Saturday, May 4, 2013

Time Calculations



In Hinduism, we follow polytheism i.e. belief of multiple gods. But ultimately there is only one Supreme God. He has no physical structure and no age. All the known Gods are just the posts which keep on changing with time. The three basic Gods in Hinduism are:
    1.        Brahma
    2.        Vishnu
    3.        Shiva

All three together are famously known as Tridev. All are basically the three parts of a same supreme God. Supreme God has given them supreme powers to create and maintain this world. The age of one set of Tridev is 100 Brahma Years. After 100 Brahma Years, Supreme God creates another set of Tridev and the loop keeps on running. We come across 33 crore (330 million) Gods in one such set.

Age of Brahma = 100 Brahma Years

1 Brahma Year = 360 Nights and 360 Days (Remember that Night always comes before Day)
1 Brahma Year = 12 Brahma Months

1 Brahma Month = 30 Nights and 30 Days of Brahma

1 Night of Brahma = 1 Kalpa (Pralaya)
1 Day of Brahma = 1 Kalpa

1 Brahma Year = 360 Kalpas (Days)
1 Brahma Month = 30 Kalpas (Days)

1 Kalpa = 14 Manus
1 Kalpa = 1000 Chaturyugs (Mahayugs)

1 Day of Brahma = 14 Manus = 1000 Chaturyugs
1 Month of Brahma = 14 * 30 = 420 Manus
1 Year of Brahma = 420 * 12 = 5040 Manus

1 Manu = 1000/14 = 71(6/14) Chaturyugs

1 Chaturyug = 4 Yugs (10 Charans):
Sat Yug         = 17, 28,000 Human Years = 4/10 Chaturyug = 4 Charans
Treta Yug      = 12, 96,000 Human Years = 3/10 Chaturyug = 3 Charans
Dvapar Yug    = 8, 64,000 Human Years = 2/10 Chaturyug = 2 Charans
Kali Yug         = 4, 32,000 Human Years = 1/10 Chaturyug = 1 Charan

Ratio of Duration of 4 Yugs = 4:3:2:1
1 Day of Brahma = 10 * 1000 = 10,000 Charans

1 Chaturyug = 43,20,000 Human Years

1 Human Year = 360 Nights and 360 Days
1 Human Year = 12 Months
1 Human Year = 1 Night and 1 Day of Gods

1 Human Month = 360/12 = 30 Nights and 30 Days
1 Human Month = 2 Pakshas (Fortnights):

Krishna Paksha (Full Moon to New Moon – Waning)
Shukla Paksha (New Moon to Full Moon – Waxing)

Full Moon = Poornima
No Moon = Amavasya

In each Paksha, there are 15 Nights and 15 Days. Amavasya is the mid of each month and each month ends with Poornima. 12 months according to Hindu Lunar Calendar are:
Chaitra                        - Mar/Apr
Vaishaakh (Baisaakh)   - Apr/May
Jyaisth                        - May/Jun
Ashaadh                      - Jun/Jul
Shraavan (Saavan)       - Jul/Aug
Bhaadrapad (Bhaado)   - Aug/Sep
Aashvin                       - Sep/Oct
Kaartik                        - Oct/Nov
Maargashirsh               - Nov/Dec
Paush                          - Dec/Jan
Maagh                         - Jan/Feb
Phaalgun                     - Feb/Mar

Each month’s first part is Krishna Paksha and other part is Shukla Paksha. New Year starts from Shukla Paksha of Chaitra Month i.e. middle of Chaitra Month (In April).

Age of Brahma with respect to Human Years:
As discussed, 1 Chaturyug = 43,20,000 Human Years
1 Day of Brahma = 1000 Chaturyugs = 1000 * 4,320,000 Human Years
1 Day of Brahma = 4320000000 = 4.32 * 10^9 Human Years (4.32 Billion Years)
Similarly, 1 Night of Brahma = 4.32 * 10^9 Human Years (4.32 Billion Years)
1 Day and 1 Night of Brahma = 2 * 4.32 * 10^9 Human Years
1 Year of Brahma = 360 * 2 * 4.32 * 10^9 Human Years
100 Years of Brahma = 100 * 360 * 2 * 4.32 * 10^9 Human Years
Life of Brahma = 31104 * 10^10 Human Years
Life of Brahma = 3.1104 * 10^ 14 Human Years

Time of Brahma with respect to Human Years:
1 Day of Brahma = 1000 Chaturyugs = 1000 * 43, 20,000 = 432, 00, 00,000 = 432 Crore Human Years
1 Day of Brahma      = 4320000000 Human Years
12 Hours of Brahma  = 4320000000 Human Years
1 Hour of Brahma     = 4320000000/12 = 3600 Lakh Human Years
1 Minute of Brahma = 3600/60 = 60 Lakh Human Years
1 Second of Brahma =60/60 = 1 Lakh Human Years

Time of Gods with respect to a Human Year:
1 Human Year = 2 Aaayans (Each of 6 months):
Dakshinaayan           = 1 Night of Gods
Uttaraayan    = 1 Day of Gods

Chaturyug with respect to God Years (Divine Years):
Sat Yug         = 4,800 God Years
Treta Yug      = 3,600 God Years
Dvapar Yug    = 2,400 God Years
Kali Yug        = 1,200 God Years

1 Chaturyug = 12,000 God Years

Present Human Time with respect to 100 Brahma Years:
50 Years of Brahma have been elapsed till now. Currently we are in 51st Year of Brahma.
Further, we are in 1st Kalpa (Day) of 51st Year of Brahma. This Kalpa is known as Vaaraha Kalpa.
Further, we are in 7th Manvantar (Manu) of the Kalpa. This Manu is known as Vaivastav Manu.
Further, we are in 28th Chaturyug of the Manvantar.
Further, we are in 4th Yug of the Chaturyug. This Yug is known as Kaliyug.
Further, around 5800 Years have been elapsed in this Yug.

