Hindu units of time

Lunar metrics

The traditional lunar calendar system measures time based on the Moon's phases and its relation to the Sun. Unlike solar calendars, it uses units such as tithi (lunar day), pakṣa (lunar fortnight), māsa (lunar month), ṛitu (season), ayanam (half-year), and varsha (lunar year) to structure the year. This system was integral to ancient cultures for tracking time, planning festivals, and guiding agricultural practices. The following section provides an overview of these key time units and their relationships:

Tropical metrics

Tropical metrics are time units used to measure intervals based on the tropical year and related cycles. This system includes units such as ghaṭi (base unit), yāma (a period of 7.5 ghaṭis), and ahorātram (a full day comprising 8 yāmas). The following section explains these units and their approximate durations, offering insight into how time is organized in relation to the tropical year:

Cosmic metrics

The table below contains calculations of cosmic Hindu units of time as experienced by different entities, namely humans, Pitris (forefathers), Devas (gods), Manu (progenitor of humanity), and Brahma (creator god). Calculations use a traditional 360-day year (twelve 30-day months) and a standard 24-hour day for all entities.

Lifespans

Hindu texts define lifespans differently for humans, Pitris (forefathers), Devas (gods), Manus (progenitors of mankind), and Brahma (creator god). The division of a year for each is twelve 30-day months or 360 days, where a day is divided into a 12-hour day proper and 12-hour night. A 30-day month amounts to four 7-day weeks with an extra 8th day every two weeks (48-week year). A traditional human year is measured by the sun's northern (uttarayana) and southern (dakshinayana) movements in the sky, where the new year commences only when the sun returns to the same starting point and a pause on the commencement otherwise. Ebenezer Burgess postulates an intercalary month was inserted every five years to anciently maintain the correspondence of the 360-day years with the true solar years (~365.24-day years). For this reason, a traditional 360-day year is equivalent to a modern ~365.24-day solar or tropical year.

Cosmic date

According to Puranic sources, Krishna's departure marks the end of the human age of Dvapara-yuga and the start of Kali-yuga, which is dated to midnight (Ujjain meridian) 17/18 February 3102 BCE (proleptic Julian), corresponding to 22/23 January (proleptic Gregorian). We are currently halfway through Brahma's life (maha-kalpa), whose lifespan is equal to the duration of the manifested material elements, from which Brahma manifests his universe in kalpa cycles:

• 51st year of 100 (2nd half or parardha)
• 1st month of 12
• 1st kalpa (Shveta-Varaha Kalpa) of 30
• 7th manvantara (Vaivasvatha Manu) of 14
• 28th chatur-yuga of 71
• 4th yuga (Kali-yuga) of 4

A maha-kalpa is followed by a maha-pralaya (full dissolution) of equal length. Each kalpa (day of Brahma) is followed by a pralaya (night of Brahma or partial dissolution) of equal length. Preceding the first and following each manvantara is a manvantara-sandhya (connection period), each with a length of Krita-yuga (a.k.a. Satya-yuga).

Hindu texts specify that the start and end of each of the yugas are marked by astronomical alignments. This cycle's Treta-yuga began with 5 planets residing in the "Aries" constellation. This cycle's Dvapara-yuga ended with the "Saptarshi" constellation (Ursa major) residing in the "Magha" constellation. The current Kali-yuga will end with the Sun, Moon and Jupiter residing in the "Pushya" sector.

Human

The history of humanity is divided up into four yugas (a.k.a. dharmic ages or world ages)—Kṛta-yuga (pronounced Krita-yuga; a.k.a. Satya-yuga), Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga and Kali-yuga—each with a decline in dharmic practices and length, giving proportions (caraṇas; pronounced charanas) of 4:3:2:1 (e.g. Satya: 100% start; Kali: 25% start, 0% end), indicating a de-evolution in spiritual consciousness and an evolution in material consciousness. Kali-yuga is followed by Satya-yuga of the next cycle, where a cycle is called a catur-yuga (pronounced chatur-yuga; a.k.a. mahā-yuga). Each yuga is divided into a main period (a.k.a. yuga proper) and two yuga-sandhis (a.k.a. yuga-sandhyās; connecting periods)⁠—yuga-sandhyā (dawn) and yuga-sandhyāṃśa (a.k.a. yuga-sandhyānśa; dusk)⁠—where each yuga-sandhi lasts for 10% of the main period. Lengths are given in divine years (a.k.a. celestial or Deva years), where a divine year lasts for 360 solar (human) years. A chatur-yuga lasts for 4.32 million solar (12,000 divine) years with 1,728,000 years of Krita-yuga, 1,296,000 years of Treta-yuga, 864,000 years of Dvapara-yuga, and 432,000 years of Kali-yuga.

