A Day of Brahma!!

Hindu Cosmology : Manvanthara, Kalpa, Yuga, Vatsara!

Vedic and Puranic texts describe units of Kala measurements, from Paramaṇu (about 17 microseconds) to Maha-Manvantara (311.04 trillion years). According to these texts and other reputable sources, the creation and destruction of the universe is a cyclic process, which repeats itself forever. Each cycle starts with the birth and expansion (lifetime) of the Universe equaling 311.04 trillion years, followed by its complete annihilation (which also prevails for the same duration). This is currently 51st year of Brahma, and this is the "year" when the solar system was created according to Hindu astrology, and is the first maha yuga for humanity. The unit given as 311.04 trillion years may be calculated as 3.1104 trillion or 31.104 trillion years depending on which source and which interpretation of said source is used for reckoning. Calculated by multiplying other time units, some texts accept some intermittent units where some do not figure these into the solution. However, the value of 33104 is constant and the only real conflict is the exponential value. None the less, the total age of the universe using the first figure given gives a summary age of existence of 1.24596 quadrillion years plus the number of years that have elapsed since the start of the current Brahma year.

 

LUNAR METRICS

• A Tithi or lunar day is defined as 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.
• A Paksha or lunar fortnight consists of 15 tithes.
• A Maasa or lunar month (approximately 29.5 days) is divided into 2 Pakshas: the one between new moon and full moon (waxing) is called gaura or (bright) or Sukla Paksha; the one between full moon and new moon (waning) Krishna (dark) paksha
• A Rutu (or season) is 2 Maasa
• A Vatsara (Samvatsara, Varsha; Year) is two Aayanaas (Uttaraayana, day of Devas; Dakshinaayana, night of Devas)

Reckoning of time among other entities:

Among the Pitars (Pitru Devatas; Pure souls)

• 1 human fortnight (15 days) = 1/2-day (light) or night of the Pitars.
• 1 human month (30 days) = 1 day (light) and night of the Pitars.
• 30 days of the Pitars = 1 month of the Pitars = (30 × 30 = 900 human days).
• 12 months of the Pitars = 1 year of the Pitars = (12 months of Pitars × 900 human days = 10800 human days).
• The lifespan of the Pitars is 100 years of the Pitars (= 36,000 Pitar days = 1,080,000, human days = 3000 human years)
• 1 day of the Devas = 1 human year
• 1 month of the Devas = 30 days of the Devas (30 human years)
• 1 year of the Devas (1 divine year) = 12 months of the Devas (360 years of humans)

Among the Devas

The life span of any Hindu deva spans nearly (or more than) 4.5 million years. Statistically, we can also look it as:

• 12000 Deva Years = Life Span of Devas = 1 Mahā-Yuga.
• Time measurement section of the Vishnu Puraana Book I Chapter III explains the above as follows:
• 2 Ayanas (6-month periods, see above) = 1 human year or 1 day of the devas
• 4,000 + 400 + 400 = 4,800 divine years (= 1,728,000 human years) = 1 Satya Yuga
• 3,000 + 300 + 300 = 3,600 divine years (= 1,296,000 human years) = 1 Tretā Yuga
• 2,000 + 200 + 200 = 2,400 divine years (= 864,000 human years) = 1 Dvāpara Yuga
• 1,000 + 100 + 100 = 1,200 divine years (= 432,000 human years) = 1 Kali Yuga
• 12,000 divine year = 4 Yugas (= 4,320,000 human years) = 1 Mahā-Yuga (also is equaled to 12000 Daiva (divine) Yuga)

[2*12,000 = 24,000 divine year = 12000 revolutions of sun around its dual]

 

For Brahma

• 1000 Mahā-Yugas = 1 Kalpa = 1 day (day only) of Brahma
• (2 Kalpas constitute a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion human years)
• 30 days of Brahma = 1 month of Brahma (259.2 billion human years)
• 12 months of Brahma = 1 year of Brahma (3.1104 trillion human years)
• 50 years of Brahma = 1 Paraardha
• 2 paraardhas = 100 years of Brahma = 1 Para = 1 Mahā-Kalpa (the lifespan of Brahma) (311.04 trillion human years)

One day of Brahma is divided into 1000 parts called Charanas. Four Yugas are derived from charanas
The charanas are divided as follows:
4 charanas (1,728,000 solar years) >> Satya Yuga

3 charanas (1,296,000 solar years) >> Treta Yuga

2 charanas (864,000 solar years) >> Dvapara Yuga

1 charanas (432,000 solar years) >> Kali Yuga
 

The cycle repeats itself, so altogether there are 1,000 cycles of Maha-Yuga in one day of Brahma. One cycle of the above four Yugas is one Mahā-Yuga (4.32 million solar years) as is confirmed by the Geeta Shloka 8.17 (statement) "sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh rātrim yuga-sahasrāntām te 'ho-rātra-vido janāh", meaning, a day of brahma is of 1000 Maha-Yuga. Thus a day of Brahma, Kalpa, is of duration: 4.32 billion solar years. Two Kalpas constitute a day and night (Adhi Sandhi) of Brahma.

