# युग (yuga)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/yuga

युग (yuga) is a Sanskrit word meaning a yoke or team, a pair, couple, or brace, a race of men or generation, a period of five years, an age of the world or long mundane period of years, a measure of length equal to four cubits. Its 29 recorded definitions are grouped into 12 contexts, among them A yoke or team of animals, A pair or couple, A cosmic age or world period.

- **Root:** युज् (yuj)
- **Etymology:** E. युज् to join, aff. अच, the final changed — E. yuj to join, aff. aca, the final changed
- **SLP1:** `yuga`  **IAST:** yuga  **Devanagari:** युग
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuga
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/yuga/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** युगा (yugā)

## Meanings by context

### A yoke or team of animals (8 definitions)
- a yoke or team  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 854,1] युग (yuga) b n. a yoke, team (exceptionally m. ), RV. &c. &c. [ ID=171838 ]
- 1. A yoke. 2. A pair or couple. 3. A double stanza forming one sentence. 4. A human race or generation. 5. A period of life or time, specifically a period of five or six years. 6. A cosmic age, of which there are four.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 245-2 ] युग (yuga) yug-á, n. yoke ( exceptionally m. ); pair, couple; double stanza ( forming one sentence ); race ( of men ): generation; period of life; period of five ( sts. six) years; cosmic age ( of which there are four : Kṛta or Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali). [ ID=14857 ]
- A yoke  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 598-01 ] युग (yuga) (I) m.n. A yoke, छिन्ननस्येन यानेन तथा भग्नयुग (yuga) ादिना (chinnanasyena yānena tathā bhagnayugādinā) Yaj. ii.299, R. iii.34. [ ID=31476 ]
- 1. A yoke. 2. A pair or couple. 3. An age or period, specifically one of the four Indian world ages. 4. A cycle of five years.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 0744-a ] युग (yuga) yuga, i. e. yuj + a, I. m. (in epic poetry also n., Chr. 34, 14), A yoke. II. n. 1. A pair, a couple, Śiś. 9, 72; Nal. 14, 25. 2. Age ( ved. ), Chr. 295, 11 = Rigv. i. 92, 11. 3. A lustre of five years. 4. An age, a period, Man. 1, 71, sqq.; one of the four Indian periods, called Satya (or Kṛta ), Treta, Dvāpara, and Kali, Man. 1, 69. — Comp. Ambara-, n. upper and lower garments. Kṛta-, n. = satya-yuga, Man. 1, 85. Go-, a pair of oxen or beasts in general, Pañc. iii. d. 198; 182, 12. Catur-, I. n. the aggregate of the four yugas, Man. 1, 71. II. adj. containing the four yugas, Ragh. 10, 23. Tri-, adj. appearing in three yugas, epithet of Kṛṣṇa, Bhāg. P. 3, 24, 26. Deva- and Dharma-, n. the first age. MBh. 2, 421; Hariv. 761. Pañca(n)-, n. the cycle of five years, MBh. 2, 455. Mahā-, n. the aggregate of the four ages. — Cf. Lat. jugum; Goth. juk; A.S. ioc, iuc, geóc; [ ID=11807 ]
- 1. A yoke or team. 2. A couple or pair. 3. A race or generation of men. 4. An age of the world. 5. A specific measure of length.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 434 ] युग (yuga) n. ( m. ) yoke, team; couple, pair, race or generation of men, age of the world (4) a cert. measure of length. [ ID=26082 ]
- 1. A yoke. 2. A couple or pair. 3. A human generation. 4. An age of the world.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 225-b ] yugá, n. —1. yoke; —2. couple, pair; —3. esp. w. mānuṣa, a human generation ( as that which is united by common descent), γένος ἀνθρώπων; —4. and so, in a temporal sense, an age of the world, see 58 1 N. [ √yuj, q. v., 216. 1: cf. yugma. ] [ ID=3440 ]
- 1. A yoke. 2. A pair, couple, or brace. 3. Two slokas connected so that the sense is completed only by both together. 4. A race or generation of men. 5. An astronomical cycle of five years or lustrum. 6. An age of the world or long mundane period of years. 7. A measure of length equal to four hastas or cubits. 8. The number four or twelve. 9. A particular position or configuration of the moon. 10. A particular constellation where all planets are situated in two houses. 11. A species of drug or medicinal plant.