Hindu units of time are described in
Hindu texts ranging from microseconds to trillions of years, including cycles of cosmic time that repeat general events in
Hindu cosmology
Hindu cosmology is the description of the universe and its states of matter, cycles within time, physical structure, and effects on living entities according to Hindu texts. Hindu cosmology is also intertwined with the idea of a creator who all ...
. Time (
) is described as eternal. Various fragments of time are described in the
Vedas
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...
, ''
Manusmriti
The ''Manusmṛiti'' ( sa, मनुस्मृति), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitution among the many ' of Hinduism. In ancient India, the sages often wrote thei ...
'', ''
Bhagavata Purana
The ''Bhagavata Purana'' ( sa, भागवतपुराण; ), also known as the ''Srimad Bhagavatam'', ''Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana'' or simply ''Bhagavata'', is one of Hinduism's eighteen great Puranas (''Mahapuranas''). Composed in S ...
'', ''
Vishnu Purana
The Vishnu Purana ( IAST:, sa, विष्णुपुराण) is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of ancient and medieval texts of Hinduism. It is an important Pancharatra text in the Vaishnavism literature corpus.
The manusc ...
'', ''
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
'', ''
Surya Siddhanta'' etc.
Sidereal metrics
Sidereal astrology maintains the alignment between signs and
constellations
A constellation is an area on the celestial sphere in which a group of visible stars forms a perceived pattern or outline, typically representing an animal, mythological subject, or inanimate object.
The origins of the earliest constellation ...
via corrective systems of
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
(
Vedic
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the ...
)-origin known as
ayanamsas (Sanskrit: ''
'ayana'
'' "movement" + ''
'aṃśa "component"), to allow for the observed
precession of equinoxes
In astronomy, axial precession is a gravity-induced, slow, and continuous change in the orientation of an astronomical body's rotational axis. In the absence of precession, the astronomical body's orbit would show axial parallelism. In partic ...
, whereas tropical astrology ignores precession.
This has caused the two systems, which were aligned around 2,000 years ago, to drift apart over the centuries.
Ayanamsa systems used in Hindu astrology (also known as
Vedic astrology
Jyotisha or Jyotishya (from Sanskrit ', from ' “light, heavenly body" and ''ish'' - from Isvara or God) is the traditional Hindu system of astrology, also known as Hindu astrology, Indian astrology and more recently Vedic astrology. It is one ...
) include the Lahiriayanamsa and the Raman ayanamsa.
The Fagan-Bradley ayanamsa is an example of an ayanamsa system used in Western sidereal astrology.
As of 2020, sun signs calculated using the Sri Yukteswar ayanamsa were around 23 degrees behind tropical sun signs.
Per these calculations, persons born between March 12 - April 12, for instance, would have the sun sign of Pisces.
By contrast, persons born between March 21 - April 19 would have the sun sign of Aries per tropical calculations.
Sidereal Units:
According to :
Small units of time used in the Vedas:
Lunar metrics
Consists of the following:
Tropical metrics
Consists of the following:
Cosmic metrics
The table below contains calculations of cosmic Hindu units of time as experienced by different entities, namely
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
s,
Pitris
The pitrs () are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance ...
(forefathers),
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
(gods),
Manu
Manu may refer to:
Geography
* Manú Province, a province of Peru, in the Madre de Dios Region
**Manú National Park, Peru
** Manú River, in southeastern Peru
* Manu River (Tripura), which originates in India and flows into Bangladesh
*Manu Tem ...
(progenitor of humanity), and
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
(creator god). Calculations use a traditional 360-day year (twelve 30-day months) and a standard 24-hour day for all entities.
Lifespans
Hindu texts define lifespans differently for
human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
s,
Pitris
The pitrs () are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance ...
(forefathers),
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
(gods),
Manus (progenitors of mankind), and
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
(creator god). The division of a year for each is twelve 30-day months or 360 days, where a day is divided into a 12-hour day proper and 12-hour night. A 30-day month amounts to four 7-day weeks with an extra 8th day every two weeks (48-week year). A traditional human year is measured by the sun's northern (''
uttarayana
The term Uttarāyaṇa (commonly Uttarayan) is derived from two different Sanskrit words – "uttara" (North) and "ayana" (movement) – thus indicating a semantic of the northward movement of the Sun on the celestial sphere. This movement begin ...
