In cosmic time, a certain epoch of the planet. Time, according to traditional thought, has no origin or conclusion, but instead alternates between cycles of creation and activity, followed by halt and stillness.
Each of these cycles lasts 4.32 billion years, with the
active period known as Brahma's Day and the tranquil phase known as Brahma's
Night.
The Day of Brahma is split into one thousand mahayugas
("great cosmic eras"), each lasting 4.32 million years in cosmic
time.
The Krta Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga are
the four constituent yugas (cosmic eras) that make up each mahayuga.
Each of these four yugas is shorter than the one before it,
ushering in a period of greater degeneration and depravity.
Things have grown so horrible towards the conclusion of the
Kali Yuga that the only remedy is to destroy and recreate the world, at which
point the new Krta period starts.
The Treta Yuga, which lasted 1,296,000 years, is the second
of the four yugas.
Although the Treta Age is still considered fortunate, it is
not as fortunate as the Krta Age, as evidenced by its association with the metal
silver, which is less valuable than the gold associated with the preceding Krta
Yuga but more valuable than the bronze and iron associated with the two
following yugas.
According to popular belief, the Treta Yuga was the time
when the god Rama ruled the earth.