Current yuga

Kali-yuga lasts for 432,000 years and is the 4th of 4 yugas in a cycle as well as the current yuga, with two sandhyas, each lasting for 36,000 years:

• Kali-yuga started in 3102 BCE:

= (current year + Kali-yuga start year) − year zero

= (2026 + 3102) − 1

= 5,127 years ago

• Kali-yuga-sandhya (dawn) ends in 32,899 CE:

= Kali-yuga-sandhya − elapsed Kali-yuga

= 36,000 − 5,127

= 30,873 years from now

• Kali-yuga-sandhyamsa (dusk) starts in 392,899 CE:

= (Kali-yuga − Kali-yuga-sandhyamsa) − elapsed Kali-yuga

= (432,000 − 36,000) − 5,127

= 390,873 years from now

• Kali-yuga ends in 428,899 CE:

= Kali-yuga − elapsed Kali-yuga

= 432,000 − 5,127

= 426,873 years from now

Current chatur yuga

A chatur-yuga lasts for 4.32 million years, where the current is the 28th of 71:

• Started in 3,891,102 BCE:

= (chatur-yuga − Kali-yuga) + elapsed Kali-yuga

= (4,320,000 − 432,000) + 5,127

= 3,893,127 years ago

≈ 3.89 million years ago

• Ends in 428,899 CE:

= Kali-yuga − elapsed Kali-yuga

= 432,000 − 5,127

= 426,873 years from now

Pitri

The lifespan of the Pitris (forefathers) lasts for 100 of their years.

• 24 hours (1 day & night) of Pitris = 1 solar month (masa; Moon's two 15-day fortnights: bright and dark)
• 30 days (1 month) of Pitris = 30 solar months (2.5 solar years)
• 12 months (1 year) of Pitris = 30 solar years (1 month of Devas)
• 100 years (lifespan) of Pitris = 3,000 solar years

Deva

The lifespan of the Devas (gods) lasts for 100 of their years.

• 24 hours (1 day & night) of Devas = 1 solar year (Sun's two 180-day motions: northern and southern)
• 30 days (1 month) of Devas = 30 solar years (1 year of Pitris)
• 12 months (1 year) of Devas = 360 solar years
• 100 years (lifespan) of Devas = 36,000 solar years

Manu

The lifespan of the Manus (progenitors of mankind) lasts for 100 of their years. Each Manu reigns over a period called a manvantara, each lasting for 71 chatur-yugas (306.72 million years). A total of 14 Manus reign successively in one kalpa (day of Brahma). Preceding the first and following each manvantara is a sandhyā (connection period), each lasting the duration of Satya-yuga (1.728 million years). During each manvantara-sandhyā (a.k.a. manvantara-sandhi), Earth (Bhu-loka) is submerged in water.

• 24 hours (1 day & night) of Manu = 8,520 solar years
• 30 days (1 month) of Manu = 255,600 solar years
• 12 months (1 year) of Manu = 3,067,200 solar years
• 100 years (lifespan) of Manu = 306,720,000 solar years (71 chatur-yugas)

Current manvantara

A manvantara lasts for 306.72 million years, where the current (ruled by Vaivasvatha Manu) is the 7th of 14:

• Started in the past:

= elapsed 28th chatur-yuga + 27 chatur-yugas

= (chatur-yuga − Kali-yuga) + elapsed Kali-yuga + 27 chatur-yugas

= (4,320,000 − 432,000) + 5,127 + (27 × 4,320,000)

= 120,533,127 years ago

≈ 120.53 million years ago

• Ends in the future:

= remaining 28th chatur-yuga + 43 chatur-yugas

= (Kali-yuga − elapsed Kali-yuga) + 43 chatur-yugas

= (432,000 − 5,127) + (43 × 4,320,000)

= 186,186,873 years from now

≈ 186.19 million years from now

↓100 Ma↓50 Ma↓0 Ma↓+50 Ma↓+100 Ma↓+150 MaPast chatur-yugasFuture chatur-yugas│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ Manvantara of Vaivasvata Manu (~120.53 – ~+186.19 Ma)
(millions of years)

Brahma

The lifespan of Brahma (creator god) lasts for 100 of his years. His 12-hour day or kalpa (a.k.a. day of Brahma) is followed by a 12-hour night or pralaya (a.k.a. night of Brahma) of equal length, each lasting for 4.32 billion years. A kalpa lasts for 1,000 chatur-yugas and has 14 manvantaras and 15 manvantara-sandhyas occurring in it. At the start of Brahma's days, he is re-born and creates the planets and the first living entities. At the end of his days, he and his creations are unmanifest (partial dissolution). His 100-year life (311.04 trillion years) is called a mahā-kalpa, which is followed by a mahā-pralaya (full dissolution) of equal length, where the bases of the universe, prakriti, is manifest at the start and unmanifest at the end of a maha-kalpa. His 100-year life is divided into two 50-year periods, each called a parārdha. In 100 360-day years (maha-kalpa), there are a total of 36,000 full days: 36,000 kalpas (days proper) and 36,000 pralayas (nights).