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > [Printed book page 0818-b ] Yuga, as, am, m. n. a yoke; ( am ), n. a pair, couple, brace; a double Śloka or two Ślokas so con- nected that the sense is only completed by the two Page0818-c+ 81 together; a race or generation of men, (generally in Ved. with mānuṣa or manuṣya ); a period or astronomical cycle of five years, a lustrum, (especially such a period in the cycle of Jupiter); an age of the world, long mundane period of years, (of which there are four, each preceded by a period called Sandhyā, ‘twilight,’ and followed by a period called Sandhyāṃśa, ‘portion of twilight;’ viz. 1. Kṛta or Satya, 2. Tretā, 3. Dvāpara, 4. Kali, of which the first three have already elapsed, while the Kali is that in which we are supposed to live; the first consists of 4000 divine years with 400 for each of its twilights, the second of 3000 with 300 for each twilight, the third of 2000 with 200 for each twilight, the fourth or Kali of 1000 with 100 for each twilight; but since a divine year equals 360 years of men, the four Yugas com- prise severally 1, 728, 000, 1,296,000, 864,000, and 432, 000 years, the aggregate 4,320, 000 con- stituting ‘a great Yuga,’ or Mahā-yuga, q. v.: the regularly descending numbers in the above series represent a corresponding physical and moral deteri- oration in those who live during each age, the present or Kali-yuga being the worst; this last Yuga is sup- posed to have commenced 3101 or 3102 years B.C.); a measure of length (= 4 Hastas or cubits); a sym- bolical expression for the number 4 and sometimes for the number 12; N. of a particular position or configuration of the moon; of a particular Nābhasa constellation (of the class called Saṅkhyā-yoga, when all the planets are situated in two houses); a species of drug or medicinal plant ( = vṛddhi ); [cf. Gr. ζυγόν; Lat. jugum; Angl. Sax. ioc, iuc, geoc.] —Yuga-kīlaka, as, m. the pin of a yoke. —Yuga- kṣaya, as, m. the end of a Yuga, destruction of the world. —Yuga-dīrgha, as, ā, am, long as a chariot yoke. —Yugan-dhara, as, ā, am, holding or bearing the yoke; ( as, am ), m. n. the pole of a carriage or wood to which the yoke is fixed; ( as ), m., N. of a particular magical formula spoken over weapons; of a king; of a mountain; of a forest; ( ās ), m. pl., N. of a people. —Yuga-pa, as, m., N. of a Gandharva. —Yuga-pattra or yuga-pattraka, as, m. mountain ebony, the plant Bauhinia Varie- gata. —Yuga-pattrikā, f. the plant Dalbergia Sissoo. —Yugapat-prāpti, is, f. simultaneous arrival, arriv- ing all together. —Yuga-pad, ind. ‘being in the same yoke or by the side of each other,’ together, at one time, at the same time, simultaneously, at once, all at once, all together. —Yuga-pārśvaka or yuga-pārśva-ga, as, ā, am, going at the side of the yoke (said of a young ox in training). —Yuga- purāṇa, am, n., N. of a section of the Garga-saṃ- hitā. —Yuga-bāhu, us, us, u, ‘yoke-armed,’ having arms like a yoke, long armed. —Yuga-bhaṅga, as, m. the breaking of a yoke. —Yuga-mātra, am, n. the length of a yoke; ( as, ī, am ), as large as a yoke. —Yuga-varatra or yuga-varatrā, see Gaṇa Khaṇḍikādi to Pāṇ. IV. 2, 45. —Yuga-vyāyata- bāhu, us, us, u, having arms long as a yoke; long armed. —Yugāṃśaka (°ga-aṃ°), as, m. ‘part of a Yuga or lustrum,’ a year, (also yugāṃsaka. ) —Yu- gādi (°ga-ādi), is, m. the commencement of a Yuga, the beginning of the world. —Yugādi-kṛt, t, m., N. of Śiva. —Yugādi-jina, as, m. the first Jina of a Yuga. —Yugādijina-śrī, īs, m., N. of Ṛṣabha. —Yugādīśa (°di-īśa), as, m. ‘first lord of a Yuga,’ N. of Ṛṣabha. —Yugādyā (°ga-ād°), f. the first day of a Yuga or age of the world; the anniversary of it. —Yugādhyakṣa (°ga-adh°), as, m. ‘superintendent of a Yuga,’ epithet of Prajāpati; of Śiva. —Yugānta (°ga-an°), as, m. the end of the yoke; the meridian, midday, noon; the end of a generation; the end of an age or Yuga, destruc- tion of the world. —Yugāntaka, as, m. the end of an age, end of the world. —Yugānta-bandhu, us, m. a real and constant friend. —Yugāntara (°ga- an°), am, n. a kind of yoke, a peculiar yoke; the second half of the arc cutting the meridian described by the sun; another generation, a succeeding age. —Yugāntāgni (°ta-ag°), is, m. the fire at the end of the world. —Yugeśa (°ga-īśa), as, m., Ved. the Page0819-a+ 81 lord or ruler of a lustrum. —Yugorasya (°ga-ur°), as, m., N. of a particular array of troops. [ ID=38716 ]
- yoke  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 2-192 ] 1. Yuga in the Rigveda 1 and later 2 denotes ‘yoke.’ Cf. Ratha. [ Footnote: 1) i. 115, 2; 184, 3; ii. 39, 4; iii. 53, 17; viii. 80, 7; x. 60, 8; 101, 3, etc.] [ Footnote: 2) Av. iv. 1, 40; Śatapatha Brāh- maṇa, iii. 5, 1, 24. 34; Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa, i. 5, 1, 3, etc.] [ ID=2592 ]