A Manvantara consists of 71 Maha-Yuga (306,720,000 solar years). Each Manvantara is ruled by a Manu. After each Manvantara follows one Sandhi Kaala of the same duration as a Krita Yuga (1,728,000 = 4 Charanas). (It is said that during a Sandhi Kaala, the entire earth is submerged in water.) A Kalpa consists of a period of 4.32 Billion solar years followed by 14 Manvataras and Sandhi Kaalas.

A day of Brahma equals (14 times 71 Maha-Yuga) + (15 × 4 Charaṇas)= 994 Maha-Yuga + (15 * 4800)= 994 Maha-Yuga + (72,000 years)[deva years] / 6 = 12,000[deva years] viz. one maha yuga.= 994 Maha-Yuga + 6 Maha-Yuga= 1,000 Maha-Yuga

KALPA

 

Kalpa is a Sanskrit word meaning an aeon, or a relatively long period of time (by human calculation) in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology. The concept is first mentioned in the Mahabharata.Generally speaking, a kalpa is the period of time between the creation and recreation of a world or universe. The definition of a kalpa equaling 4.32 billion years is found in the Puranas - specifically Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana.

In Hinduism (cf. Hindu Time Cycles), it is equal to 4.32 billion years, a "day of Brahma" or one thousand mahayugas, measuring the duration of the world. Each kalpa is divided into 14 manvantara periods, each lasting 71 yuga cycles (306,720,000 years). Preceding the first and following each manvatara period is a juncture (sandhya) the length of a Satya-yuga (1,728,000) years. Two kalpas constitute a day and night of Brahma. A "month of Brahma" is supposed to contain thirty such days (including nights), or 259.2 billion years. According to the Mahabharata, 12 months of Brahma (=360 days) constitute his year, and 100 such years the life cycle of the universe. Fifty years of Brahma are supposed to have elapsed, and we are now in the shveta varaha kalpa of the fifty-first; at the end of a kalpa the world is annihilated.

Kalpa and other periods of time

The duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahma, and one day of Brahma consists of a thousand cycles of four yugas, or ages: Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga and Kali Yuga. The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Treta-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvaapara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avataara, vanquishes the demons, saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process is set rolling again. These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise one day of Brahma, and the same number comprise one night. Brahma lives one hundred of such "years" and then dies. These "hundred years" total 311 trillion 40 billion (311,040,000,000,000) earth years. By these calculations the life of Brahma seems fantastic and interminable, but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash. In the Causal Ocean there are innumerable Brahma's rising and disappearing like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahma and his creation are all part of the material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux. (Bhagavad-geeta As It Is 8.17)

Names of the Kalpas

The previous kalpa was the vyuhakalpa (Glorious aeon), the present kalpa is called the bhadrakalpa (Auspicious aeon), and the next kalpa will be the naksatrakalpa (Constellation aeon).

The Matsya Purana (290.3-12) lists the names of 30 kalpas, as follows:

1.Shveta, 2.Neelalohita, 3.Vaamadeva, 4.Rathantara, 5.Raurava, 6.Deva,
7.Vrihat, 8.Kandarpa, 9.Sadya, 10.Eeshaana, 11.Tamah, 12.Saarasvata,
13.Udaana, 14.Gaaruda, 15.Kaurma, 16.Naarasimha, 17.Samaana, 18.Aagneya,
19.Soma, 20.Maanava, 21.Tatpumaan, 22.Vaikunta, 23.Lakshmi, 24.Saavitri,
25.Aghora 26.Varaaha, 27.Vairaja, 28.Gauri, 29.Maaheshvara and 30.Pitru

 

The Vayu Purana in chapter 21 gives yet another list of 28 kalpas. It also lists five more kalpas in its 22nd chapter.

AGE of BRAHMA

One Brahma’s age is of 100 years (divya varsha / god years).
Calcualtion of a divya varsha / god year

• One day of Brahma = 1000 (one thousand) Chaturyuga (four yugas) and same is the duration of the night.
• One Chaturyug has four Yugas.
• 1. Satya yuga, which is 1728000 years
• 2. Treta Yuga, which is of 1296000 years
• 3. Dwapara Yuga, which is 864000 years
• 4. Kaliyuga, which is of 432000 years.