'') and southern (''
dakshinayana
Dakshinayana ( sa, दक्षिणायन) is the six-month period between Summer solstice and Winter solstice, when the sun travels towards the south on the celestial sphere. Dakshinayana begins on Karka Sankranti or July 16, as it marks th ...
'') movements in the sky, where the new year commences only when the sun returns to the same starting point and a pause on the commencement otherwise. Ebenezer Burgess postulates an intercalary month was inserted every five years to anciently maintain the correspondence of the 360-day years with the true solar years (~365.24-day years). For this reason, a traditional 360-day year is equivalent to a modern ~365.24-day solar or
tropical year
A tropical year or solar year (or tropical period) is the time that the Sun takes to return to the same position in the sky of a celestial body of the Solar System such as the Earth, completing a full cycle of seasons; for example, the time f ...
.
Cosmic date
According to
Puranic sources,
Krishna's departure marks the end of the human age of ''
Dvapara-yuga'' and the start of ''
Kali-yuga'', which is dated to midnight on 17/18 February 3102
BCE
Common Era (CE) and Before the Common Era (BCE) are year notations for the Gregorian calendar (and its predecessor, the Julian calendar), the world's most widely used calendar era. Common Era and Before the Common Era are alternatives to the or ...
of the
proleptic Julian calendar
The proleptic Julian calendar is produced by extending the Julian calendar backwards to dates preceding AD 8 when the quadrennial leap year stabilized. The leap years that were actually observed between the implementation of the Julian calendar in ...
. We are currently halfway through
Brahma's life (''maha-kalpa''), whose lifespan is equal to the duration of the manifested material elements, from which Brahma manifests his universe in ''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'' cycles:
* 51st year of 100 (2nd half or ''parardha'')
* 1st month of 12
* 1st ''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'' (''Shveta-Varaha Kalpa'') of 30
* 7th ''
manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) ar ...
'' (
Vaivasvatha Manu) of 14
* 28th ''
chatur-yuga'' of 71
* 4th ''
yuga
A ''yuga'', in Hinduism, is generally used to indicate an age of time.
In the ''Rigveda'', a ''yuga'' refers to generations, a long period, a very brief period, or a yoke (joining of two things). In the ''Mahabharata'', the words ''yuga'' and ...
'' (''
Kali-yuga'') of 4
A ''maha-kalpa'' is followed by a ''
maha-pralaya'' (full dissolution) of equal length. Each ''kalpa'' (day of Brahma) is followed by a ''
pralaya
Pralaya ( sa, प्रलय, , Apocalypse or the Annihilation of the Universe, translit=Pralaya) is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena, it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the dissol ...
'' (night of Brahma or partial dissolution) of equal length. Preceding the first and following each ''manvantara'' is a ''manvantara-sandhya'' (connection period), each with a length of ''Krita-yuga'' ( ''
Satya-yuga'').
Hindu texts specify that the start and end of each of the ''yugas'' are marked by astronomical alignments. This cycle's ''
Treta-yuga'' began with 5 planets residing in the "Aries" constellation. This cycle's ''
Dvapara-yuga'' ended with the "Saptarshi" constellation (Ursa major) residing in the "Magha" constellation. The current ''
Kali-yuga'' will end with the Sun, Moon and Jupiter residing in the "Pushya" sector.
Human
The history of humanity is divided up into
four ''yugas'' ( ''
dharmic
Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...
'' ages or world ages)— (pronounced ''Krita-yuga''; ''
Satya-yuga''),
,
and ''
Kali-yuga''—each with a 25% decline in ''dharmic'' practices and length, giving proportions (; pronounced ''charanas'') of 4:3:2:1 (e.g. ''Satya'': 100% start; ''Kali'': 25% start, 0% end), indicating a
de-evolution
Devolution, de-evolution, or backward evolution (not to be confused with dysgenics) is the notion that species can revert to supposedly more primitive forms over time. The concept relates to the idea that evolution has a purpose (teleology) and ...
in spiritual consciousness and an evolution in material consciousness. ''Kali-yuga'' is followed by ''Satya-yuga'' of the next cycle, where a cycle is called a
(pronounced ''chatur-yuga''; ''mahā-yuga''). Each ''yuga'' is divided into a main period ( ''yuga'' proper) and two ''yuga-sandhis'' ( ; connecting periods)— (dawn) and ( ; dusk)—where each ''yuga-sandhi'' lasts for 10% of the main period. Lengths are given in divine years ( celestial or
Deva
Deva may refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Deva'' (1989 film), a 1989 Kannada film
* ''Deva'' (1995 film), a 1995 Tamil film
* ''Deva'' (2002 film), a 2002 Bengali film
* Deva (2007 Telugu film)
* ''Deva'' (2017 film), a 2017 Marathi film
* Deva ...
years), where a divine year lasts for 360
solar (human) years. A ''chatur-yuga'' lasts for 4.32 million solar (12,000 divine) years with 1,728,000 years of ''Krita-yuga'', 1,296,000 years of ''Treta-yuga'', 864,000 years of ''Dvapara-yuga'', and 432,000 years of ''Kali-yuga''.
