The document explores ancient India's sophisticated understanding of time, detailing various time units and calculations derived from the lunar and solar cycles. It highlights significant periods such as yugas, mahayugas, and kalpas, demonstrating how these concepts relate to cosmic events and the cycles of celestial bodies. Additionally, it underscores the continuity of this knowledge through rituals and the connection between human life and time across generations.

1. TIME
An insight into ancient India’s depth of knowledge on
Time.

2. A Basic understanding of Time/Year
Every year we celebrate new year on 1st Jan. This calculation
started 2013 years ago.
But ancient Indians had a deeper perspective and knowledge
about time in relation to the entire cosmos.
As we venture to celebrate the dawn of new year 2014, let us
gain an understanding of this also.
As per Lunar calendar new year is called as Yugadi (Yuga = a unit
of time and Adi = beginning). This day signifies the birth of
this Kali Yugam. According to this calculation we are in 5114th
year and the new year will start in Mar/Apr every year.
31st Mar 2014 is the next Yugadi (New year day)

3. Basic Time Calculation
Smaller Time Units
•
•
•
•
Truti
100 Trutis
30 Tatpara
45 Nimesham
=
=
=
=
1/33750 of a second
1 Tatpara
1 Nimesham
1 Asu/Pranam (4 Sec)
(1 Asu = 1 breath of a healthy
human being)
•
•
•
•
6 Pranas
=
6 Vinadis
=
21600 Asus/Pranas =
1 Lunar Month
=
1 Vinadi
1 Nadi
1 day and night (24 hrs.)
29 days & 12 Hrs

4. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
Larger Units…
• Year
• Yugam
• Mahayugam
• Manvantaram
• Kalpam

5. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
• 1 Lunar Month = Time taken by moon to
rotate around the earth
• 29 Days & 12 Hours
(One Solar Month = 30 days 10 hrs 30 seconds)
• Month naming is based on the closest star to moon after
poornima (Full Moon Day)
– Eg: Chitta - Chaitra Masam
• 1 Year = Time taken for earth to revolve
around Sun
• Difference between solar & lunar months is offset by adhika
masam (additional month)/ sunya masam (lapsed month) in
lunar calendar

6. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
Yugam – There are 3 main calculations for Yugam
– 5 Year Yugam –
When Sun & Moon meet in Danishta star
constellation
– 12 Year Yugam – Time taken for Jupiter (Bruhaspathi) to go
round the Sun
– 60 Year Yugam – 5 times Jupiter takes to go round the Sun
• Sun, Moon & Jupiter meet in Danishta star constellation once
in 86 crore 50 lakh years
• This meeting happens 5 times in a Kalpam

7. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
MahaYugam = one cycle of four yugams
Yugam Name
Divine Years
Human Years
Kali
1200
4,32,000
Dwapara
2400
8,64,000
Treta
3600
12,96,000
Satya
4800
17,28,000
– All planets come in one line in Aswani Nakshatra Rasi at the
beginning of Kalpam
– This coming together happens once in 4,32,000 human years
– This happened last in 3102 BC when Kaliyugam started and now
we are in 52nd Century of Kaliyugam
– One Human Year = One divine day

8. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
Manvantaram
• In 32,25,80,000 Years creation will undergo a
change
• 71 Mahayugas + 1 Satya Yugam = 1
Manvantaram

9. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
Kalpam
= 14 Manvantarams + 15 Satyayugams
= 120 lakh divine years
= 43,200 lakh human years

10. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
Brahma
• 1 Kalpam is Brahma’s Day
• 1 Kalpam is Brahma’s Night
i.e., 86,400 lakh human years is one day & night for Brahma
• Such 360 Brahma day & nights = 1 Brahma
Year
• One Brahma’s life time = 100 Brahma years
– 1st 50 years – 1st half: Prathama Parartham
– 2nd 50 years – 2nd half: Dwithiya Parartham

11. Basic Time Calculation (…Contd)
Mandalas – There are 5 Mandalams
Mandalam
•
•
•
•
Moon
Earth
Sun
Parameshti
(Galaxy)
• Swayambhu
Time Calculation
-
Month
Year
Manvantaram
-
Kalpam
Note: The smaller mandalam revolves round the next higher one. Time taken for
one such rotation determines the time unit with reference to that mandalam

12. Life on Earth
•
•
•
•
One Kalpam = 43,200 lakh human years
After that a major change takes place
Capacity on earth for life sustenance ceases
Life shifts to Bruhaspathi (Jupiter)

13. Where Are We? - TIME
During the performance of any Vedic ritual, we make a
sankalpam (resolve). As part of the sankalpam we
mention the time and place we are in and the birth
details of self - one who is performing the ritual. This
signifies the relation between one’s life with time and
place. In this way knowledge of time was preserved
and passed on across generations for millenia.
Let us take a deeper look into the time aspect of the
sankalpa…

14. Where Are We? - TIME
•
•
•
•
Adya Brahmane – First Brahma
Dwitheeya Pararthe – 2nd Half of brahma’s life
Swetha Varaha Kalpe – Name of the current Kalpa
Saptame Vaivawaswata Manvantare – 7th Manvantaram named
Vaivaswatam
• Ashta Vimsa Titame Kaliyuge – 28th Mahayuga’s Kaliyugam
As per this calculation we are in 5114th year of Kaliyugam.
Later parts of sankalpam mention about the 60 year yugam,
current year, date and time of performance of the ritual.
If we calculate time according to details in earlier slides, calculation
197 crore years ago life started on earth. Life of earth and Life
on earth as per modern scientific calculations match with the
calculations made above in ancient Indian texts.