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can be expressed by a number consisting of 77 digits of which 26 are numerals followed by 50 ciphers. The numerals are in the following order :
826905260616406355499024384 x 1080 Origin and end of the Universe :-In Hindu Trinity, Brahmā, Vişnu and Mahesa have been allotted specific functions of creation, 4 preservation and destruction of the universe respectively, i. e, these are the attributes of the Godhood. There are fixed times for creation and destruction. As already stated above, a Mahayug consists of 43,20,000 years and 71 mahāyugas make a Manvantara. The word Manvantara means the time interval between the successive Manus or the law givers. Fourteen Manus are born in a Kalpakāla. Before and after the birth of each of the 14 Manus, the world is submerged under water for a period of years equal to 4,32,000 x4. Thus, the total number of times that the world is submerged under water is 15 and the corresponding total period is 4,32,000 x 4 x 15= 43,20,000 x 6 years i. e. 6 mahayugas. Since there are 14 Manus in each Kalapakāla and they are born at intervals of 71 mahāyugas and 6 mahāyugas elapse during the period of floods which occur 15 times in one Kalpa, the total period of a Kalpa is 71 x 14 - 994 +6= 1000 mahāyugas. Therefore, corresponding to our 24 hours day, Brahma's day consists of 8640 million years.
The Puräņas state that the Brahmă creates the universe afresh at beginning of the day and it is submerged under water during night. The disappearance of the universe in this manner is called Naimittika Pralaya. In this the entire matter of the universe is concentrated in one place but is not destroyed. During one such Pralaya, the great sage Mārkandeya alone was alive and all other celestial and terrestrial objects ceased to exist. There was water and water everywhere and the sage wandered through empty space. He saw a baby in yogic sleep on a banyan leaf. The baby opened his mouth wide enough for the sage to enter. On entering the mouth, he saw all the three worlds inside the stomach, thus proving that during a pralaya, all objects merge into Supreme being. He then releases all these objects at the time of new creation.
The submerging of the earth under water has occurred about four times since the beginning of the earth. This fact has been accepted by the modern geologists. They have given it the name of "Glacial Epoch" and in Jain terminology, it is called "Khand Pralaya". The scientists have assigned the Deluge due to the melting of ice at the polar caps.
The Mahāpralaya occurs at the end of the life period of the Brahmä, which is of 100 years duration, each day and each night of the year being of 4,32,00,00,000 years. In this absolute pralaya, everything in the universe, material as well as nonmaterials, is dissolved into atoms and finally absorbed into the body of the Supreme Being. At the time of creation, the process is reversed and our universe can be looked upon as the projection of Lord God himself. The process of dissolution and creation goes on cyclically for eternity.
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