Current ''yuga''
''
Kali-yuga'' lasts for 432,000 years and is the 4th of 4 ''
yugas in a cycle'' as well as the current ''yuga'', with two ''sandhyas'', each lasting for 36,000 years:
* ''Kali-yuga'' started 3102BCE in past:
: = current year + ''Kali-yuga'' start year -
year zero
A year zero does not exist in the Anno Domini (AD) calendar year system commonly used to number years in the Gregorian calendar (nor in its predecessor, the Julian calendar); in this system, the year is followed directly by year . However, the ...
: = + 3102 - 1
: = years
* ''Kali-yuga-sandhya'' (dawn) ends CE in future:
: = ''Kali-yuga-sandhya'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga''
: = 36,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)
: = years
* ''Kali-yuga-sandhyamsa'' (dusk) starts CE in future:
: = ''Kali-yuga'' - ''Kali-yuga-sandhyamsa'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga''
: = 432,000 - 36,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)
: = years
* ''Kali-yuga'' ends CE in future:
: = ''Kali-yuga'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga''
: = 432,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)
: = years
Current ''chatur yuga''
A ''
chatur-yuga'' lasts for 4.32million years, where the current is the 28th of 71:
* Started BCE in past:
: = ''chatur-yuga'' - ''Kali-yuga'' + elapsed ''Kali-yuga''
: = 4,320,000 - 432,000 + ( + 3102 - 1)
: = years
: ≈ million years
* Ends CE in future:
: = ''Kali-yuga'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga''
: = 432,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)
: = years
Pitri
The lifespan of the
Pitris
The pitrs () are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance ...
(forefathers) lasts for 100 of their years.
* 24 hours (1 day & night) of Pitris = 1 solar month (''masa''; Moon's two 15-day fortnights: bright and dark)
* 30 days (1 month) of Pitris = 30 solar months (2.5 solar years)
* 12 months (1 year) of Pitris = 30 solar years (1 month of
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
)
* 100 years (lifespan) of Pitris = 3,000 solar years
Deva
The lifespan of the
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
(gods) lasts for 100 of their years.
* 24 hours (1 day & night) of Devas = 1 solar year (Sun's two 180-day motions: northern and southern)
* 30 days (1 month) of Devas = 30 solar years (1 year of
Pitris
The pitrs () are the spirits of departed ancestors in Hinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of the antyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance ...
)
* 12 months (1 year) of Devas = 360 solar years
* 100 years (lifespan) of Devas = 36,000 solar years
Manu
The lifespan of the
Manus (progenitors of mankind) lasts for 100 of their years. Each Manu reigns over a period called a ''
manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) ar ...
'', each lasting for 71 ''
chatur-yugas'' (306.72 million years). A total of 14 Manus reign successively in one ''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'' (day of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
). Preceding the first and following each ''manvantara'' is a ' (connection period), each lasting the duration of ''
Satya-yuga'' (1.728 million years). During each ' ( ''manvantara-sandhi''), Earth (''
Bhu-loka'') is submerged in water.
* 24 hours (1 day & night) of Manu = 8,520 solar years
* 30 days (1 month) of Manu = 255,600 solar years
* 12 months (1 year) of Manu = 3,067,200 solar years
* 100 years (lifespan) of Manu = 306,720,000 solar years (71 ''
chatur-yugas'')
Current ''manvantara''
A ''
manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) ar ...
