Divisions of time in vedic era

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Hi,

 

The HINDU metrics of time can be summarized as below.

Hindu Kaala Vyavahara (Metrics of Time):

 

 

Sidereal metrics

 

A pranamu is the normal interval(With regards to time, an interval is

the duration between two events or occurances of similar events. It

is related to the mathematical concept of interval in that the

interval contains all of the points of time between the two events)

of blinking in humans, or approximately 4 seconds .

 

A vighadiya is 6 pranamus, or approximately 24 seconds

 

Aghadiya is 60 vighadiyas, or approximately 24 minutes

 

A muhurta (An important muhurta is the brahma muhurta, which is on

the 25th Nadiya or approximately two hours before sunrise. This time

is recommended in all practices of yoga as most apt for meditation)

is equal to 2 ghadiyas, or approximately 48 minutes.

 

A nakshatra ahoratram or sidereal day (An apparent sidereal day (is

the time it takes for the Earth to turn 360 degrees in its rotation;

more precisely, is the time it takes the vernal equinox to make two

successive upper meridian transit. This is slightly shorter than a

solar day; there are 366.2422 sidereal days in a tropical year, but

365.2422 solar days, resulting in a sidereal day of 86,164.09 seconds

(or: 23 hours, 56 minutes, 4.09 seconds) is exactly equal to 30

muhurtas (Note: A day is considered to begin and end at sunrise not

midnight).

 

 

Small units of time used in the vedas

 

A leekshakamu is 1/60th of a pranamu, or 1/15th of a second;

a lavamu is 1/60th of a leekshakamu, or 1/900th of a second;

a renuvu is 1/60th of a lavamu, or 1/54,000th of a second;

a truti is 1/60th of a renuvu or 1/3,240,000th of a second.

 

 

Lunar metrics

 

A Tithi In vedic timekeeping, a tithi (also spelled thithi) (is a

lunar day, or 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. There are 30 tithis in each lunar month)

a paksa or lunar fortnight consists of 15 Tithis

 

A masa or lunar month is divided into 2 pakshas: the one between new

moon Traditionally, (the lunar phase new moon begins with the first

visible crescent of the Moon, after conjunction with the Sun. This

takes place over the western horizon in a brief period between sunset

and moonset. Therefore the time and even the day depend on the actual

geographical location of the observer)is called gaura (bright) or

shukla paksha; the one between full moon and new moon krishna (dark)

paksha.

 

2 lunar months are 1 Ruthu There are six ritus or Indian seasons in

the Hindu calendar. The Season Hindu months 1 hemanta pre-winter

margashiirSha to pouSha December to February2 shishira Winter maagha

to phaalguna February to April3 vasanta Spring chaitra to vaishaakha

April to June4 griiShma Summer jyeShTha to aashaaDha June to August5

varSha Rainy shraavaNa to bhaadrapada August to October6 sharat

Autumn aashviiiyuja to kaartika October to December

 

3 Ruthus are 1 Aayanam

 

2 Aayanas are 1 year

(A year is the term for any period of time that is derived from the

period of the orbit of the Earth (or indeed any planet) around its

Sun).

(sidereal year: the actual period for the Earth to complete one

revolution of its orbit, as measured in a fixed frame of reference

(such as the fixed stars). Its duration is on average:365.256363051

days).

 

 

 

 

Also a day was divided into 8 Prahara and each Prahara into 6 Danda

(You may see from this that the Danda was about half an hour)

Each Danda into 25 Laghu

Each Laghu into 10 Kastha

Each Kastha into 5 Ksana

Each Ksana into 3 Nimesa

Each Nimesa into 3 Lava

Each Lava into 3 Vedha

and finally each Vedha into 100 Truti

The Truti was a very fine division of time equal in the modern way

euaal to 300th of a second. It is quite remarkable that the ancient

peoples of India had such a fine division of time and perhaps it can

be attributed to their yoga and philosophy,other large divisions of

time to the above two along with atronomical observations.

 

 

 

Also a day is DERIVED according to Yoga as:

 

10 long syllables (gurvakshara) = 1 respiration (prana)

6 respirations = 1 vinadi

60 vinadis = 1 nadi

60 nadis = 1 day

 

 

 

Smallest measure of time Paramanu 60,750th of a second

Other measure of time Krati 34,000th of second

Truti 300th of a second

Nimesa 16/75th of a second

Vipal 2/5th of a second

Ksan 1 second

Pal 24 seconds

Minute 60 seconds

Ghadi 24 minutes

Hora Hour 60 minutes

Divasa Day 24 hours

Saptaha 7 days (week)

Masa four weeks (month)

Varsa twelve Months (Year)

Satabda One hundred Years (Century)

Sahasrabda One thousand Year Millennium)

Deva yuga 12,000 years

 

 

CHETHAN.B.R