Introduction

In continuation with the previous post, I would like to continue in explaining what and how calculations are made from a Samvatsara (Year)’s level up-to what it means for a day in a Brahma’s life and how is it related to band in turn how its related to Shiva.

The Time Calculation

As we understand, each year is formed of two parts, a Uttarayana and a Dakshinayana. They together form a day of the Gods, Uttarayana being the day and Dakshinayana being the night for the Gods which approximately comes around 360 of human days.

According to Vishnu Purana, a day of Brahma (Creator) is calculated as 2 Kalps. To understand how many years of a human takes to form a day of Brahma, I have added below a calculation to describe the same.

  • 1 Day of the Gods = 2 Ayanas = 1 human year
  • 1 Year of Gods = 1 Daiva (Divine) year = 360 Samvatsaras = 360 human years
  • 1000 + 100 + 100 = 1200 Divine years = 1200 * 360 = 432,000 human years = 1 Charana
  • 4000 + 400 + 400 = 4800 Divine years = 4800 * 360 = 1,728,000 human years = 4 Charanas = 1 Satya Yug
  • 3000 + 300 + 300 = 3600 Divine years = 3600 * 360 = 1,296,000 human years = 3 Charanas = 1 Treta Yug
  • 2000 + 200 + 200 = 2400 Divine years = 2400 * 360 = 864,000 human years = 2 Charanas = 1 Dwapara Yug
  • 1000 + 100 + 100 = 1200 Divine years = 1200 * 360 = 432,000 human years = 1 Charana = 1 Kali Yug
  • Sum of these years = 12000 Divine years = 4,320,000 human years = 10 Charanas = 1 Maha Yug
  • 2*12,000 = 24,000 divine year = 12000 revolutions of sun around it’s dual also referred as the seat of Brahma

Each cycle of a Manvantara consists of 71 Maha Yugs (306.72 billion human years) and is ruled by a Manu (considered as the progenitor). We now are in the 28th cycle of the 7th Manvantara and are governed by the Vaivasvata Manu. After each Manvatara, a Samdhi kala (equivalent to 4 Charanas or 1,728,000 human years) during which, it is believed that, the world will be submerged into water.A parallel to this Manu is also drawn to Moses from Bible, since there is a narration of how this Manu saved the earth from the Great Flood (who’s parallel can again, be drawn towards the Samdhi Kala) after being warned by the Matsya (fish) avatar/form of Vishnu.

Now we come to part of calculating the age of Brahma. The Maha Yugs keep repeating itself and a 1000 such Maha Yugs form a Kalp and 2 such Kalps a single day of Brahma (the Creator) with each Kalp forming the day and night of Brahma respectively. This is equivalent to 8,640,000 or 8.64 million human years.

  • 14 Manvantaras + 15 Samdhi Kalas = 1 Kalp
  • 14 * 71 Maha Yugs + 15 * 4 Charanas = 1 Kalp
  • 994 Maha Yugs + 15 * 4800 Divine years = 1 Kalp
  • 994 Maha Yugs + 72000 Divine years = 1 Kalp
  • 994 Maha Yugs + 6 Maha Yugs = 1000 Maha Yugs = 1 Kalp
  • 2 Kalp = 1 Day of Brahma
  • 30 such days of Brahma = a month of Brahma = 259.2 million human years
  • 12 months of Brahma = 1 year of Brahma = 3.1104 billion human years
  • 50 such years = 1 Parardha = 155.52 billion human years
  • 2 Parardhas = 100 Brahma years = 1 lifespan of Brahma = 1 Maha Kalp = 3.1104 trillion human years

1 such lifespan of Brahma equals to a single breath in and breath out of Vishnu and this in-turn leads to calculating his age and a multiples of his lifespan amounts to a single day of Shiva. Thus Shiva has no end or no beginning, where as Brahma and Vishnu continue to be reborn and repeat the cycle of birth and sustenance until of everything that gets created until Shiva puts them to an end.

And now, I come to the end of explaining what Time means according Vedic calculations. All the explanations done till now to explain sounds very accurate but at the same time sounds vague too.

Conclusion

Many questions arise such as,

  • What exactly does a Brahma mean and why is he referred to as the creator?
  • What does a Vishnu mean and why does Manu take his help in saving the world? What does it mean that Vishnu takes several forms to rescue the world?
  • What does a Shiva mean? What does it mean that Shiva doesn’t have a death?

I’ll try to write on them when time permits 🙂

- Himadhar