'' lasts for 306.72million years, where the current (ruled by
Vaivasvatha Manu) is the 7th of 14:
* Started in past:
: = elapsed 28th ''chatur-yuga'' + 27 ''chatur-yugas''
: = ''chatur-yuga'' - ''Kali-yuga'' + elapsed ''Kali-yuga'' + 27 ''chatur-yugas''
: = (4,320,000 - 432,000 + ( + 3102 - 1)) + 4,320,000 * 27
: = years
: ≈ million years
* Ends in future:
: = remaining 28th ''chatur-yuga'' + 43 ''chatur-yugas''
: = ''Kali-yuga'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga'' + 43 ''chatur-yugas''
: = (432,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)) + 4,320,000 * 43
: = years
: ≈ million years
Brahma
The lifespan of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
(creator god) lasts for 100 of his years. His 12-hour day or ''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'' ( day of Brahma) is followed by a 12-hour night or ''
pralaya
Pralaya ( sa, प्रलय, , Apocalypse or the Annihilation of the Universe, translit=Pralaya) is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena, it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the dissol ...
'' ( night of Brahma) of equal length, each lasting for 4.32 billion years. A ''kalpa'' lasts for 1,000 ''
chatur-yugas'' and has 14 ''
manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) ar ...
s'' and 15 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' occurring in it. At the start of Brahma's days, he is re-born and creates the planets and the first living entities. At the end of his days, he and his creations are unmanifest (partial dissolution). His 100-year life (311.04 trillion years) is called a , which is followed by a (full dissolution) of equal length, where the bases of the universe, ''
prakriti'', is manifest at the start and unmanifest at the end of a ''maha-kalpa''. His 100-year life is divided into two 50-year periods, each called a .
In 100 360-day years (''maha-kalpa''), there are a total of 36,000 full days: 36,000 ''kalpas'' (days proper) and 36,000 ''pralayas'' (nights).
* 12 hours (1 day proper: ''kalpa'') of Brahma = 4.32 billion solar years (1,000 ''
chatur-yugas''; 14 ''
manvantara
A ''manvantara'', in Hindu cosmology, is a cyclic period of time identifying the duration, reign, or age of a Manu, the progenitor of mankind. In each ''manvantara'', seven Rishis, certain deities, an Indra, a Manu, and kings (sons of Manu) ar ...
s'' + 15 ''manvantara-sandhyas'')
* 24 hours (1 day & night: ''kalpa'' + ''pralaya'') of Brahma = 8.64 billion solar years
* 30 days (1 month) of Brahma = 259.2 billion solar years
* 12 months (1 year) of Brahma = 3.1104 trillion solar years
* 50 years (''parardha'') of Brahma = 155.52 trillion solar years
* 100 years (lifespan: 2 ''parardhas'') of Brahma = 311.04 trillion solar years
Current ''kalpa''
![Kalpa](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Kalpa.png)
A ''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'' (day of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
, 12 hours) lasts for 4.32billion years, where the current (''Shveta-Varaha Kalpa'') is the 1st of 30 in his 1st month of his 51st year:
* Started in past:
: = elapsed 7th ''manvantara'' + 7 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 6 ''manvantaras''
: = elapsed 28th ''chatur-yuga'' + 27 ''chatur-yugas'' + 7 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 6 ''manvantaras''
: = ''chatur-yuga'' - ''Kali-yuga'' + elapsed ''Kali-yuga'' + 27 ''chatur-yugas'' + 7 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 6 ''manvantaras''
: = ((4,320,000 - 432,000 + ( + 3102 - 1)) + 4,320,000 * 27) + 1,728,000 * 7 + 306,720,000 * 6
: = years
: ≈ billion years
* Ends in future:
: = remaining 7th ''manvantara'' + 8 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 7 ''manvantaras''
: = remaining 28th ''chatur-yuga'' + 43 ''chatur-yugas'' + 8 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 7 ''manvantaras''
: = ''Kali-yuga'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga'' + 43 ''chatur-yugas'' + 8 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 7 ''manvantaras''
: = ((432,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)) + 4,320,000 * 43) + 1,728,000 * 8 + 306,720,000 * 7
: = years
: ≈ billion years
Current ''maha kalpa''
A ''maha-kalpa'' (life of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
) lasts for 311.04trillion years:
* Started in past:
: = elapsed 18,001st ''kalpa'' + 18,000 ''kalpas'' + 18,000 ''pralayas''
: = elapsed 7th ''manvantara'' + 7 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 6 ''manvantaras'' + 36,000 ''kalpas/pralayas''
: = elapsed 28th ''chatur-yuga'' + 27 ''chatur-yugas'' + 7 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 6 ''manvantaras'' + 36,000 ''kalpas/pralayas''
: = ''chatur-yuga'' - ''Kali-yuga'' + elapsed ''Kali-yuga'' + 27 ''chatur-yugas'' + 7 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 6 ''manvantaras'' + 36,000 ''kalpas/pralayas''
: = (((4,320,000 - 432,000 + ( + 3102 - 1)) + 4,320,000 * 27) + 1,728,000 * 7 + 306,720,000 * 6) + 4,320,000,000 * 36,000
: = years
: ≈ trillion years
* Ends in future:
: = remaining 18,001st ''kalpa'' + 17,999 ''kalpas'' + 18,000 ''pralayas''
: = remaining 7th ''manvantara'' + 8 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 7 ''manvantaras'' + 35,999 ''kalpas/pralayas''
: = remaining 28th ''chatur-yuga'' + 43 ''chatur-yugas'' + 8 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 7 ''manvantaras'' + 35,999 ''kalpas/pralayas''
: = ''Kali-yuga'' - elapsed ''Kali-yuga'' + 43 ''chatur-yugas'' + 8 ''manvantara-sandhyas'' + 7 ''manvantaras'' + 35,999 ''kalpas/pralayas''
: = (((432,000 - ( + 3102 - 1)) + 4,320,000 * 43) + 1,728,000 * 8 + 306,720,000 * 7) + 4,320,000,000 * 35,999
: = years
: ≈ trillion years
Sources
''Mahabharata''
The ''
Mahabharata
The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; sa, महाभारतम्, ', ) is one of the two major Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the s ...
