Hindu units of time

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Hindu religious scriptures such as the Vedas and Puraas describe a massive range of units of Kala
measurements, spanning right from Paramau (time length of about 17 microseconds) to the 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) which is
done by Lord Shiv
[citation needed]
.
Ancient Hindu units of measurement are still prevalent among the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist communities. They
are used as a base for doing certain type of astrological calculations, performing religious rituals, etc.
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 Reckoning of time amongst the Pits (ancestors)
1.4.2 Reckoning of time amongst the Devas
1.4.3 Reckoning of time for Brahma
1.5 The Surya Siddhanta definition 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
[citation needed]
.
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 summarized as below.
Sidereal metrics
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Hindu measurements in
logarithmic scale (approx.).
Unit Definition Equivalence
Truti
ca. 0.031 s
Renu
60 Truti ca. 1.85 s
Lava
60 Renu ca. 0.11 ms
Leekshaka |H
60 Lava ca. 6.67 ms
Lipta

60
Leekshaka
ca. 0.4 s
Vipala
Pala
60 Lipta ca. 24 s Vighai
Vind
Ghai
60 Vighai ca. 24 min Nd
Danda
Muhrta

2 Ghai ca. 48 min

Nakatra Ahortram
(Sidereal Day)
H

60 Gha ca. 24 h
30 Muhrta ca. 24 h
Alternate system
Unit Definition Equivalence
Truti ca. 35.5 s
Tatpara 100 Truti ca. 3.55 ms
Nimesha 30 Tatpara ca. 106.7 ms
Kh 30 Nimesha ca. 3.2 s
Kal 30 Kh ca. 1.6 min
Muhrta 30 Kal ca. 48 min
Nakatra Ahortram (Sidereal Day) 30 Muhrta ca. 24 h
Small units of time used in the Vedas
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Unit Definition Equivalence
Paramu ca. 26.3 s
Au 2 Paramu ca. 57.7 s
Trasareu 3 Au ca. 158 s
Trui 3 Trasareu ca. 474 s
Vedha 100 Trui ca. 47.4 ms
Lava 3 Vedha ca. 0.14 s
Nimea 3 Lava ca. 0.43 s
Kaa 3 Nimesha ca. 1.28 s
Kh 5 Kaa ca. 6.4 s
Laghu 15 Kh ca. 1.6 min
Danda 15 Laghu ca. 24 min
Muhrta 2 Danda ca. 48 min
Ahortram (Day) 30 Muhrta ca. 24 h
Masa (Month) 30 Ahortram 30 days
Rutu (Season) 2 Masa 2 months
Ayana 3 Rutu 6 months
Samvatsara (Year)
2 Ayana 360 days
Ahortram of Deva
Lunar metrics
A Tithi or lunar day is defined 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.
[citation needed]
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 (bright) or ukla Paka; the one between full moon and new moon
(waning) Ka (dark) paksha
A tu (or season) is 2 Msa
[2]
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.)
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Name Definition Equivalence
Yama

th of a day (light) or night 3 hours
Svana Ahortram 8 Yamas 1 Solar day
Reckoning of time among other entities
Reckoning of time amongst the Pits (ancestors)
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)
[citation needed]
Reckoning of time amongst 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
100 Deva Years = Life Span of Devas = 1 Kalp (or day of Brahma).
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 Sat 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]
Reckoning of time 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 10,000 parts called charaas. The charaas are divided as follows:
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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 confirmed by the Gt loka 8.17 (statement) "sahasra-yuga-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
A Manvatara consists of 71 Mah-Yuga (306,720,000 solar years). Each Manvatara is ruled by a
Manu.
After each Manvatara follows one Sadhi Kal of the same duration as a Kta Yuga (1,728,000 = 4
Caraa). (It is said that during a Sadhi Kal, the entire earth is submerged in water.)
A Kalpa consists of a period of 4.32 Billion solar years called 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 definition 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).
[citation needed]
The current date
Currently, 50 years of Brahma have elapsed and this is the first '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 Manavatara, named as Vaivasvatha Manvantara (or Sraddhadeva Manavatara). Within the
Vaivasvatha Manavantara, 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 BC 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) )
[citation needed]
8.64 10
9
30 12 = 3.1104 Trillion Years (1 year of Brahma)
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3.1104 10
12
50 = 155.52 Trillion Years (50 years of Brahma)
(6 71 4320000 ) + 7 1.728 10^6 = 1852416000 years elapsed in first six Manvataras, and Sandhi Kalas
in the current Kalpa
27 4320000 = 116640000 years elapsed in first 27 Mahayugas of the current Manvantara
1.728 10^6 + 1.296 10^6 + 864000 = 3888000 years elapsed in current Mahayuga
3102 + 2013 = 5115 years elapsed in current Kaliyuga.
So the total time elapsed since current Brahma is
155520000000000 +1852416000 +116640000 +3888000 +5115 = 155,521,972,949,115 years < as of 2013 AD
>
The current Kali Yuga began at midnight 17 February / 18 February in 3102 BC in the proleptic Julian
calendar.
[8]
As per the information above about Yuga periods, only 5,115 years are passed out of 432,000 years
of current Kali Yuga, and hence another 426,985 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
Jyotish
List of numbers in Hindu scriptures
Minute
Second
Universe
Vedanga Jyotisha
Vedas
Yojana
References
^ 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
1.
^ Burgess, Chapter 14, Verse 10 2.
^ 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
3.
^ Burgess, Chapter 1, Verse 21 4.
^
a

b
Burgess, Chapter 1, Verse 22 5.
^ Burgess, Chapter 1, Verse 23 6.
^ Burgess, p17 7.
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^ 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"
8.
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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