Hindu units of time

Vedic and Puranic texts describe units of Kala measurements, from Paramaṇu (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 is, according to Hindu scripture, in the 51st year of Brahma, which suggests that it was created about 155.5 trillion years ago. This figure does not match the modern estimated age of the universe of ≈ 13.79 billion years. It is unclear, however, if the Hindu concept of the universe is the same as the modern concept of the universe.

Time units

Hindu measurements in logarithmic scale (approx.).

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 (Kāla Vyavahāra) can be summarised as below.

Sidereal metrics

Unit		Definition	Equivalence (Approx.)
Truti			0.031 µs
Renu	रेणु	60 Truti	1.86 µs
Lava	लव	60 Renu	0.11 ms
Līkṣaka	लीक्षक	60 Lava	6.696 ms
Lipta	लिप्ता	60 Leekshaka	0.401 s
Vipala	विपल
Pala	पल	60 Lipta	24.1056 s
Vighaṭi	विघटि
Vinādī	विनाडी
Ghaṭi	घटि	60 Vighaṭi	24 min
Nādī	नाडी
Danda	दण्ड
Muhūrta	मुहूर्त	2 Ghaṭi	48 min
Nakṣatra Ahorātram (Sidereal Day)	नक्षत्र अहोरात्रम्	60 Ghaṭī	24 h
		30 Muhūrta	24 h

Alternate system

Unit	Definition	Equivalence (Approx.)
Truti		35.5 µs
Tatpara	100 Truti	3.55 ms
Nimesha	30 Tatpara	106.7 ms
Kāṣṭhā	30 Nimesha	3.2 s
Kalā	30 Kāṣṭhā	1.6 min
Muhūrta	30 Kalā	48 min
Nakṣatra Ahorātram (Sidereal Day)	30 Muhūrta	24 h

Small units of time used in the Vedas

Unit	Definition	Equivalence (Approx.)
Paramāṇu		26.3 µs
Aṇu	2 Paramāṇu	57.7 µs
Trasareṇu	3 Aṇu	158 µs
Truṭi	3 Trasareṇu	474 µs
Vedha	100 Truṭi	47.4 ms
Lava	3 Vedha	0.14 s
Nimeṣa	3 Lava	0.43 s
Kṣaṇa	3 Nimesha	1.28 s
Kāṣṭhā	5 Kṣaṇa	6.4 s
Laghu	15 Kāṣṭhā	1.6 min
Danda	15 Laghu	24 min
Muhūrta	2 Danda	48 min
Ahorātram (Day)	30 Muhūrta	24 h
Masa (Month)	30 Ahorātram	30 days
Ritu (Season)	2 Masa	2 months
Ayana	3 Ritu	6 months
Samvatsara (Year)	2 Ayana	360 days
Ahorātram 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°. Tithis begin at varying times of day and vary in duration from approximately 19 to approximately 26 hours.
• A Paksa (also Pakṣa) or lunar fortnight consists of 15 tithis.
• A Māsa or lunar month (approximately 29.5 days) is divided into 2 Pakṣas: the one between new moon and full moon (waxing) is called gaura or (bright) or Śukla Pakṣa; the one between full moon and new moon (waning) Kṛiṣhṇa (dark) paksha
• A Ṛitu (or season) is 2 Māsa
• An Ayana is 3 Ṛitus
• A year is two Ayanas [1]

Tropical metrics

• A Yāma = 1/4 of a day (light) or night [ = 7½ Ghatis (घटि) = 3¾ Muhurtas = 3 Horas (होरा) ]
• Four Yāmas make half of the day (either day or night)
• Eight Yāmas make an Ahorātra (day + night)
• An Ahorātra is a tropical day (Note: A day is considered to begin and end at sunrise, not midnight.)

