In a Panic Over the Age of the Universe

Question: In a Panic Over the Age of the Universe

You were saying that the universe is 155 trillion years old. I am in a total panic hearing this. Ideally there should be no beginning and end for the universe with it only perhaps going through changes.

Answer: Manifestation and Non-Manifestation Phases

It is not a matter of my opinion. I am simply presenting what is coming down from the previous acharyas. The total spiritual sky is eternal. It has a covered portion known as the material sky in which millions and billions of universes are floating. The entire material sky goes through phases of manifestation and non-manifestation in accordance with the exhalation and inhalation of Mahavishnu. During its manifest stage when Mahavishnu exhales the material universes come out, and during its unmanifest stage when Mahavishnu inhales the material universes are merged into the total material energy and are withdrawn into the transcendental body of Mahavishnu. Our particular universe was manifested approximately 155 trillion years ago and will be destroyed in approximately 155 trillion years from now. While within the material sky the universes are being manifested and non-manifested for all eternity, within the spiritual sky millions and billions of spiritual planets remain eternally manifested.