### A pair or couple (5 definitions)
- a pair, couple, or brace  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( ifc. f( आ (ā) ). ) a pair, couple, brace, GṛŚrS.; MBh. &c. [ ID=171839 ]
- 1. A pair or couple. 2. An age of the world. 3. A period of five years. 4. A yoke. 5. A measure of four cubits. 6. A medicinal drug.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) n. ( - गं (-gaṃ) ) 1 A pair, a couple, a brace. 2 An age, as the Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali. 3 A lustre, or period of five years. m. ( - गः (-gaḥ) ) 1 A yoke. 2 A measure of four cubits. 3 A drug, commonly Ṛddhi. E. युज (yuja) to join, aff. अच् (ac), and the final changed. [ ID=31477 ]
- 1. A pair. 2. An age of the world. 3. A yoke. 4. Four cubits. 5. A drug.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 614-a ] युग (yuga) ( गं ) ((gaṃ)) 1. n. A pair; an age, as Satya, Treta, Dwāpar, Kali. m. A yoke; 4 cubits; a drug. [ ID=31042 ]
- 1. A pair or couple. 2. A long mundane age of years. 3. A measure of four cubits. 4. An expression for the numbers four and twelve. 5. Life or birth.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) (II) n. 1. A pair, a couple, स्तनयुग (yuga) परिणाहाच्छादिना कल्कलेन (stanayugapariṇāhācchādinā kalkalena) Sak. i., Sis. ix.72; 2. a long mundane period of years, an age; (there are four such periods, viz., कृत (kṛta), त्रेता (tretā), द्वापर (dvāpara) and कलि (kali), which together comprise 43,20,000 years of men and are called a Mahāyuga, M. i.69-73; the regularly descending length of them is accompanied by a corresponding physical and moral deterioration), धर्मसंस्थापनार्थाय संभवामि युग (yuga) े युग (yuga) े (dharmasaṃsthāpanārthāya saṃbhavāmi yuge yuge) Bg. iv.8; 3. a measure of four cubits; 4. an expression for the numbers ‘four’ and ‘twelve’; 5. life, birth, अश्रेयाञ् श्रेयसीं जातिं गच्छत्यासप्तमाद्युयात् (aśreyāñ śreyasīṃ jātiṃ gacchatyāsaptamādyuyāt) M. x.64. [ ID=31477 ]
- 1. A pair, couple, or brace. 2. An age of the world. 3. A five-year period. 4. A yoke. 5. A measure of four cubits. 6. An expression for the numbers four and twelve. 7. Life or birth. 8. A medicinal plant.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 588-b ] युग (yuga) n. ( - गं (-gaṃ) ) 1. A pair, a couple, a brace. 2. An age, as the Śatya or Krita, Tretā, Dwāpara, and Kali. 3. A lustre, or period of five years. m. ( - गः (-gaḥ) ) 1. A yoke. 2. A measure of four cubits. 3. An expression for the numbers “four and “twelve”. 4. Life, birth. 5. A drug, commonly Riddhi. E. युज् (yuj) to join, aff. अच, (aca,) the final changed. [ ID=32720 ]

