Time
The Complete Hindu metrics of time (Kāla Vyavahāra) can be summarized as below.
Name | Definition | Equivalence | Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Prāna | प्राण | ca. 4 s | normal interval of respiration in humans | |
Vipala | विपल | |||
Vighaṭi | विघटि | 6 Prāna | ca. 24 s | |
Vinādī | विनाडी | |||
Pala | पल | |||
Ghaṭi | घटि | 60 Vighaṭis | ca. 24 min | |
Nādī | नाडी | |||
Muhūrta | मुहूर्त | 2 Ghaṭīkā | ca. 48 min | |
Nakṣatra Ahorātram | नक्षत्र अहोरात्रम् | 30 Muhūrta | ca. 24 h | sidereal day |
Sāvana Ahorātram | सावन अहोरात्रम् | ca. 1 d | considered to begin from and end at sunrise |
An alternate system described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa Time measurement section of the Viṣṇu Purāṇa Book I Chapter III is as follows:
Name | Definition | Equivalence |
---|---|---|
Kāṣṭhās | 10 blinks of the eye | ca. 4.11 s |
Kalā | 35 Kāṣṭhās | 144 s, 2.4 min |
Muhūrta | 20 Kalās | 48 min |
day | 30 Muhūrtas | 24 h |
month | 30 days | |
Ayana | 6 months | |
year | 2 Ayanas | 360 days |
day (day + night) of the gods |
Name | Definition | Equivalence |
---|---|---|
Paramāṇu | ca. 16.8 µs | |
Aṇu | 2 Paramāṇu | ca. 33.7 µs |
Trasareṇu | 3 Aṇu | ca. 101 µs |
Truṭi | 3 Trasareṇu | ca. 1/3290 s = ca. 304 µs |
Vedha | 100 Truṭi | ca. 30 ms |
Lava | 3 Vedha | ca. 91 ms |
Nimeṣa (blink) | 3 Lava | ca. 0.273 s |
Kṣaṇas | 3 Nimeṣa | 0.82 s |
Kāṣṭhās | 5 Kṣaṇa | ca. 4.1 s |
Laghu | 15 Kāṣṭhā | ca. 1 min |
Nāḍika | 15 Laghu | ca. 15.3 min |
Daṇḍa | ||
Muhūrta | 2 Daṇḍa | ca. 30.7 min |
Yāma | 6 or 7 Muhūrta | |
day(light) | 4 praharas or 4 yamas | |
night | ||
day | 1 day(light) + 1 night |
Read more about this topic: Hindu Time Cycles
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