Now, Sri Krishna, the Supreme Lord, always desires the company of His pure devotees, and for those of them who live on Earth, for them alone, to inspire them, He comes down here. When He appears thus, it is of His own free will, without being compelled by the laws of material nature. It is for this reason that He is called the Almighty, for He is never subject to the laws of material nature.

What is the cause of the shortening of life, the diminution of the duration of existence?

Whoever offends or kills a wise man, a woman, a cow, a child, or an old man, will have their life diminished or shortened.

This system of protection, which encompasses the entire society, is based on the traits that distinguish a civilization of accomplished men from that of animal-men, even refined ones. It is strictly forbidden to kill a wise scholar, a cow, a woman, a child, or an old man. Moreover, the slightest offense against them has the effect of shortening the existence of the guilty party.

In the current age, these principles are hardly observed, hence the considerable suffering endured by human beings. From the moment women, having been left unprotected, become corrupted, unwanted offspring are born. On the other hand, anyone who offends a chaste woman will see misfortune befall him in the form of a shortened life span.

These are just a few examples of the Lord's uncompromising laws.

To learn more about this topic, open the book “The right qualities, the right attitude, the ideal behavior” and click on the chapter “God orders us not to harm anyone.”

To learn more about this topic, you can also open the book “Words of Wisdom, the Wisdom of God” and click on logos 340 or the corresponding box in the table.

Or see the chapter “What is the cause of shortening life, of decreasing the duration of existence?” in the Index.

What are the four ages that span human existence?

A day for Brahma, the demiurge, the first created being and ruler of our galaxy, lasts 4,320,000 years, spanning a cycle of four ages:

The Golden Age, which lasts 1,728,000 years; the Silver Age, which lasts 1,296,000 years; the Copper Age, which lasts 864,000 years; and the Iron Age, which lasts 432,000 years.

The Golden Age is the first age in a cycle of four. It lasts 1,728,000 years. It is the age of virtue, which encompasses all human beings. Almost all humans have attained spiritual realization. During the Golden Age, humans live for 100,000 years. It is possible to engage in sustained meditation with a view to attaining spiritual realization, because the conditions of existence are conducive to it.