{Note: - In one day of Brahma, the term of rule of 14 Indras end. The term of rule of one Indra is 72 chaturyuga. Therefore, in reality, one day of Brahma is of 72 × 14 = 1008 chaturyuga, and same is the duration of the night, but it is taken as one thousand chaturyuga only.}
 

 

Month = 30 × 2000 = 60000 (sixty thousand) chaturyuga
Year = 12 × 60000 = of 720000 (seven lakh twenty thousand) chaturyuga

• Brahma’s age >> 720000 × 100 = 72000000 (seven crore twenty lakh) chaturyuga
• Vishnu’s age is seven times that of Brahma >> 72000000 × 7 = 504000000 (fifty crore forty lakh) chaturyuga
• Shiva’s age is seven times that of Vishnu >> 504000000 × 7 = 3528000000 (three thousand 52 crore 80 lakh) chaturyuga

Age of ParaBrahma or Aadi Paraa Shakti (Eternal Energy, Aadi Prakriti)
When one Brahma dies it is one yuga of ParaBrahma. Such one thousand yugas make one day of ParaBrahma and same is the duration of a night. And then 100 years is the age of ParaBrahma.

The bottom line is that despite having such huge ages, they are still in birth and death.

60 YEAR CALENDAR

 

Shashtyabdi Vatsara is the calendar year for the Telugu, Tamil, Tulu, Marathi and Kannada speaking people of India. Each Yuga (Era) has a cycle of 60 years. Each year of Ugadi year has a specific name in Panchangam (Astronomical calendar) based on astrological influences and the name of the year would represent the character of that year. The calendar includes 60 year names. Every 60 years one name cycle completes and the names repeat in the next cycle. For example, the Telugu name for 1954 is "Jaya", repeated in 2014. Ugadi is the Telugu new year festival that comes in the spring season (usually March or April). Same is celebrated as Gudipadwa for Marathi speaking people, Yugadi for Kannada, Vishu for Malayalis and Tamils.

The sixty year names are as follows:

Prabhava, Vibhava, Shukla, Pramodootha, Prajotpatthi, Angeerasa, Srimukha, Bhaava, Yuva, Dhaatha, Eashwara, Bhahudhaanya, Pramaadhi, Vikrama, Vrusha, Chitrabhanu, Swarbhanu, Taarana, Paardhiva, Vyaya, Sarvajith, Sarvadhari, Virodhi, Vikruthi, Khara, Nandana, Vijaya, Jaya, Manmatha, Durmukhi, Heyvilambi, Vilambi, Vikari, Sharvari, Plava, Shubhakrutha, Shobhakrutha, Krodhi, Vishvavasu, Paraabhava, Plavanga, Keelaka, Sowmya, Saadharana, Virodhikrutha, Paridhavi, Pramadeecha, Aananda, Raakshasa, Nala, Pingala, Kaalayukthi, Siddartha, Roudhri, Durmathi, Dundhubhi, Rudhirodgaari, Raktaakshi, Krodhana and Akshaya.

 

Legend behind the 60 years and its names:

According to Brahmaanda Puraana, Once upon a time Narada was doing tapasya in Himalayas. Indra sent Vasanta along with Manmatha, Rati to disturb him. Whereas Narada was in deep meditation and all the efforts they made to disturb him were become waste. Upon completing his tapasya, Narada came to know what was happened. He started feeling pride as he has won over Kaama (the desire, love and affection) like Lord Shiva who has burnt Kaama, the god of love Manmatha into ashes. Narada rushed towards kailasa and expressed his joy to Shiva that he also won over Kaama. Lord Shiva smiled and replied to him that not to tell anybody about it, especially to Lord Vishnu. Narada who is ardent devotee of Lord Vishnu felt sad because of Lord Shiva's words and he left Kailasa. Though Lord Shiva warned him not to tell Lord Vishnu that he has won over Kaama, Narada decided to tell. He left to Vaikunta and boasted about his tapasya and expressed to Lord Vishnu that He also like Lord Shiva who won over Kaama, the desire. 

Lord Vishnu knows that nobody in this universe including him are exceptional if it comes to Maaya and Kaama. Even Lord Shiva married Goddess Parvati in love and affection after burning Kaama into ashes. Lord Vishnu wanted to realize Narada. So, Lord told him to visit Sarayu River and take a holy dip as he has completed a great tapasya. Narada did not noticed wicked smile of Lord Vishnu while telling the same and he moved to have holy dip in Sarayu River.