Pralaya Time:
Pralaya means mass destruction of earth and humanity. There are many types of Pralayas which comes time to time. Pralaya Time in decreasing order of duration and destruction:
At the end of each Kalpa (Night of Brahma)
At the end of each Manu
At the end of each Chaturyug
At the end of each Yug

Some other units of time:
1 Nimesh       = Time taken by human eye to blink.
1 Parmaanu   = 4 Seconds
1 Vighadi       = 6 Parmaanus = 24 Seconds
1 Ghadi         = 60 Vighadis = 60 * 24 Seconds = 24 Minutes
1 Muhurat      = 2 Ghadi = 2 * 24 Minutes = 48 Minutes

1 Human Day and Night = 24 * 60 = 1,440 Minutes
1 Human Day and Night = 1,400/48 = 30 Muhurats

E.g. Brahma Muhurat (Around 4:00AM-5:00AM)

1 Pahar = 180 Minutes = 3 Hours
1 Human Day and Night = 24/3 = 8 Pahars

Human Day starts at approximately 3:00AM.

Human Age:
The average human age decreases by the factor 10 with the change of each Yug. Below are the average human ages at the beginning of each Yug:
Sat Yug         = 100,000 Years
Treta Yug      = 10,000 Years
Dvapar Yug    = 1,000 Years
Kali Yug         = 100 Years

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Makar Sankranti – Transmigration of Sun

Article by Abhishek Singla (14 January 2011)

Today is Makar Sankranti, one of the most celebrated festivals among Hindus. I am really surprised to see Google with a doodle on this auspicious occasion. I clicked on the doodle and linked to the Wikipedia page of Makar Sankranti. I read the page, found really structured and knowledgeable information. Wikipedia tells about the significance, traditions and celebrations associated with Makar Sankranti, but doesn’t give any idea about the different forms of Surya (Sun) across the different Maas (Months). So, I am sharing some interesting facts about Surya, I read in Bhagvat Purana.

According to Hindu Puranas, there are 12 different forms of Surya, active in 12 different months (I am referring the months of Hindu calendar). Surya keeps on travelling across the universe on his seven-horse chariot with his 6 Ganas (attendants). These seven horses represent the seven colours of the rainbow.

6 Ganas of Surya are:
Rishis (Sages)
Gandharvas (Skilled singers)
Apsaras (Beautiful dancing women)
Sarps /Nagas (Snakes)
Yakshas (Ghosts)
Rakshasas (Devils)

Different persons represent these 6 Ganas along with different forms of Surya. All these 6 Ganas travel along with Surya.

Different tasks are assigned to each of the Ganas:
Rishis – Recite the chants from vedas regarding Surya
Gandharvas – Sing on the glory of Surya
Apsaras – Dance in front of the chariot of Surya
Sarps/Nagas  (Snakes) – Tighten the chariot as ropes
Yakshas (Ghosts) – Decorate the chariot
Rakshasas (Devils) – Push the chariot from behind

Along with the 6 Ganas, 60,000 Brahmarishis named Vaalkhilya keeps on walking along with Surya, reciting the prayers, keeping their faces in front of Surya.

Below is the universal chart of 12 forms of Surya along with his 6 Ganas, associated with 12 months:


Month
No. of Days
Begins on
Surya
Rishi
Gandharva
Apsara
Sarp
Yaksha
Rakshasa
1
Chaitra
30/31*
March 22/21
Dhaata
Pulastya
Tumbroo
Kritusthali
Vasuki
Rathkrita
Heti
2
Vaisakha
31
April 21
Aryaman
Pulaha
Narada
Punjiksthali
Kachneer
Athoja
Praheti
3
Jyaistha
31
May 22
Mitra
Attri
Haha
Menka
Takshak
Rathsvana
Porusheya
4
Ashadha
31
June 22
Varuna
Vashistha
Huhu
Rambha
Shukra
Sehajanya
Chitrasvana
5
Shravana
31
July 23
Indra
Angiras
Vishwavasu
Pramalocha
Elapatra
Shrota
Varya
6
Bhadra
31
August 23
Vivswana
Bhrigu
Ugrasen
Anumalocha
Shankhpal
Aasaaran
Vyaghra
7
Ashvina
30
September 23
Tvashtha
Jamdagni
Dhritrashtra
Vilottma
Kambal
Shatjita
Brahmanapeta
8
Kartika
30
October 23
Vishnu
Vishwamitra
Suryavarcha
Rambha
Ashwatar
Satyajita
Makhapeta
9
Margashirsha
30
November 22
Anshu
Kashyap
Ritusen
Urvashi
Mahashankh
Taksharya
Vidhuchshatru
10
Pausha
30
December 22
Bhaga
Aayu
Arishtanemi
Purvachitti
Karkotak
Urna
Safurja
11
Magha
30
January 21
Pusha
Gautama
Sushena
Ghritachi
Dhananjaya
Suruchi
Vaat
12
Phalguna
30
February 20
Prajanya
Bharadawaj
Vishwa
Senjita
Eravata
Kritu
Varcha
* Leap Year
Note: Forgive me if I have made any pronunciation mistake in Hindi names written in English Text.