Pre - universe The pre - universe , also called the Dvapara Yuga , was the reality that preceded or was replaced by the start of the universe . Description . The most common understanding was that the current universe , which began in the Big Bang , was preceded by another universe with different laws of physics . ( TV : " The Satan Pit " , " Secrets of the Stars " , AUDIO : " Persuasion " , PROSE : " Millennial Rites " ) The Sixth Doctor learned about the pre - universe from the Matrix during his time as Lord President , and he described it to Anne Travers : However , the Seventh Doctor learned from the Carnival Queen that the Time Lord s had misinterpreted their knowledge of the pre - universe and , rather than being an actual separate universe , the pre - universe was the state of reality before the Time Lords created the Web of Time ( PROSE : " Christmas on a Rational Planet " ) during the anchoring of the thread . ( PROSE : " The Book of the War " ) Before the Time Lords created the Web of Time , the universe obeyed no laws of physics , and magic was a powerful force . There existed cities with buildings carved from mile - high arches of ivory , with streets made of cobweb and gardens tended by stone men . ( PROSE : " Christmas on a Rational Planet " ) Many human s had semi - divine powers : for instance , Arjuna had one thousand arms and was ardently skilled at compressing time , while Nakula and Sahadeva led armies of imaginary hybrid animals made of broken time . The Great Houses ' plan for ending the Dvapara Yuga involved starting the Kurukshetra war between the Pandava s and Kaurava s . ( PROSE : " Dharmayuddha " ) River Song noted a theory that the SporeShip s were leftover weapons from the war that wiped out the previous universe . ( AUDIO : " Signs " ) One source indicated that the only thing that existed before the Big Bang was a particle of space and time smaller than an atom . ( PROSE : " Nothing O ' Clock " ) Luke Smith speculated that the rules of astrology were based on the laws of physics in the previous universe , which is why the Ancient Lights seemed to conform to them despite them contradicting conventional physics . ( TV : " Secrets of the Stars " ) Natives . The Tenth Doctor said that no life could have existed before the universe came into existence . ( TV : " The Satan Pit " ) However , many races claimed to be older than the universe itself . ( PROSE : " All - Consuming Fire " , " Millennial Rites " , " Christmas on a Rational Planet " , TV : " The Satan Pit " , AUDIO : " Persuasion " ) When the new universe was created , many powerful species from the pre - universe fled into other realities but over time found their way back . Some , like the Great Old One s , still followed the rules of the pre - universe , giving them god - like powers . On many planets , these beings became part of the legends and religions . ( PROSE : " All - Consuming Fire " , " Millennial Rites " ) The Beast was trapped under Krop Tor by the Disciples of Light before light , time , space , or matter existed , and he remained there during and after the creation of the universe . ( TV : " The Impossible Planet " ) He claimed to have inspired the Devil of all religions , including the Arkiphets , Quoldonity , Christianity , Pash Pash , New Judaism , San Klah , and the Church of the Tin Vagabond . ( TV : " The Satan Pit " ) The Shepherd and Shepherdess escaped the " extinction of their universe " and arrived in N - Space , where they became transparent in appearance . They moved without touching the ground and their hair and nails grew longer because they were dying in the new reality . ( AUDIO : " Persuasion " ) Luke Smith speculated that the Ancient Lights came from before the universe . ( TV : " Secrets of the Stars " ) Jack Harkness said that the Syriath had been trapped within the Rift since before time . ( AUDIO : " The House of the Dead " ) Entropy Siren s were said to have existed before the universe . ( AUDIO : " The Entropy Composition " ) The Dark was said to have been formed from the remains of the void before the Big Bang . ( PROSE : " Fear of the Dark " )