### A cosmic age or world period (3 definitions)
- an age of the world or long mundane period of years  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > an age of the world, long mundane period of years (of which there are four, viz. 1. Kṛta or Satya, 2. Tretā, 3. Dvāpara, 4. Kali, of which the first three have already elapsed, while the Kali, which began at midnight between the 17th and 18th of Feb. 3102 B.C. [ o.s. ], is that in which we live; the duration of each is said to be respectively 1,728,000, 1,296,000, 864,000, and 432,000 years of men, the descending numbers representing a similar physical and moral deterioration of men in each age; the four Yugas comprise an aggregate of 4,320,000 years and constitute a ‘great Yuga’ or Mahā-yuga; cf. Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 178 ), AV. &c. &c. [ ID=171842 ]
- an age of the world  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 785-2 ] yuga (an age of the world, sg. and pl. ( °āni )): I, 30 ( °syādau ), 38 ( °kṣaye ), 39 ( °ādiṣu ), 66 (pl.), 1218 ( °ādikā- laśayanaṃ Viṣṇoḥ ), 1241 ( °āntāgnisamaprabhaḥ ), 1490 ( °āntakāle ), 2416 ( yuge yuge, yugānugaṃ ), 4341 ( Kṛtaṃ ), 5351 ( °āntānila- ), 5475 ( °āntāgnir iva ), 8208 ( °āntaṃ ), 8271 ( °ānta°- ); II, 72 ( sahasray°paryaye ), 1485 ( ānte ), 2430 ( °āntakāle ); III, 185 ( aho Brahmaṇaḥ…sahasray°sam- mitaṃ ), 496 ( °ānte ), 497 ( °ādau ), 881 ( °ānte ), 1644 (do.), 1675 (do.), 6098 ( °kṣaye ), 8286 ( °ānte ), 10599 (sg.), 11231 ( yuge yuge ), 11233 ( °saṃkhyāṃ…yuge yuge ), 11234 ( Kṛtaṃ ), 11235 ( kāle y°ottame ), 11238 ( °saṃsarge ), 11242 ( Kṛte ), 11246 (do.), 11250 ( Dvāpare ), 11257 ( tāmasaṃ, i.e. Kaliyuga), 11259 (pl.), 11261 ( °kṣaya- ), 11262 ( °ānuvar- tanaṃ ), 11264 ( °saṃkhyāṃ ), 12806 ( °sahasrāntāḥ ), 12826 ( Kṛtaṃ ), 12831 (do., dvādaśasāhasrī y°ākhyā ), 12833 ( °ānte ), 12836 ( gate yuge ), 12837 ( Kalau ), 12843 ( °ānte ), 12844 (do.), 12846 ( °kṣaye ), 12847 (do.), 12854 (do.), 12860 (do), 12869 ( °sahasrānte ), 13000 ( °kṣaye ), 13010 ( °ādau ), 13012 ( °kṣaye ), 13019 ( tāmasaṃ, i.e. Kaliyuga), 13021 ( anuy°ṃ ), 13027 ( °ānte ), 13028 ( °kṣaye ), 13029 (do.), 13030 (do.), 13031 (do.), 13033 (do.), 13042 ( °syānte ), 13043 ( °kṣaye ), 13045 ( °ānte ), 13046 (do.), 13049 (do., sg.), 13051 ( °kṣaye ), 13053 ( °ānte ), 13054 (do.), 13057 (do.), 13059 (do.), 13060 ( °kṣaye ), 13061 (do.), 13063 ( °ānte ), 13064 (do.), 13065 ( °kṣaye ), 13069 (sg.), 13071 ( °saṃkṣaye ), 13074 (do.), 13076 ( °e kṣīṇe…y°āntasya lakṣaṇaṃ ), 13077 (sg.), 13078 (sg.), 13079 ( yuge yuge ), 13084 ( °ānte ), 13088 (do.), 13090 ( °kṣaye ), 13091 ( °ānte ), 13093 (do.), 13094 (do.), 13095 (do.), 13097 ( °kṣaye ), 13105 ( sarvasya ), 13115 ( Kṛte ), 