Hindu Time | Hindu Time Division | Timespan of Yugas | Brahma Life Span

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Unlock the mysteries of Hindu Time with our in-depth exploration. Discover the cyclical nature of the universe, the Yugas, and the timespan of Brahma’s life. Gain profound insights into the cosmic rhythms and spiritual significance of time in Hinduism. Journey through the timeless wisdom of ancient beliefs and expand your understanding of the vastness of existence. Explore Hindu Time today and delve into a world beyond the ordinary.

Hindu Time is an intriguing concept that has captivated the minds of philosophers, scientists, and scholars throughout history. In Hinduism, the oldest religion in the world, time holds a profound significance. Hinduism perceives time not merely as a linear progression but as a cyclic phenomenon with vast cosmic implications. This article aims to explore the concepts of Hindu time, shedding light on the rich tapestry of beliefs, cosmic cycles, and divine interplay that shape the Hindu understanding of time.

Hindu Cosmology and the Eternal Cycles

Hindu cosmology envisions time as an eternal cycle, with no beginning or end. The universe is believed to undergo recurring cycles of creation, sustenance, dissolution, and rest. These cycles are known as “Yugas” and are the fundamental units of time in Hinduism. There are four Yugas: Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Each Yuga is said to progressively decline in moral values and spiritual awareness, leading to a gradual degradation of humanity.

The Yugas and Their Duration

The Yugas have distinct characteristics and durations. Satya Yuga, the golden age, is characterized by righteousness, truth, and spiritual enlightenment. It spans 1,728,000 years. Treta Yuga, the silver age, sees a decline in spirituality but retains some righteousness and truth. It lasts for 1,296,000 years. Dvapara Yuga, the bronze age, experiences a further decline in morality and lasts for 864,000 years. Kali Yuga, the iron age, is the current age, marked by moral decay and spiritual ignorance. It endures for 432,000 years.

The Cycle of Four Yugas

The four Yugas together form a Mahayuga or a Great Age, which lasts for 4,320,000 years. This Mahayuga is believed to repeat in a continuous cycle called the “Kalpa.” A Kalpa is a day of Brahma, the creator deity in Hinduism, and encompasses 1,000 Mahayugas. Brahma’s night, which is of equal duration, marks the dissolution phase, when the universe temporarily ceases to exist. This cycle of creation and dissolution spans billions of years.

The Cosmic Scale of Time in Hinduism

Hinduism also encompasses larger time units beyond the Kalpa. A Manvantara is a period of approximately 306,720,000 years, comprising the rule of a specific Manu, a primordial sage and the progenitor of humanity. Fourteen such Manvantaras constitute a “Kalpa.” Beyond the Kalpa, there is the concept of a “Day of Brahma,” which lasts for 1,000 Kalpas or 4,320 billion years. Brahma’s lifespan is believed to span 100 of these “Days,” signifying an inconceivable scale of time in Hindu cosmology.

Hindu Time and Divine Interplay

According to Hindu beliefs, time is intricately interwoven with the actions of divine beings. Lord Vishnu, the preserver of the universe, is said to manifest in different forms during each Yuga to restore righteousness and cosmic order. The end of Kali Yuga is associated with the appearance of Kalki, the final avatar of Vishnu, who is prophesied to bring about the restoration of righteousness and initiate a new cycle.

Vedic Concept of Hindu Time Keeping

The Hindu time calendar is based on cycles, and each larger cycle actually contains a number of smaller cycles within it. The Mahayuga is the most well-known cycle of time, and it is composed of the four Yugas (s).