Surprise!! The moment he took a dip in Sarayu river, he become into a beautiful maiden and he lost all his previous thoughts because of Lord Vishnu's maaya. At the same time, A king approaches to that spot and both has seen each other and they fell into love. King and Lady Narada marries and moved to their kingdom. With him, Lady Narada lived happily and enjoyed family life with all bodily desires and love. In turn, they had 60 sons. One day, suddenly a great tsunami occurred and their kingdom vanished into waters. Everybody died except Lady Narada. He started crying and weeping for his King, Children and kingdom. Surprisingly He was able to listen Lord Vishnu's voice calling him. Lady Narada rushes to the spot from where the voice has been coming. There stood Lord Vishnu, Narada in Lady form fell into the feet of Lord and asked for his king and children. Lord pacified him and asked him to take a dip into the waters of Sarayu. Surprisingly, Narada got his own male form and realiazed all this is Maaya and no one is exceptional when it comes to Kaama and Maaya. The 60 sons who were born to Narada when he was into a female form are the 60 years of a Yuga.

Significance:

In ancient days Yogis (saints) interact directly with god , according to that, they have given information related to our Indian Kalachakra(time-cycle) by considering Lord Shiva(Destroyer of bad), Lord Vishnu(Manager of good and bad), Lord Bharmha(Creator of things) and Goddess Shakthi (Energy) life's span.

Below is the Indian Kalachakra (time-cycle):
60 years = Shashti Poorthi (For Reference : Shashti Poorthi)
4,32,000 years = Kali yuga (Age of vice) (For Reference : Kali Yuga)
8,64,000 years = Dwapar yuga (For Reference : Dvapara Yuga)
12,96,000 years = Treta Yuga (For Reference : Treta Yuga)
17,28,000 years = Sat Yuga or Krta Yuga or Krita Yuga (For Reference : Satya Yuga)
Total 43,20,000 years = 1 Maha yuga (Total 4 yugas. For Reference : Yuga)
71 Maha yugas = 1 Manvantara or Manuvantara or Manvanter
14 Manvantara = 1 Kalpa (For Reference : Kalpa (aeon))
2 Kalpas = Lord Brahma 1 Day
2000 Kalpas = Lord Brahma's life span = Lord Vishnu 1 Day
100 Brahma's life = Lord Vishnu 1 Kalpa
200 Kalpas of Lord Vishnu = Lord Shiva 1 Day
200 Kalpas of Lord Shiva = 1 Eye blink of  Goddess Shakti (Eternal Energy; Paraa Prakriti, Aadi Paraa Shakti).

The Current Date

 

Currently, 50 years of Brahma have elapsed. The last Kalpa at the end of 50th year is called Padma Kalpa. We are currently in the first 'day' of the 51st year. This Brahma's day, Kalpa, is named as Shveta-Varaha Kalpa. Within this Day, six Manvantaras have already elapsed and this is the seventh Manvantara, named as – Vaivasvatha Manvantara (or Sraddhadeva Manvantara). Within the Vaivasvatha Manvantara, 27 Mahayugas (4 Yugas together is a Mahayuga), and the Krita, Treta and Dwapara Yugas of the 28th Mahayuga have elapsed. This Kaliyuga is in the 28th Mahayuga. This Kaliyuga began in the year 3102 BCE in the proleptic Julian Calendar. Since 50 years of Brahma have already elapsed, this is the second Parardha, also called as Dvithiya Parardha.

The time elapsed since the current Brahma has taken over the task of creation can be calculated as
432000 × 10 × 1000 × 2 = 8.64 billion years (2 Kalpa (day and night))
8.64 × 109 × 30 × 12 = 3.1104 Trillion Years (1 year of Brahma)

3.1104 × 1012 × 50 = 155.52 trillion years (50 years of Brahma)

(6 × 71 × 4320000) + 7 × 1.728 × 10^6 = 1852416000 years elapsed in first six Manvataras, and Sandhi Kalas in the current Kalpa
27 × 4320000 = 116640000 years elapsed in first 27 Mahayugas of the current Manvantara
1.728 × 10^6 + 1.296 × 10^6 + 864000 = 3888000 years elapsed in current Mahayuga
3102 + 2017 = 5119 years elapsed in current Kaliyuga.

So, the total time elapsed since current Brahma is
155520000000000 + 1852416000 + 116640000 + 3888000 + 5119 = 155,521,972,949,119 years (one hundred fifty-five trillion, five hundred twenty-one billion, nine hundred seventy-two million, nine hundred forty-nine thousand, one hundred nineteen years) as of 2018 AD.

The current Kali Yuga began at midnight 17 February / 18 February in 3102 BCE in the proleptic Julian calendar (Extended Julian calendar backwards to dates preceding AD 4 when the quadrennial leap year stabilized, proposed by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar). As per the information above about Yuga periods, only 5,119 years are passed out of 432,000 years of current Kali Yuga, and hence another 426,881 years are left to complete this 28th Kali Yuga of Vaivaswatha Manvantara.