Subyugas

Subyugas is a term used in some Hindu cosmological materials to describe the subdivisions within a larger cosmic cycle known as a mahayuga or great age. In most traditional accounts, a mahayuga is divided into four consecutive yugas or subyugas: Satya (Krita) Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Each successive yuga is shorter and morally more degraded than the one before it.

Durations are commonly given in a fixed ratio of 4:3:2:1. A typical traditional breakdown assigns Satya Yuga about 1,728,000 years, Treta Yuga about 1,296,000 years, Dvapara Yuga about 864,000 years, and Kali Yuga about 432,000 years, for a total mahayuga of 4,320,000 years. These figures are symbolic and vary among traditions, but the relative lengths and the progressive decline in virtue are widely reflected in the lore.

Cosmologically, a mahayuga forms part of a larger cycle in Hindu timekeeping. A day of Brahma comprises 1,000 mahayugas, after which Brahma’s life proceeds into night, with similar cycles recurring across his lifespan. At the end of Kali Yuga, many traditions hold that the cycle resets with a new Satya Yuga, often associated with the appearance of an avatar such as Kalki in some Puranic accounts.

Usage and terminology vary. While many texts refer to four yugas rather than “subyugas,” some modern or regional writers use the term subyugas to emphasize the subdivision within a mahayuga. In all cases, the framework conveys a cyclical, progressively declining sequence of ages within Hindu cosmology.