1. Satya/ Krita Yuga – 4 Charanas (1,728,000 solar years = 4x)
2. Treta Yuga – 3 Charanas (1,296,000 solar years = 3x)
3. Dwapara Yuga – 2 Charanas (864,000 solar years = 2x)
4. Kali Yuga – 1 Charanas (432,000 solar years = x)

One cycle of the above four Yugas is one Mahayuga (4.32 million solar years = 10x)

1000 Mahayuga(s) = A day of Brahma (excluding night)
= 4.32 billion solar years
= 1000 * 10x
= X = 1 Kalpa

1 full day of Brahma = 2 Kalpa = 2X

1 year of Brahma = 360 * 2X = 3.1104 trillion solar years

100 years of Brahma = 311.04 trillion solar years
= Life Span of Brahma
= 1 Maha Kalpa
= 1 Para
= 2 Para Ardha
= 1 Maha Manvantara

X = 1 Kalpa = 14 Manvantara = 1000 Mahayuga

At this point in time, 50 years have passed since the beginning of Brahma, and today marks the first day of the 51st year. This Brahma’s day, Kalpa, is named as Shveta-Varaha Kalpa. We are currently in the seventh Manvantara, which is known as the Vaivasvatha Manvantara or the Sraddhadeva Manvantara. Six Manvantaras have already passed within this Day, so we are currently in the seventh Manvantara.

There have been 27 Mahayugas that have occurred during the Vaivasvatha Manvantara, in addition to the Krita, Treta, and Dwapara Yugas that have occurred during the 28th Mahayuga. The Kaliyuga of the 28th Mahayuga is where we currently find ourselves. According to the proleptic Julian Calendar, the beginning of this Kaliyuga occurred in the year 3102 BC. We are currently in the second Parardha, which is also referred to as the Dvithiya Parardha because 50 years of Brahma have already passed.

Tithis occurs when there have been 14 Manvantara repeats, at which point they are referred to as Manvadi; when there have been 7 Kalpa repeats, they are referred to as Kalpadi; and when there have been 4 Yuga repeats, they are referred to as Yugadi. As a result, the Hindu calendar sets aside time for religious observances on 4 Yugadi Tithis, 14 Manvadi Tithis, and 7 Kalpadi Tithis.

The Hindu calendar also includes dates for Yuganta or the day that a Yuga cycle comes to an end.

The Four Yugas – Hindu concept of Time (Kala)

In the time of the demigods, one cycle through the four yugas corresponds to 12,000 years. On the heavenly planets, where the demigods reside, universal dissolutions can be either partial or complete. This causes the planets to suffer. To put it another way, these heavenly planets are annihilated when Brahma’s day comes to an end, as well as when Brahma’s life comes to an end.

In any case, to get back to the subject of our conversation, one earth year is equivalent to 360 celestial days, and each celestial day, which includes both day and night, is equivalent to one celestial year. Satya Yuga is comprised of 4000 celestial years, Treta Yuga is comprised of 3000 years, Dvapara lasts for 2000 celestial years, and Kali Yuga lasts for 1000 divine years. Together, these 12000 celestial years are referred to as the Kali Yuga.

The remaining two thousand divine years are what make up the portions that join the Yugas together. Each Yuga is preceded by a period of time known as “Sandhya,” which is comprised of the same number of hundreds of years in the celestial calendar as there are thousands of years in that particular Yuga. Each Yuga is also followed by a period known as “Sadhyansa,” which consists of the same number of hundreds of celestial years as there are thousands of years in that particular Yuga. Sadhyansa comes after each Yuga and precedes each Sadhyansa.

Timespan of Satya Yuga

• Satya Yuga = 4000 celestial years + 400 celestial years of Sandhya + 400 celestial  years of Sandhyansa
• 4000 celestial years = 4000 * 360 celestial days = 4000 * 360 * 1 human year = 1440000 human years
• 400 celestial years (Sandhya) = 400 *360 celestial days = 400 *360 *1 human year = 144000 human years
• 400 celestial years (Sandhyansa) = 400 *360 celestial days = 400 *360 *1 human year = 144000 human years
• Hence the timespan of Satya Yuga = 1440000 +144000 +144000 human years = 1728000 human years

