2012 in Hinduism – How Hindu religion and astrology is reacting to 2012

Lot of predictions and discussions are going on around the world regarding the year 2012. Primarily, the calendar of the Mayans (Ancient Maya Civilization of South America) ends on December 21, 2012). People are also now trying to find a connection between Kali Yuga and 2012. Some astrologers are predicting that Kali Yuga will end in 2012 and Satya Yuga will begin from December 21, 2012.

Recently an astrologer and modern day guru Dattatreya Siva Baba while addressing public in Chennai said this about 2012:

The world is changing for the good now, he says. Joining the increasing numbers who are making predictions about 2012 A.D. he says from the December of that year, the world will move into a golden age, marking the beginning of Satya Yuga.

This is not a smooth process though. There will be natural calamities, financial problems, wars and global warming. This is also the time when Mayans end their calendar.

‘But our old ways of thinking, including our biology will change as the Sun, Earth and Pleides line up in space. This will cause an increase in discharge of photons from the sun which is bound to cause changes in our brain pattern,’ he says. (expressbuzz)

We will get to hear many more such comments on 2012 in the coming days. Currently one of the most popular theories going around is connecting 2012 to Kali Yuga.

In Hinduism, the universe begins in the Satya Yuga and ends in the Kali Yuga. There are total four Yugas. And the cycle – creation and destruction – is repeated.

Satya Yuga lasts for 1,728,000. Treta Yuga lasts for 1,296,000. Dwapara Yuga lasts for 864,000 and Kali Yuga for 432,000.

It is widely believed that Kali Yuga began in 3102 B.C.

Now there are several people quoting Puranas to indicate that Lord Krishna had predicted an end the Kali Yuga after 5000 years and the beginning of the Golden Era.

But traditional scriptures do not agree to this as Kali Yuga will last for 432,000 years.

Now those who are stating that Kali Yuga will end after 5000 years are indicating the beginning of Golden Age in 2012. They are scrupulously using a mix of solar and lunar calendars used by Hindus to suggest that Kali Yuga will end in 2012.

The widely accepted belief of Hindus is that Kali Yuga will see total annihilation. Creation will once again begin after total destruction. This will be Satya Yuga.

So connecting 2012 to Hinduism and Vedic astrology is done by those people who want to create fear and optimism at the same time among people – and earn a living by predictions and writing books.

Hinduism teaches that all animate and inanimate is Brahman. Doomsday predictions and 2012 are products of ego or ignorance, which hampers self realization. To the realized there is no beginning and end.