13119 (do.), 13121 ( °saṅkhyā ), 15809 ( °āntakāle ), 15814 ( catur- y°sahasrānte ), 17288 ( °ānṭe ); IV, 1709 ( °āntasamaye ), 2015 ( °ānte ); V, †1873 ( pravartayan y°m anyad y°ānte ), 2050 ( °āntaṃ ), 2534 ( °cakraṃ ), 2733 ( °ānte ), 2734 (do.), 3825 ( °āntāgnisamaprabhaḥ ), 4475 ( caturthasya ), 5506 (sg.), 5551 (do.), 5780 ( °āntāgnisamaḥ ), 5897 ( °saṅkṣaye ), 7282 ( °āntam iva ), 7593 ( °ānte ); VI, 25 (do.), 244 ( sahasray°paryaye ), 387 ( catvāri ), 634 ( °ānte ), 1001 ( yuge yuge ), 1158 ( sahasra- y°paryayam ahar yad Brahmaṇaḥ ), 2426 ( °kṣaye ), 2574 ( °āntam iva ), †2643 ( °āntakalpaṃ, sc. astraṃ ), 2791 ( °ānte, only C.), 2792 (do.), 2799 ( °kṣaye, only B.), 3012 ( Dvāparasya Page786-a+ 63 yugasyānte ), 3013 ( yuge yuge ), 3086 ( °āntāgnim iva ), †3378 ( °kṣaye ), †3530 ( °āntameghaughanibhaṃ ), 3703 ( °ānte ), 3707 ( °āntādityasannibhaṃ ), †3778 ( °āntāgnisamaprabhāvaṃ ), 4112 ( °ānte ), 4567 ( °kṣaye ), 4656 (do.), 4732 (do.), 4855 ( °āntam iva ), 5575 ( °āntāgnisamaprakhyaḥ ), 5585 ( °kṣaye, only B.); VII, 196 ( °ānte ), 424 (sg.), 502 ( °āntakāle ), 1417 ( °āntārkaḥ ), 1418 ( °ānte ), 1485 (do.), †2611 ( °ātyaye ), 3136 ( °āntāgnir iva ), 3195 ( °kṣaye ), 3237 ( °āntādityaraśmyābhaiḥ ), 3275 ( °āntāgnim iva ), 3388 ( °ānte ), 3911 (do.), 3954 ( °āntāditya- sannibhāḥ ), 4512 ( °āntāgnisamaprabhāṃ ), 4532 ( °āntapratimau ), 4976 ( °āntasadṛśaḥ ), 5097 ( °ānte ), †6151 ( °āntābhrasama- svanaṃ ), 6154 ( °āntavāta- ), 6791 ( °āntakālasamaye ), 6863 ( °kṣaye ), 6865 ( °ānte ), 6880 (do.), 6902 ( °kṣaye ), 7112 (do.), 7202 ( °ānte ), 7212 ( °kṣaye ), 7978 (do.), 9001 ( °āntam iva ), 9195 ( °ānte ), 9422 (do.), 9480 ( yuge yuge ), 9485 (do.); VIII, 550 ( °ānte ), 656 ( °āntārkaḥ ), 664 ( °āntārkāv iva ), 989 ( °āntāgnim iva ), 2317 ( °ānte ), 2407 ( °āntāgnisamaprabhaṃ ), †2851 ( °āntakalpaḥ, sc. janakṣayaḥ ), 3888 ( °kṣaye ), †4070 ( °āntasūryapratimānatejasaṃ ), †4500 ( °āntasūryāv iva ), †4567 ( yuge yuge ), †4579 ( °āntavahnyarkakaraprakāśāḥ ); IX, 439 ( °saṅkṣaye ), †905 ( °ānte ), 2071 ( pūrvay°e ), 2237 ( °kṣaye ); X, 229 ( °ānte ), 463 (do.), 676 ( °āntānalasannibhaṃ ); XI, 280 ( °ānte ), 287 ( °āntakāle ), 610 ( °āntāgnir iva ), 649 ( °ānte ), 680 ( °āntaṃ ); XII, 1619 ( °ādiṣu ), 1644 ( °sahasrānte ), 1654 (pl.), †2412 ( yuge yuge ), 2441 ( Kṛte ), 2693 ( caturthasya ), 3408 (sg.), 5247 ( °kṣayāt ), 5332 ( °ānte ), 5583 ( °āntāgnisama- prabhaḥ ), 7575 (pl.), 7658 ( °ādau ), 7659 ( °ādiṣu ), 7660 ( °ānte ), 8253 ( yuge yuge ), 8381 ( °viparyayaṃ ), 8478 ( yuge yuge ), 8497 ( Kṛtaṃ ), 8500 ( Kṛte ), 8503 ( anuy°ṃ ), 8504 ( °hrāsānurūpataḥ ), 8505 ( Kalau ), 8506 ( °ākhyāṃ ), 8508 ( saḥasray°paryantam ahar yad Brahmaṇo viduḥ | rātriṃ y°sahasrāntāṃ ), 8542 ( Kṛte ), 8546 ( Dvāpare ), 8547 ( Kṛte ), 8548 ( yuge yuge ), 8550 (do.), 8574 ( °sāhasrayor ādau ), 8629, 8719 ( Kṛte ), 8726 ( Dvāpare ), 8730 ( yuge yuge ), 8899 (sg.), 9263 ( anuy°ṃ ), 9564 ( Kalau ), 9592 ( adhare, i.e. Kaliyuga), †10063 ( °kṣaye ), 10447 ( °ānte ), 11146 (pl.), 11227 ( yugaṃ dvādaśasāhasraṃ kalpaṃ viddhi caturyugaṃ ), 12658 ( Kṛte ), 12749 ( Āṅgirase ), 12788 ( °kṣaye ), 12934 ( °sahasrānte ), 12969 ( Kṛte ), 13067 ( yuge yuge ), 13088 (sg.), 13091 (sg.), 13092 ( Tiṣye ), †13108 ( °ānte, °ādau ), 13150 ( yuge yuge ), 13190 ( catury°sahasrānte ), 13578 ( °dharmāṇāṃ ), 13595 ( °ādau ), 13683 ( kṛṣṇe, i.e. Kaliyuga), 13689 ( sahasra- y°paryayāḥ ), 13690 ( anekasahasray°paryayāḥ ); XIII, 600 ( yuge yuge ), 627 ( °paryayāḥ ), 692 ( Kṛte ), 775 (sg.), 839 ( °ānte ), 941 (do.), 942 (do.), 989 ( °paryayāḥ ), 1082 ( saṃvatsa- ray°ādi = Śiva), 1798 ( °sahasraṃ ), 1799 ( °ānām ayutaṃ ), 3273 ( °śataṃ ), 4161 ( °ādinidhane ), 5257 ( °āntāgnisama- prabhaḥ ), 5267 ( °āntaṃ kalpaṃ ), 5278 ( °sahasraṃ ), 5317 ( dve y°ānāṃ sahasre ), 5321 ( °kalpasahasrāṇi trīṇi ), 6178 ( Kṛte ), 6317 ( kṛṣṇavartmā yugāntābhaḥ ), 6368 ( °āntasadṛśaṃ ), 6372 ( °āgnir ivāparaḥ ), 6897 ( °āntāgnisamena ), 6901 ( °āntāgniḥ ), 6946 ( ādiyugāgame, yugakṣaye ), 7128 ( Kṛte ), 7363 (do.); XIV, 1220 ( Kṛtam ādir y°ānāṃ ), 1490 ( °ānteṣu ), 1578 ( calite calite yuge ), 2776 (pl.); XV, 1076 ( °kṣaye ). Cf. Dvāpara(yuga), Kali(yuga), Kṛta(yuga), Tiṣya Tretāyuga. [ ID=12635 ]
- 1. An era or world age consisting of four periods: Krta, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali. 2. A cycle of five years starting with Shravana and ending with Dhanishtha.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 3-030 ] Yuga — the intervening time between one yuga-san- dhyapūrva and sandhyāmśa; four in number; Kṛta, Treta, Dvāpara and Kali. The extent is of 12,000 years of celestial measure; the duration of the yugas includes sandhya, 12,000 divine years, 1,000 caturyugas make a day of Brahmā. 1 A yugam of five years, commencing with Śravaṇa and ending with Dhaniṣṭhā nakṣatra — the five years are respectively Agni, Sūrya, Soma, Vāyu and Rudra; consists of Samvat- sara, Parivatsara, Idvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara; revolves like the wheel owing to the movement of the Sun. 2 Social conditions in; 3 of Śaptaṛṣis. 4 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. II. 8. 17; III. 11. 18; XII. Ch. 4 (whole); Vā. 7. 22; 23. 83; 24. 1; 31. 21; Vi. I. 3. 11-15.] [ Footnote: 2) Br. II. 13. 115, 147; 21. 131; 24. 57 and 144; 28. 22; Vā. 31. 28, 49; 32. 57-65; 50. 182; 53. 116; 56. 21; Vi. II. 8. 72.] [ Footnote: 3) M. Ch. 165.] [ Footnote: 4) Vā. 99. 419.] [ ID=11304 ]