'' (12.231.12–31) describes units of time from a wink of the eye (''nimesha'') up to the days (''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'') and nights (''
pralaya
Pralaya ( sa, प्रलय, , Apocalypse or the Annihilation of the Universe, translit=Pralaya) is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena, it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the dissol ...
'') of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
.
''Manusmriti''
The ''
Manusmriti
The ''Manusmṛiti'' ( sa, मनुस्मृति), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitution among the many ' of Hinduism. In ancient India, the sages often wrote thei ...
'' ( ''Laws of Manu''; 1.64–80) describes units of time from a twinkling of the eye (''nimesha'') up to the days (''
kalpa
Kalevan Pallo (KalPa) is a professional ice hockey team which competes in the Finnish Liiga. They play in Kuopio, Finland at the Olvi Areena.
Team history
Established in 1929 as ''Sortavalan Palloseura'' in Sortavala, the club relocated to Kuop ...
'') and nights (''
pralaya
Pralaya ( sa, प्रलय, , Apocalypse or the Annihilation of the Universe, translit=Pralaya) is a concept in Hindu eschatology. Generally referring to four different phenomena, it is most commonly used to indicate the event of the dissol ...
'') of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
.
According to
Patrick Olivelle, most scholars take the table of contents (1.111–118) to be an addition, but for him the account of time and cosmology (1.61–86) to the aforementioned (1.118) are out of place redactions. He feels the narrative should have ended when the initial command to "listen" (1.4) was repeated (1.60), then transition to "learn" (2.1).
Georg Bühler
Professor Johann Georg Bühler (July 19, 1837 – April 8, 1898) was a scholar of ancient Indian languages and law.
Early life and education
Bühler was born to Rev. Johann G. Bühler in Borstel, Hanover, attended grammar school in Hanover, whe ...
, whose translation has remained the standard for over a century according to Olivelle, translated 1.71 as 12,000 years in a four-aged period, same as
Sir William Jones
Sir William Jones (28 September 1746 – 27 April 1794) was a British philologist, a puisne judge on the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal, and a scholar of ancient India. He is particularly known for his proposition of th ...
's translation, both based on Kulluka Bhatta's commentary.
Medhatithi translated it as 12,000 four-aged periods in an age of the gods. Kulluka and Olivelle reject Medhatithi's interpretation based on 1.79 mentioning 12,000 without a qualifier ("''etat''" or "this") and must be assumed as years.
''Surya Siddhanta''
The ''
Surya Siddhanta'' (1.10–21) describes units of time from a respiration (''prana'') up to the 100-year lifespan of
Brahma
Brahma ( sa, ब्रह्मा, Brahmā) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the trinity of supreme divinity that includes Vishnu, and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 21 ...
(''maha-kalpa'').
See also
Notes
References
External links
{{Navboxes, list=
{{Chronology
{{Indian astronomy
{{Brahmanda
{{Time in religion and mythology
{{systems of measurement
{{Time Topics
{{Time measurement and standards
Hindu astronomy
History of mathematics
Vedic period
Hindu philosophical concepts
Obsolete units of measurement
Units of time
Hindu calendar
Units of measurement by country
Time in India
Time in Nepal