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
Famous quotes containing the word time:
“Today is made of yesterday, each time I steal
toward rites I do not know, waiting for the lost
ingredient, as if salt or money or even lust
would keep us calm and prove us whole at last.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)
“All good things were at one time bad things; every original sin has developed into an original virtue.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“What art thou that usurp’st this time of night,
Together with that fair and warlike form
In which the majesty of buried Denmark
Did sometimes march? By heaven I charge thee speak!”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)