• 12 hours (1 day proper: kalpa) of Brahma = 4.32 billion solar years (1,000 chatur-yugas; 14 manvantaras + 15 manvantara-sandhyas)
• 24 hours (1 day & night: kalpa + pralaya) of Brahma = 8.64 billion solar years
• 30 days (1 month) of Brahma = 259.2 billion solar years
• 12 months (1 year) of Brahma = 3.1104 trillion solar years
• 50 years (parardha) of Brahma = 155.52 trillion solar years
• 100 years (lifespan: 2 parardhas) of Brahma = 311.04 trillion solar years

Current kalpa

A kalpa (day of Brahma, 12 hours) lasts for 4.32 billion years, where the current (Shveta-Varaha Kalpa) is the 1st of 30 in his 1st month of his 51st year:

• Started in the past:

= elapsed 7th manvantara + 7 manvantara-sandhyas + 6 manvantaras

= elapsed 28th chatur-yuga + 27 chatur-yugas + 7 manvantara-sandhyas + 6 manvantaras

= (chatur-yuga − Kali-yuga) + elapsed Kali-yuga + 27 chatur-yugas + 7 manvantara-sandhyas + 6 manvantaras

= (4,320,000 − 432,000) + 5,127 + (27 × 4,320,000) + (7 × 1,728,000) + (6 × 306,720,000)

= 1,972,949,127 years ago

≈ 1.97 billion years ago

• Ends in the future:

= remaining 7th manvantara + 8 manvantara-sandhyas + 7 manvantaras

= remaining 28th chatur-yuga + 43 chatur-yugas + 8 manvantara-sandhyas + 7 manvantaras

= (Kali-yuga − elapsed Kali-yuga) + 43 chatur-yugas + 8 manvantara-sandhyas + 7 manvantaras

= (432,000 − 5,127) + (43 × 4,320,000) + (8 × 1,728,000) + (7 × 306,720,000)

= 2,347,050,873 years from now

≈ 2.35 billion years from now

Current maha kalpa

A maha-kalpa (life of Brahma) lasts for 311.04 trillion years:

• Started in the past:

= elapsed 18,001st kalpa + 18,000 kalpas + 18,000 pralayas

= elapsed 7th manvantara + 7 manvantara-sandhyas + 6 manvantaras + 36,000 kalpas/pralayas

= elapsed 28th chatur-yuga + 27 chatur-yugas + 7 manvantara-sandhyas + 6 manvantaras + 36,000 kalpas/pralayas

= (chatur-yuga − Kali-yuga) + elapsed Kali-yuga + 27 chatur-yugas + 7 manvantara-sandhyas + 6 manvantaras + 36,000 kalpas/pralayas

= (4,320,000 − 432,000) + 5,127 + (27 × 4,320,000) + (7 × 1,728,000) + (6 × 306,720,000) + (36,000 × 4,320,000,000)

= 155,521,972,949,127 years ago

≈ 155.52 trillion years ago

• Ends in the future:

= remaining 18,001st kalpa + 17,999 kalpas + 18,000 pralayas

= remaining 7th manvantara + 8 manvantara-sandhyas + 7 manvantaras + 35,999 kalpas/pralayas

= remaining 28th chatur-yuga + 43 chatur-yugas + 8 manvantara-sandhyas + 7 manvantaras + 35,999 kalpas/pralayas

= (Kali-yuga − elapsed Kali-yuga) + 43 chatur-yugas + 8 manvantara-sandhyas + 7 manvantaras + 35,999 kalpas/pralayas

= (432,000 − 5,127) + (43 × 4,320,000) + (8 × 1,728,000) + (7 × 306,720,000) + (35,999 × 4,320,000,000)

= 155,518,027,050,873 years from now

≈ 155.52 trillion years from now

Hindu texts

Mahabharata

The Mahabharata (12.231.12–31) describes units of time from a wink of the eye (nimesha) up to the days (kalpa) and nights (pralaya) of Brahma.

Manusmriti

The Manusmriti (a.k.a. Laws of Manu; 1.64–80) describes units of time from a twinkling of the eye (nimesha) up to the days (kalpa) and nights (pralaya) of Brahma.

According to Patrick Olivelle, most scholars take the table of contents (1.111–118) to be an addition, but for him the account of time and cosmology (1.61–86) to the aforementioned (1.118) are out of place redactions. He feels the narrative should have ended when the initial command to "listen" (1.4) was repeated (1.60), then transition to "learn" (2.1).

Georg Bühler, whose translation has remained the standard for over a century according to Olivelle, translated 1.71 as 12,000 years in a four-aged period, same as Sir William Jones's translation, both based on Kulluka Bhatta's commentary. Medhatithi translated it as 12,000 four-aged periods in an age of the gods. Kulluka and Olivelle reject Medhatithi's interpretation based on 1.79 mentioning 12,000 without a qualifier ("etat" or "this") and must be assumed as years.

Surya Siddhanta

The Surya Siddhanta (1.10–21) describes units of time from a respiration (prana) up to the 100-year lifespan of Brahma (maha-kalpa).