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca.
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me in the form of Krishna and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt.
What happens when one attains Shri Krishna? The soul is liberated from the cycle of life and death and remains in the abode of Shri Krishna forever. Such a soul does not have to take birth in the material world and suffer its miseries. Material world is full of suffering.
But why does Shri Krishna put us through so much pain and misery in the material world? In His grand design, the purpose of these miseries is to help us realize that the material world is not the permanent abode for the soul. Swami Mukundananda says that it serves as a correctional home for the souls who have forgotten God. The pain and suffering help the souls turn towards Shri Krishna and start their journey towards their true, permanent abode which is the abode of Shri Krishna.
A point to be noted is that we can achieve true liberation from the cycle of birth and death only when we attain union with Shri Krishna and reach His abode. As discussed earlier, even souls in the celestial planets and planets of various demigods will experience birth and death.
The different planes of existence
According to the Vedic scriptures, there are fourteen worlds in our universe. Seven planes of existence beginning with earth and higher are named as bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, swaḥ, mahaḥ, janaḥ, tapaḥ, satyaḥ. Those who perform pranayama and sandhya vandana as prescribed in the vedas would recognize these planes of existence in the mantra “Om Bhu, Om Bhuvah, Om Svah, Om Mahah, Om Janah, Om Tapah, Om Satyam”, followed by Om Tat Savithuh Varenyam, Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi, Dhiyoyonah Prachodayat”.
These higher planes are the celestial abodes and are called the Swarga. The remaining seven planes that are lower than earth are the hellish abodes called Naraka. These are tal, atal, vital, sutal, talātal, rasātal, and pātāl.
Among these fourteen planes of existence, the satyaḥ loka, also known as Brahma loka, is the highest, and pātāl lok is the lowest. However, all these lokas are under the influence of Maya, the material energy of God. Hence, the residents of all the fourteen lokas go through the cycle of birth and death. It is because of this that Shree Krishna calls these worlds as aśhāśhvatam (temporary) and duḥkhālayam (full of misery).
Even satya loka is not free from misery. All those who are born in these lokas are subject to death someday. Even the king of the celestial gods, Indra, has to die.
The story of Indra’s realization of his mortal nature
The Puranas mention an incident where Indra ordered the celestial architect, Vishwakarma, to construct a huge palace for himself in Swarga. However, the extension plan kept on increasing, and the construction was not ending. Vishwakarma got tired and prayed to Vishnu for help. Vishnu visited Indra and enquired, “How many Vishwakarmas have you engaged in constructing such a huge palace?”. Hearing this, Indra was surprised because he thought there was only one Vishwakarma. Smiling, Vishnu said to Indra, “Similar to this universe with its fourteen worlds, there are an infinite number of universes. And each universe has an Indra and a Vishwakarma”.
At the same time, Indra saw several ants walking toward him in a queue. Surprised, he asked Vishnu where all these ants were coming from. Vishnu said, “All these ants were Indras in their past lives. I have called them to meet you.” Indra was speechless.
Soon after, a revered sage, Rishi Lomesh, visited Indra. He was carrying a straw mat on his head and had a circle of hair on his chest. However, there were gaps in that circle, made by fallen hair. Indra received the sage respectfully and then asked him politely why he was carrying a mat on his head. Also, what does the hair on his chest signify?
Rishi Lomesh replied, “I am blessed with a boon, to be chirāyu (immortal with endless life). The hair on my chest signifies life in this universe. Whenever the tenure of an Indra ends, one hair falls. And several such falls have caused the gaps in my chest hair.” Indra was astonished. Lomesh Rishi then added, “I carry this mat on my head because during the day it protects me from sun and rain. Also, I spread it on the ground at night and sleep. My disciples want to build a permanent residence for me to stay. But I think, when life itself is temporary, why build a house here?” Hearing this from someone who has the lifespan of many Indras, humbled Indra. His pride shattered, he thought to himself, “What is the point in building such a huge palace, if someday I have to leave it all and go?” He asked Vishwakarma to stop the construction immediately and he released him.
I hope the morale of the story is clear. No matter which planet we are on, there will be misery, there will be life and death and no matter who we are, life will always be temporary. The only way to get out of this cycle of life and death is by achieving union with God and reaching his abode.
The wise know that one day of Brahma is called a kalpa and it lasts a thousand cycles of the four yugas. Each cycle of four yugas is called a mahā yuga. And his night also extends for the same span of time.
The following calculations are for information purposes only.
The Vedas state that one day and night of Indra and other celestial gods equals one year on the earth. Thus, one year of the celestial gods consists of approximately 360 years on earth.
12,000 years of the celestial gods makes one mahā yug (cycle of four yugas) on earth (4.32 million years). Following is the Vedic calculation of time periods or yugas on the earth plane:
Kali Yuga: 432,000 years
Dwāpar Yuga: 864,000 years
Tretā Yuga: 1,296,000 years
Satya Yuga: 1,728,000 years
Mahā Yuga: 4,320,000 years (Adding the four yugas)
1 Kalpa: 4,320,000,000 years (1000 Mahā Yug = 1 day of Brahma)
According to Vedas, the duration of the universe equals Brahma’s lifespan of 100 years. Brahma’s one day and night put together make 8.64 billion earth years, and 36,000 such days of his lifespan would make 311 trillion 40 billion years. So, that will be one life cycle of our universe.
Even Brahma has a life span and experiences life and death. When Brahma’s life span starts, the Universe and all the life forms in it get manifested, and when Brahma’s life span ends, the entire universe that he created, along with all life forms in it, collapses and becomes unmanifested again.
Brahma’s soul has already reached God consciousness and thus, God has given him the position of Brahma, to discharge the duties as a creator on God’s behalf. Although Brahma is also subject to life and death, at the end of his life, he is liberated and goes to the Abode of God.
You can find the explanation for the next set of shlokas, 19 to 28 over here.
Hare Krishna.
kṛṣṇadaasa
Servant of Krishna
Aka +Vinayak Raghuvamshi