Name		Definition	Equivalence
Yama	याम	¼ th of a day (light) or night	3 hours
Sāvana Ahorātram	सावन अहोरात्रम्	8 Yamas	1 Solar day

Reckoning of time among other entities

Among the Pitṛs (forefather)

• 1 human fortnight (15 days) = 1 day (light) or night of the Pitṛs.
• 1 human month (30 days) = 1 day (light) and night of the Pitṛs.
• 30 days of the Pitṛs = 1 month of the Pitṛs = (30 × 30 = 900 human days).
• 12 months of the Pitṛs = 1 year of the Pitṛs = (12 months of Pitṛs × 900 human days = 10800 human days).
• The lifespan of the Pitṛs is 100 years of the Pitṛs (= 36,000 Pitṛ 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 Mahā-Yuga.

The Viṣṇu Purāṇa Time measurement section of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa 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 Satya Yuga
• 3,000 + 300 + 300 = 3,600 divine years (= 1,296,000 human years) = 1 Tretā Yuga
• 2,000 + 200 + 200 = 2,400 divine years (= 864,000 human years) = 1 Dvāpara 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 Mahā-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 Mahā-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 Parārdha
• 2 parardhas = 100 years of Brahma = 1 Para = 1 Mahā-Kalpa (the lifespan of Brahma)(311.04 trillion human years)

One day of Brahma is divided into 1000 parts called charaṇas. The charaṇas are divided as follows:

The Four Yugas

4 charaṇas (1,728,000 solar years)	Satya Yuga
3 charaṇas (1,296,000 solar years)	Treta Yuga
2 charaṇas (864,000 solar years)	Dvapara Yuga
1 charaṇas (432,000 solar years)	Kali Yuga
Source: [2]

The cycle repeats itself, so altogether there are 1,000 cycles of Mahā-Yuga in one day of Brahma.

• One cycle of the above four Yugas is one Mahā-Yuga (4.32 million solar years)
• as is confirmed by the Gītā Śloka 8.17 (statement) "sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te 'ho-rātra-vido janāḥ", meaning, a day of brahma is of 1000 Mahā-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 Manvantara consists of 71 Mahā-Yuga (306,720,000 solar years). Each Manvantara is ruled by a Manu.
• After each Manvantara follows one Saṃdhi Kāla of the same duration as a Kṛta Yuga (1,728,000 = 4 Charaṇas). (It is said that during a Saṃdhi Kāla, the entire earth is submerged in water.)
• A Kalpa consists of a period of 4.32 Billion solar years followed by 14 Manvataras and Saṃdhi Kalas.
• A day of Brahma equals

(14 times 71 Mahā-Yuga) + (15 × 4 Charaṇas)

= 994 Mahā-Yuga + (15 * 4800)

= 994 Mahā-Yuga + (72,000 years)[deva years] / 6 = 12,000[deva years] viz. one maha yuga.

= 994 Mahā-Yuga + 6 Mahā-Yuga

= 1,000 Mahā-Yuga

The Surya Siddhanta definition of timescales

The Surya Siddhanta [Chapter 14 Mānādhyāyah (मानाध्यायः)], documents a comprehensive model of nine divisions of time called māna (मान) which span from very small time units (Prāņa [प्राण] - 4 seconds) to very large time scales (Para [पर] - 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. We are currently in the first 'day' of the 51st year. This Brahma's day, Kalpa, is named as Shveta-Varaha Kalpa. Within this Day, six Manvantaras have already elapsed and this is the seventh Manvantara, named as – Vaivasvatha Manvantara (or Sraddhadeva Manvantara). Within the Vaivasvatha Manvantara, 27 Mahayugas (4 Yugas together is a Mahayuga), and the Krita, 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. 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 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 + 2016 = 5118 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 (one hundred fifty-five trillion, five hundred twenty-one billion, nine hundred seventy-two million, nine hundred forty-nine thousand, one hundred seventeen years) as of 2016 AD

The current Kali Yuga began at midnight 17 February / 18 February in 3102 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar. 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

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

External links

• Translation of the Surya Siddhanta (1861)
• Daily Hindu Calendar
• Exegesis of Hindu Cosmological Time Cycles
• Surya Siddhanta, Chapter I with Commentary and Illustrations
• Vedic Time Converter