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Measurements of Time in India-3
See its   Text Version

See also  Time Measurement in India-1;    Time Measurement in India-2;    Time Measurement in India-4;
Time Measurement in India-5;     Measurement of Time in Puraan;     Measurement of Time in China

How the Kaal or time has been divided in Bhaagvat Puraan, It is given here. Although it is not different from what we already know, but it certainly adds to our existing knowledge. It is written from the shortest to the longest. This is all human Kaal measurement.

According to Bhaagvat Puraan, 3/5 its Verse 1 says - "Maitreya Jee further said - "Hey Vidur Jee! The smallest particle of material substance, which has not yet combined with any other similar particles, is called "Paramaanu" (a sub-atomic particle of matter). Paramaanu always exist both in the dormant and manifest states of material existence. It is the combination of more than one Paramaanu (sub-atomic particle) which gives rise to the illusory concept of a (material) unit." While its Verse 5 says - "A combination of two Paramaanu constitutes an "Anu" (atom); and three "Anu" (atoms) make one Trasarenu. Trasarenus are visible [to the naked eye] when seen floating upward in the air while viewed through rays of sunlight which enter a room through a latticed window.

2 Paramaanu = 1 Anu [sub-atomic particle, idivisible and cannot contain life]
3 Anu = 1 Trasarenu - a particle of dust, this can be seen coming from a window flying around in sun rays [can contain life and is dvisible]
3 Trasarenu = 1 Truti - whatever time the Sun takes to cross 3 Trasarenu is called Truti (8/13,500 parts of a second)
100 Truti = 1 Vedh (8/135 parts of a second)
3 Vedh = 1 Lav (8/45 parts of a second)
3 Lav = 1 Nimesh (8/15 parts of a second)
3 Nimesh = 1 Kshan, or Pal, or second (8/5 parts of a second)
5 Kshan = 1 Kaashthaa (8 seconds)
15 Kaashthaa = 1 Laghu (120 seconds or 2 minutes)
15 Laghu = 1 Naadikaa*, or 1 Dand, or 30 minutes
2 Naadikaa, or 2 Dand = 1 Muhoort**, 1 hour
6-7 Naadikaa (Leaving aside 2 Muhoort of day and night meeting time and depending on the long or short days = 1 Prahar, or Yaam, 1/4th part of human-day or human-night, or 3 or 3 1/2 hours or 1/4th day
4 Prahar or Yaam = 1 human-day, or 1 human-night
8 Prahar or Yaam = 1 human-day and human-night
15 human-days = 1 Paksh, or 1 Pakhvaadaa, or fortnight  Shukla or Krishn Paksh
2 Paksh  = 1 Maas, or month
2 Maas = 1 Ritu (season)
6 Maas = 1 Ayan (Uttaraayan, or Dakshinaayan)#
2 Ayan = 1 Varsh, or 1 year
12 Maas, or months = 1 Varsh, or 1 year
2 Ayan, or 12 Maas, or 1 year, or Samvatsar = 1 Varsh, or 1 year, or Devtaa's one day and night
100 Human-years = Supposed to be the human age
360 Human-years = 360 Divine days = 1 Divine year

*Naadikaa
Make a pot of 6 Pal (8 Tolaa) copper, which can hold 1 Prasth (14 oz) water. Make a golden rod of 4-finger length and 4 Maashaa weight, and make the hole in that pot. Drop that pot in water. Whatever time it will take to fill that pot with water and sink in the water is called one Naadikaa - it takes about 30 minutes.

**Muhoort
This word is more used to indicate a certain time period. People use at as. "Hurry, hurry, Muhoort is passing away" because a certain time period is passing away - it is only an hour long

#Ayan
There are two Ayan - Uttaraayan and Dakshinaayan. In Uttaraayan the Sun's direction is towards North (from December to June) and in Dakshinaayan its direction is towards South (from June to December).


Bhavishya Puraan 1/2 gives the following measurement

18 Nimesh = 1 Kaashthaa
30 Kaashthaa = 1 Kalaa
30 Kalaa = 1 Kshan [4 minutes]
12 Kshan = 1 Muhoort [48 minutes]
30 Muhoort = 1 Day and Night [24 hours]
30 Day and Night = 1 Month
2 Months = 1 Season
3 Seasons = 1 Ayan [6 months]
2 Ayan = 1 Year, or Samvatsar [12 months]
------------------------------------------------------------

Space                           Time
1 Circle              =         360 Bhaga (Degree)
1 Year                =         360 days
1 Bhag (Degree)  =         60 Kalaa (Minute)
1 Day                 =         60 Naadikaa (24 hours)
1 Kalaa (Minute)  =         60 Vikalaa (Second)
1 Naadikaa         =          60 Vinaadikaa (24 min)
1 Vikalaa (Second) =       60 Tatpar
1 Vinaadikaa        =         60 (??) (24 sec)

Space                        Time
1 Circle            =         12 Rasi (Sign)
1 Year              =        12 Maas (Month)
1 Raashi (Sign)  =       30 Bhag (Degree)
1 Maas (Month) = 30 Aho Raatra (Day-Night = Date)

The months are named so because Sun stays in those signs for the whole of that month. (This shows that Sign is primary and Months are named based on the same and not the other way round)

From the above measure it can be interpreted that A month contains 30 days (usually) because Sun travels an average of 1 degree per date. A month may contain more dates based on the deviation from this, and thus a year may contain more dates based on the deviation from this. But here too note that the Degree division of Zodiac is primary and the dates of the year secondary and not the other way round. Each degree of the zodiac circle and each day of the year are mutually connected.

Since in the above calculations it is the Zodiac divisions (named Raashi/Signs) and its degree divisions that are primary, it is well evident that the so called (at times attributed) connection of equinox and seasons connections with the above mentioned Sidereal solar months is only arbitrary and ever changing. Here the sidereal solar months are primary and the seasons only secondary, it is not the other way round.

All the major time measures are related to the movements of sky spheres (Aakaash Golaa) the Sun the star, Moon the earth's satellite and the planets. Aryabhatt says --
Ravi bhagana Ravyabda, Ravi sasi yoga bhavanti sasi masa
Ravi Bhu yoga Divas Bhavartaschapi Nakshatrah (Aryabhatiya 3.5)
[It is based on --
Conjunction of Sun with (in the sidereal zodiac) each degree that the solar year (and solar months) are formed;
Conjunction of Sun and Moon (in the sidereal zodiac) that Lunar months are formed
Conjunction of Sun and Earth (in the sidereal zodiac counted based on the movement of Lagna and sunrise) that the date is formed
Conjunction of Sun with the same star (in the sidereal zodiac) Sidereal year (and sidereal month) is formed]

As anyone could see from the above the Indian solar months are actually sidereal-solar months; Indian lunar months are actually sidereal luni-solar months; and Indian days are actually sidereal solar dates, and Indian sidereal year is sidereal solar year! Whether they are measuring the movement of Sun, Moon or Earth - the sidereal stellar background is the one against which all the movements are measured! Simply natural since it is the sidereal stellar background that is unmoving for an observer from earth! In short Sidereal Year-Month-Day shows the mathematical perfection that they visualized and the Solar-Lunar- Earthly measurements contains the minor deviation from the same, even though much close to that perfection.

They correlated everything whether it be the movement of Sun, Moon and Planets or whether it is Space and Time! Let us bow to their wisdom, which could see the oneness in everything!

                            

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/06
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 06/10/12