Hindu units of time - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Hindu units of time

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vedic and Puranic texts describe units of Kala measurements, from Paramau
(about 17 microseconds) to Maha-Manvantara (311.04 trillion years). According
to these texts, the creation and destruction of the universe is a cyclic process,
which repeats itself forever. Each cycle starts with the birth and expansion
(lifetime) of the universe equaling 311.04 trillion years, followed by its complete
annihilation (which also prevails for the same duration). The current Universe was
created in Padma kalpa, the last day Kalpa of 50th year of Brahma. This is 10.51
billion years ago. This gure is close to the modern estimated age of the universe
in 13.79 billion years.

Contents
1 Time units
1.1 Sidereal metrics
1.1.1 Small units of time used in the Vedas
1.2 Lunar metrics
1.3 Tropical metrics
1.4 Reckoning of time among other entities
1.4.1 Among the Pits (forefather)
1.4.2 Among the Devas
1.4.3 For Brahma
1.5 The Surya Siddhanta denition of timescales
2 The current date
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

Time units
Various units of time are used across the Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata,
Suryasidhanta etc. Especially, Nimesha's multiple, it varies to 3, 10, 15, 18, 20,
27, 30, 45, 48, 60. At the lower end, these are pretty consistent. The Complete
Hindu metrics of time (Kla Vyavahra) can be summarised as below.

Sidereal metrics

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Unit

Denition

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_units_of_time

Equivalence
(Approx.)

Truti

Renu

60 Truti

1.86 s

Lava

60 Renu

0.11 ms

Lkaka

60 Lava

6.696 ms

Lipta

Vipala

60
0.401 s
Leekshaka

Pala

Vighai

Vind

Ghai

Nd

Danda

Muhrta

Nakatra
Ahortram
(Sidereal
Day)

0.031 s

60 Lipta

24.1056 s

60 Vighai

24 min

2 Ghai

48 min

60 Gha

24 h

30
Muhrta

24 h

Alternate system
Unit

Denition

Truti
Tatpara
Nimesha

Equivalence
(Approx.)
35.5 s

100 Truti

3.55 ms

30 Tatpara 106.7 ms

Kh

30
Nimesha

3.2 s

Kal

30 Kh

1.6 min

Muhrta

30 Kal

48 min

Nakatra
Ahortram
(Sidereal Day)

30
Muhrta

24 h

Small units of time used in the Vedas

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Unit

Denition

Paramu

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindu_units_of_time

Equivalence
(Approx.)
26.3 s

Au

2 Paramu

57.7 s

Trasareu

3 Au

158 s

Trui

3 Trasareu

474 s

Vedha

100 Trui

47.4 ms

Lava

3 Vedha

0.14 s

Nimea

3 Lava

0.43 s

Kaa

3 Nimesha

1.28 s

Kh

5 Kaa

6.4 s

Laghu

15 Kh

1.6 min

Danda

15 Laghu

24 min

Muhrta

2 Danda

48 min

Ahortram (Day) 30 Muhrta

24 h

Masa (Month)

30
Ahortram

30 days

Ritu (Season)

2 Masa

2 months

Ayana

3 Rutu

6 months

Samvatsara
(Year)
Ahortram of
Deva

2 Ayana

Hindu measurements in
logarithmic scale
(approx.).

360 days

Lunar metrics
A Tithi or lunar day is dened as the time it takes for the longitudinal angle
between the moon and the Sun to increase by 12.[1] Tithis begin at varying
times of day and vary in duration from approximately 19 to approximately 26
hours.
A Paksa (also Paka) or lunar fortnight consists of 15 tithis.
A Msa or lunar month (approximately 29.5 days) is divided into 2 Pakas:
the one between new moon and full moon (waxing) is called gaura or (bright)
or ukla Paka; the one between full moon and new moon (waning) Kiha
(dark) paksha
A tu (or season) is 2 Msa[2]

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An Ayana is 3 tus
A year is two Ayanas [1] (http://vedabase.net/sb/3/11/11/en1)[3]

Tropical metrics
A Yma = 1/4 of a day (light) or night [ = 7 Ghatis () = 3 Muhurtas =
3 Horas () ]
Four Ymas make half of the day (either day or night)
Eight Ymas make an Ahortra (day + night)
An Ahortra is a tropical day (Note: A day is considered to begin and end at
sunrise, not midnight.)
Name