### A generation, race, or period of life (2 definitions)
- a race of men or generation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (also with मानुष (mānuṣa) or मनुष्य (manuṣya) ) a race of men, generation (exceptionally m. ), RV. &c. &c. [ ID=171840 ]
- 1. A generation or a decade of life. 2. A long period of time or an age.  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > 2. Yuga in the Rigveda 1 frequently denotes a ‘generation’; but the expression daśame yuge applied to Dīrghatamas in one passage 2 must mean ‘tenth decade’ of life. There is no reference in the older Vedic texts to the five-year cycle (see Saṃvatsara ). The quotation from the Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa 3 given in the St. Petersburg Dictionary, and by Zimmer 4 and others, is merely a citation from a modern text in the commentary on that work. Nor do the older Vedic texts know of any series of Yugas or ages such as are usual later. In the Atharvaveda 5 there are mentioned in order a hundred years, an ayuta (10,000?), and then two, three, or four Yugas: the inference from this seems to be that a Yuga means more than an ayuta, but is not very Page2-193+ 67 certain. Zimmer 6 adduces a passage from the Rigveda, 7 but the reference there, whatever it may be, 8 is certainly not to the four ages ( cf. also Triyuga ). 9 The Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa 10 recognizes long periods of time — e.g., one of 100,000 years. To the four ages, Kali, Dvāpara, Tretā, and Kṛta, there is no certain reference in Vedic literature, though the names occur as the designations of throws at dice (see Akṣa ). In the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa 11 the names occur, but it is not clear that the ages are really meant. Haug 12 thought that the dice were meant: this view is at least as probable as the alternative explanation, which is accepted by Weber, 13 Roth, 14 Wilson, 15 Max Müller, 16 and Muir. 17 Roth, indeed, believes that the verse is an inter- polation; but in any case it must be remembered that the passage is from a late book of the Aitareya Brāhmaṇa. Four ages — Puṣya, Dvāpara, Khārvā, and Kṛta — are mentioned in the late Ṣaḍviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, 18 and the Dvāpara in the Gopatha Brāhmaṇa. 19 [ Footnote: 1) Yuge-yuge, ‘in every age,’ i. 139, 8; iii. 26, 3; vi. 8, 5; 15, 8; 36, 5; ix. 94, 12; uttarā yugāni, ‘future ages,’ iii. 33, 8; x. 10, 10; pūrvāṇi yugāni, vii. 70, 4; uttare yuge, x. 72, 1, etc. In i. 92, 11; 103, 4; 115, 2; 124, 2; 144, 4, etc., the phrase ‘generations of men’ ( manṣyā, manuṣaḥ, janānām ) are referred to. See Muir, Sanskrit Texts, 12, 45, 46.] [ Footnote: 2) i. 158, 6. Wilson, Translation, 2, 104, n., suggests that yuga here means a lustrum of five years; but the tenth decade is far more likely, as Dīrgha- tamas is said to be ‘aged’ ( jujurvān ).] [ Footnote: 3) xvii. 13, 17.] [ Footnote: 4) Altindisches Leben, 368.] [ Footnote: 5) viii. 2, 21.] [ Footnote: 6) Op. cit., 371.] [ Footnote: 7) viii. 101, 4 = Av. x. 8, 3.] [ Footnote: 8) Cf. Aitareya Āraṇyaka, ii. 1, 1, with Keith's note; Griffith, Hymns of the Rigveda, 2, 253.] [ Footnote: 9) In Rv. x. 72, 2, devānāṃ pūrvye yuge, ‘in the earlier age of the gods,’ occurs.] [ Footnote: 10) iii. 12, 9, 2. Cf. Muir, 12, 42, n. 66.] [ Footnote: 11) vii. 15, 4 (in the description of the merits of exertion): ‘A man while lying is the Kali; moving himself, he is the Dvāpara; rising, he is the Tretā; walking, he becomes the Kṛta’ ( Kaliḥ śayāno bhavati saṃjihānas tu Dvāparaḥ | uttiṣṭhaṃs Tretā bhavati, Kṛtaṃ saṃpad- yate caran|| ).] [ Footnote: 12) Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, 2, 464, criti- cized by Weber, Indische Studien, 9, 319.] [ Footnote: 13) Indische Studien, 1, 286; 9, 315 et seq. ] [ Footnote: 14) Indische Studien, 1, 460.] [ Footnote: 15) Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1851, 99.] [ Footnote: 16) Ancient Sanskrit Literature, 412.] [ Footnote: 17) Sanskrit Texts, 12, 48, n. 86.] [ Footnote: 18) v. 6.] [ Footnote: 19) i. 1, 28; Weber, Indian Literature, 151, n. 166; Windisch, Buddha und Māra, 151. Cf. Zimmer, Altindisches Leben, 367- 371; Weber, Indische Streifen, 1, 91. A quite different theory of the Yugas is given by Shamasastry, Gavām Ayana, 141 et seq., but his whole theory is quite impossible. Weber once ( Indian Litera- ture, 113, n. 127) found the mention of the quinquennial Yuga in Rv. iii. 55, 18, but that passage refers to the five or six seasons (see Griffith, Hymns of the Rigveda, 1, 382, n.), while i. 25, 8, merely alludes to the intercalary month. Weber also ( op. cit., 70, 247) considers that the Yugas are derived from the phases of the moon, but this idea was long since disposed of by Roth, Die Lehre von den vier Weltaltern (Tübingen, 1860).] [ ID=2593 ]

