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Measurements of Time in India-Puraan

The Vaidik Divisions of Time
[From Bhaagvat Puraan, Canto III, Chapter XI  -  See its  Table Version]

It is only recently that the Western scientists discovered the existence of the atom; but the following ancient Sanskrit verses show that the atom or Anu was already known to the Asian seers thousands of years ago. This information is taken from Bhaagvat Puraan 3/11, which was originally spoken by Shree Shuk Dev Jee 30 years after the start of this current Kali Yug or exactly 5080 years ago as of 2009 AD. This information is indeed amazing as it relates to modern scientific discoveries. Remember, the following information dates back to 3070 BC.

Verse 1: (The great sage) Maitreya Jee said: "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.

Verse 2: And the entire manifest material existence, taken as a non-specific whole, and before returning to an unmanifest (dormant) state, is defined as the largest (material) size.

Verse 3: We can understand the short and long dimensions of (material) time, as a potency of the Supreme all-pervading transcendental Lord, Who, in the form of the Sun, passes across the small and large dimensions of (material) things.

Verse 4: The amount of time it takes the Sun to pass across the smallest particle of matter is called Paramaanu which is the smallest measure of time, while the period it takes to cross the total expanse of material creation is called the longest measure of time.

Verse 5: A combination of two Paramaanu constitutes an Anu (atom); and three Anu (atoms) make one Trasarenu. Trasarenu are visible [to the naked eye] when seen floating upward in the air while viewed through rays of sunlight which enters a room through a latticed window.

Verse 6: Three Trasarenu is called a Truti (8/13,500th part of a second), which is a measure of time it takes (the Sun) to travel across three Trasarenu. A combination of one hundred Truti is called a Vedh (8/135th part of a second), and three Vedh together is known as a Lav (8/45th part of a second).

Verse 7: A combination of three Lav is called a Nimesh or the twinkling of an eye (8/15th part of a second), while three such Nimesh equals a Kshan (8/5th part of a second). A combination of five Kshan is known as a Kashthaa (8 seconds), and fifteen Kaashthaa is equal to one Laghu (2 minutes).

Verse 8: A conglomerate of 15 Laghu is called a Naadikaa (30 minutes). Two Naadikaa equal a Muhoort (hour), and six or seven Naadikaa equal a Prahar (approximately 3 hours to 3 and a half hours, depending on long or short days), which is a fourth of a day by human calculation.

Verse 9: A Naadikaa can be measured by taking a copper pot weighing six Pal (8 Tolaa) that can contain about 14 ounces of water and punching a small hole in the bottom using a 10-12" long golden needle that weighs four Maashaa (see Old Measurement of Weight in India); when the pot is placed in water it takes one Naadikaa of time (about 30 minutes) to fill up (and sink).

Verse 10: Oh Vidur, who respect all beings, (the Sage Maitreya continued), for humans, day and night consist of four Yaam (6 hour periods), while 15 such days and nights make up the one bright or dark fortnight, by rotation.

Verse 11: Two of these fortnights (the bright and the dark) equal one Maas (one month consisting of 30 days length), and this period is taken as one day and one night of the forefathers (Pitri in heaven). Two of these months equal a Ritu or season, while six such months are called an Ayan (one full movement of the Sun from North to South or South to North).

Verse 12: By the calculation of the Devtaa in heaven these two Ayan (12 months by human calculation) make up their one celestial day and night which is one year for humans. And the full life span for humans is 100 years.

Kaal Gananaa According to MBH
From Shaanti Parv - Moksh Dharm Parv

Verse 231.12 :
1 kaashthaa = 15 Nimesh
1 Kala = 30 Kaashthaa
1 Muhoort = 30 Kalaa + 3 Kashtha

Verse 231.13 :
1day and night = 30 Muhoort
1 Mass = 30 day and nights
1 Samvatsar = 12 masses (months)

Verse 231.14 :
1 Samvatsar = Dakshinaayan + Uttarayana (6 Maas each)

Verse 231.15 :
For humans, Sun divides time in day (for work) and night (for sleep)

Verse 231.16 :
1 day and night for Pitri = 1 Mass for humans = Shukla Paksha + Krishn Paksh

Verse 231.17 :
1 day and night for Dev = 1 human year = Uttaraayan + Dakshinaayan

Verse 231.18
Now I tell you the day and night for Brahmaa in terms of Human days (Pl. note the words Human days)

Verse 231.19:
Also I tell you (Human) years for Krit, Tretaa, Dwaapar and Kali Yug

Verse 231.20
Krit Yug = 4000 (Human) years. Sandhyaa = 400years

Verse 231.21
In other Yug, years of Yug, Sandhyaa and Sandhyaansh  - reduce by one fourth respectively.

Kaal Gananaa According to Vaayu and Brahmaand Puraan
Here we are going to discuss two issues - of Divya Varsh or Divine Year and Maanav Year or Human Year.

The Vaayu Puraan does define it. The Saptarshi calendar follows the convention of naming the centuries after the names of 27 Nakshatra and one Saptarshi cycle takes 2700 years. When Yudhishthir left for the Himaalaya and died in 3077 BCE, ie. 25 years had passed for the departure of Lord Krishn. In 3102 BCE the Saptarshi left Maghaa Nakshatra and went to Aashleshaa Nakshatra. This also shows that the Saptarshi move in the clockwise direction in the Zodiac. Saptarshi's one cycle is 2700 Divya Varsh (or Solar year) or 3030 Maanav Varsh (Sidereal Lunar year) consisting of 12 Sidereal Lunar months, where the Moon spends one day in each of the Nakshatra. Thus the definition of the Divya Varsh as given in the Vaayu Puraan is clear. This is given in the Brahmaand Puraan also.

Now about Chatur-yug : Bhaagvat Puraan gives the duration (span) of the Sat, the Tretaa, the Dwaapar and the Kali Yug respectively as 4, 3, 2 and 1 Sahastra years with their Sandhyaa and Sandhyaansh. If applied the rule "Ankaanaam Vaamato Gati", this arrives at the duration of the of the Sat Yug as 1200 years, the Tretaa Yug as 2400 years, the Dwaapar Yug as 3600 Years and the Kali Yug as 4800 years.
--There is one more confirmation of this in the Bhaagvat Puraan itself when it says that the Kali became severe after the rule of the Nand dynasty and according to the genealogy given in the Puraan the Nand dynasty ended 1600 yeas after the start of the Kali Yug.
--There is one more validation of this in that Lord Buddha was born in the Kali Yug and Narahari Achar determined the time of Lord Buddha to be the 19th century BCE.
--Some people however say that the Kali Yug has only 1200 years.

 
 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 3/15/06
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 05/31/12