Yama

Denition

Svana Ahortram

Equivalence

th of a day (light) or night 3 hours

8 Yamas

1 Solar day

Reckoning of time among other entities

Among the Pits (forefather)
1 human fortnight (15 days) = 1 day (light) or night of the Pits.
1 human month (30 days) = 1 day (light) and night of the Pits.
30 days of the Pits = 1 month of the Pits = (30 30 = 900 human days).
12 months of the Pits = 1 year of the Pits = (12 months of Pits 900
human days = 10800 human days).
The lifespan of the Pits is 100 years of the Pits (= 36,000 Pit days =
1,080,000 human days = 3000 human years)
1 day of the Devas = 1 human year
1 month of the Devas = 30 days of the Devas
1 year of the Devas (1 divine year) = 12 months of the Devas
Among the Devas
The life span of any Hindu deva spans nearly (or more than) 4.5 million years.
Statistically, we can also look it as:
12000 Deva Years = Life Span of Devas = 1 Mah-Yuga.
The Viu Pura Time measurement section of the Viu Pura Book I Chapter
III explains the above as follows:
2 Ayanas (6-month periods, see above) = 1 human year or 1 day of the devas
4,000 + 400 + 400 = 4,800 divine years (= 1,728,000 human years) = 1
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Satya Yuga
3,000 + 300 + 300 = 3,600 divine years (= 1,296,000 human years) = 1
Tret Yuga
2,000 + 200 + 200 = 2,400 divine years (= 864,000 human years) = 1
Dvpara Yuga
1,000 + 100 + 100 = 1,200 divine years (= 432,000 human years) = 1 Kali
Yuga
12,000 divine year = 4 Yugas (= 4,320,000 human years) = 1 Mah-Yuga
(also is equaled to 12000 Daiva (divine) Yuga)
[2*12,000 = 24,000 divine year = 12000 revolutions of sun around its dual]
For Brahma
1000 Mah-Yugas = 1 Kalpa = 1 day (day only) of Brahma
(2 Kalpas constitute a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion human years)
30 days of Brahma = 1 month of Brahma (259.2 billion human years)
12 months of Brahma = 1 year of Brahma (3.1104 trillion human years)
50 years of Brahma = 1 Parrdha
2 parardhas = 100 years of Brahma = 1 Para = 1 Mah-Kalpa (the lifespan of
Brahma)(311.04 trillion human years)
One day of Brahma is divided into 1000 parts called charaas. The charaas are
divided as follows:
The Four Yugas
4 charaas (1,728,000 solar years) Satya Yuga
3 charaas (1,296,000 solar years) Treta Yuga
2 charaas (864,000 solar years)

Dvapara Yuga

1 charaas (432,000 solar years)

Kali Yuga

Source: [2] (http://vedabase.net/sb/3/11/19/en1)

The cycle repeats itself, so altogether there are 1,000 cycles of Mah-Yuga in one
day of Brahma.
One cycle of the above four Yugas is one Mah-Yuga (4.32 million solar
years)
as is conrmed by the Gt loka 8.17 (statement) "sahasrayuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmao vidu rtri yuga-sahasrnt te
'ho-rtra-vido jan", meaning, a day of brahma is of 1000 Mah-Yuga.
Thus a day of Brahma, Kalpa, is of duration: 4.32 billion solar years.
Two Kalpas constitute a day and night (Adhi Sandhi) of Brahma.

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A Manvantara consists of 71 Mah-Yuga (306,720,000 solar years). Each

Manvantara is ruled by a Manu.
After each Manvantara follows one Sadhi Kla of the same duration as
a Kta Yuga (1,728,000 = 4 Charaas). (It is said that during a Sadhi
Kla, the entire earth is submerged in water.)
A Kalpa consists of a period of 4.32 Billion solar years followed by 14
Manvataras and Sadhi Kalas.
A day of Brahma equals
(14 times 71 Mah-Yuga) + (15 4 Charaas)
= 994 Mah-Yuga + (15 * 4800)
= 994 Mah-Yuga + (72,000 years)[deva years] / 6 = 12,000[deva years]
viz. one maha yuga.
= 994 Mah-Yuga + 6 Mah-Yuga
= 1,000 Mah-Yuga

The Surya Siddhanta denition of timescales

The Surya Siddhanta [Chapter 14 Mndhyyah ()], documents a
comprehensive model of nine divisions of time called mna () which span from
very small time units (Pra [] - 4 seconds) to very large time scales (Para []
- 311.04 Trillion solar years).