### An astronomical configuration (2 definitions)
- a particular position or configuration of the moon  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a partic. position or configuration of the moon, VarBṛS. [ ID=171846 ]
- a particular Nabhasa constellation when all planets are situated in two houses  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a partic. Nābhasa constellation (of the class called Sāṃkhya-yoga, when all the planets are situated in two houses), ib. [ ID=171847 ]

### Etymological information or cross-reference (2 definitions)
- See page 854  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 853,1] युग (yuga) a युग (yuga) ्म (yugma), युग (yuga) ्य (yugya) &c. See p. 854. [ ID=171724 ]
- See page 818 and page 819 for references.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 0817-c ] युग (yuga) yuga, yugma, yugya, &c. See p. 818, col. 2, and p. 819, col. 1. [ ID=38706 ]

### Symbolic representation of a number (2 definitions)
- a symbolical name for the number four  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a symbolical N. for the number ‘four’, Sūryas. [ ID=171844 ]
- the number twelve  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > for the number ‘twelve’, Jyot. [ ID=171845 ]

### A literary unit (e.g., double śloka) (1 definition)
- consisting of two connected shlokas whose meaning is completed together  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a double Śloka or two Ślokas so connected that the sense is only completed by the two together, Rājat. [ ID=171848 ]

### A measure of length (1 definition)
- a measure of length equal to four cubits  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a measure of length = 86 Aṅgulas, Śulbas. (= 4 Hastas or cubits, L. ) [ ID=171843 ]

### A shorter time cycle (e.g., lustrum) (1 definition)
- a period of five years  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a period or astronomical cycle of 5 (rarely 6) years, a lustrum ( esp. in the cycle of Jupiter), MBh.; Var.; Suśr. [ ID=171841 ]

### An epithet of a deity (Shiva) (1 definition)
- an epithet of Shiva  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > [Printed book page 786-1 ] Yuga(ṃ) = Śiva (1000 names 1 ). [ ID=12636 ]

### Verbal root 'yug-i' (distinct word) (1 definition)
- To except or abandon.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > युग (yuga) [Printed book page 686 ] युग (yuga)( इ ) युग (yuga) ि (yuga(i)yugi) r. 1st cl ( युंगति (yuṃgati) ) To except, to abandon. [ ID=31476 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546