The current date

Currently, 50 years of Brahma have elapsed. The last Kalpa at the end of 50th
year is called Padma Kalpa. The current universe was created in the beginning of
Padma Kalpa, i.e. 10.51 billion years ago. This is the rst 'day' of the 51st year. [4]
This Brahma's day, Kalpa, is named as ShvetaVaraha Kalpa. Within this Day, six
Manvantaras have already elapsed[5] and this is the seventh Manvantara, named
as Vaivasvatha Manvantara (or Sraddhadeva Manvantara). Within the
Vaivasvatha Manvantara, 27 Mahayugas[5] (4 Yugas together is a Mahayuga), and
the Krita,[6] Treta and Dwapara Yugas of the 28th Mahayuga have elapsed. This
Kaliyuga is in the 28th Mahayuga. This Kaliyuga began in the year 3102 BCE in
the proleptic Julian Calendar.[7] Since 50 years of Brahma have already elapsed,
this is the second Parardha, also called as Dvithiya Parardha.
The time elapsed since the current Brahma has taken over the task of creation
can be calculated as
432000 10 1000 2 = 8.64 billion years (2 Kalpa (day and night) )
8.64 109 30 12 = 3.1104 Trillion Years (1 year of Brahma)
3.1104 1012 50 = 155.52 Trillion Years (50 years of Brahma)
(6 71 4320000 ) + 7 1.728 10^6 = 1852416000 years elapsed in rst six
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Manvataras, and Sandhi Kalas in the current Kalpa

27 4320000 = 116640000 years elapsed in rst 27 Mahayugas of the current
Manvantara
1.728 10^6 + 1.296 10^6 + 864000 = 3888000 years elapsed in current
Mahayuga
3102 + 2015 = 5117 years elapsed in current Kaliyuga.
So the total time elapsed since current Brahma is
155520000000000 + 1852416000 + 116640000 + 3888000 + 5115 =
155,521,972,949,117 years < as of 2015 AD >
The current Kali Yuga began at midnight 17 February / 18 February in 3102 BCE
in the proleptic Julian calendar.[8] As per the information above about Yuga
periods, only 5,117 years are passed out of 432,000 years of current Kali Yuga,
and hence another 426,883 years are left to complete this 28th Kali Yuga of
Vaivaswatha Manvantara.

See also
Age of the universe
Cosmology
Hindu astronomy
Hindu calendar
Indian mathematics
Indian science and technology
Indian weights and measures
Jyotish
List of numbers in Hindu scriptures
Minute
Second
Universe
Vedanga Jyotisha
Vedas
Yojana

References
1. Burgess, Ebenezer Translation of the Srya-Siddhnta: A text-book of Hindu
astronomy, with notes and an appendix (http://books.google.com
/books?id=jpE7AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover) Originally published: Journal of the
American Oriental Society 6 (1860) 141498 Chapter 14, Verse 12
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2. Burgess, Chapter 14, Verse 10

3. Burgess, Ebenezer Translation of the Srya-Siddhnta: A text-book of Hindu
astronomy, with notes and an appendix (http://books.google.com
/books?id=jpE7AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover) Originally published: Journal of the
American Oriental Society 6 (1860) 141498 , Chapter 14, Verse 9
4. Burgess, Chapter 1, Verse 21
5. Burgess, Chapter 1, Verse 22
6. Burgess, Chapter 1, Verse 23
7. Burgess, p17
8. Burgess, Ebenezer Translation of the Srya-Siddhnta: A text-book of Hindu
astronomy, with notes and an appendix (http://books.google.com
/books?id=jpE7AAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover) Originally published: Journal of the
American Oriental Society 6 (1860) 141498 , p17"

Victor J. Katz. A History of Mathematics: An Introduction, 1998.

External links
Translation of the Surya Siddhanta (http://www.wilbourhall.org
/pdfs/suryaEnglish.pdf) (1861)
Daily Hindu Calendar (https://twitter.com/Hinduism4u)
Exegesis of Hindu Cosmological Time Cycles (http://web.archive.org
/web/20070219000941/http://www.originofculture.com
/Astronomical%20Cycles%20&%20Facts.htm)
Surya Siddhanta, Chapter I with Commentary and Illustrations
(http://web.archive.org/web/20050320030038/http:
//www.thearchimedeandual.com/platonic/Eastern
/surya_siddanta_commentary/surya_siddhanta.htm)
Vedic Time Converter (http://www.khapre.org/also/VedicTimeConverter.aspx)
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