Timespan of Treta Yuga

• Treta Yuga = 3000 celestial years + 300 celestial years of Sandhya + 300 celestial  years of Sandhyansa
• 3000 celestial years = 3000 * 360 celestial days = 3000 * 360 * 1 human year = 1080000 human years
• 300 celestial years (Sandhya) = 300 *360 celestial days = 300 *360 *1 human year = 108000 human years
• 300 celestial years (Sandhyansa) = 300 *360 celestial days = 300 *360 *1 human year = 108000 human years
• Hence the timespan of Satya Yuga = 1080000 +108000  +108000  human years = 1296000 human years

Timespan of Dvapara Yuga

• Dvapara Yuga = 2000 celestial years + 200 celestial years of Sandhya + 200 celestial  years of Sandhyansa
• 2000 celestial years = 2000 * 360 celestial days = 2000 * 360 * 1 human year = 720000 human years
• 200 celestial years (Sandhya) = 200 *360 celestial days = 200 *360 *1 human year = 72000 human years
• 200 celestial years (Sandhyansa) = 200 *360 celestial days = 200 *360 *1 human year = 72000 human years
• Hence the timespan of Satya Yuga = 720000 +72000 + 72000   human years = 864000 human years

Timespan of Kali Yuga

• Kali Yuga = 1000 celestial years + 100 celestial years of Sandhya + 100 celestial  years of Sandhyansa
• 1000 celestial years = 1000 * 360 celestial days = 1000 * 360 * 1 human year = 360000 human years
• 100 celestial years (Sandhya) = 100 *360 celestial days = 100 *360 *1 human year = 36000 human years
• 100 celestial years (Sandhyansa) = 100 *360 celestial days = 100 *360 *1 human year = 36000 human years
• Hence the timespan of Kali Yuga = 360000 + 36000 + 36000   human years = 432000 human years

The lifespan of Brahma in Human years (Lifespan of the universe)

Brahma has a lifespan of one hundred years. Each day in the cycle of Brahma is comprised of a thousand yugas and four cycles. The same can be said about his evening. As a result, a period of 24 hours in Brahma’s life consists of two cycles of this kind. When Brahma’s life is over, the entirety of the universe vanishes into nothingness.

1 cycle of 4 Yugas = Satya Yuga + Treta Yuga + Dvapara Yuga + Kali Yuga = 1728000 + 1296000 + 864000 + 432000 = 4320000 human years

Therefore, 1 day of Brahma = 2 * (1000 cycles of 4 Yugas) = 2 * (1000 * 4320000) = 8,640,000,000 human years.

1 Year of Brahma = 360 * 8,640,000,000 human years = 3,110,400,000,000 human years

Brahma lives for 100 Years. Hence, the lifespan of Brahma in human years = 100 * 3,110,400,000,000 human years = 311,040,000,000,000 human years.

Therefore the lifespan of Brahma is 311.04 Trillion Human Years, which is also the destined lifespan of this universe.

Ancient Vedic History vs Modern Academic History

In contrast to the Western perspective that humans emerged from a more primitive ancestry, the traditional Hindu view of history emphasizes a glorious past and a lineage that can be traced back to learned sages known as rishis. This stands in contrast to the academic viewpoint that is generally accepted. The Aryan invasion theory, which is widely accepted and is taught in schools, is currently being challenged and contested in intellectual circles, which has caused the academic community to reevaluate its assumptions about the history of ancient India.

Educators should acknowledge the distinctive viewpoint of Hinduism regarding its own history, which emphasises a decline in civilization rather than a progression toward greater complexity. This should be done regardless of the position taken by academia at the present time.

Conclusion

It is believed that the beginning of the Kali Yuga occurred when Lord Krishna completed all of His activities on earth. As a result, the year 3102 BC is generally agreed upon to be the start of the Kali Yuga. This means that approximately 5000 human years of the Kali-yuga have already passed since the beginning of this era, and there are approximately 427,000 human years left until the end of the Kali Yuga.

The concepts of Hindu time offer a profound understanding of the cyclical nature of the universe and the dynamic interplay between cosmic forces. It provides a holistic perspective on the rise and fall of civilizations, moral values, and spiritual awareness. By contemplating these concepts, one gains a deeper appreciation for the transient nature of the world and the eternal essence that resides within.

In a world driven by constant change and progress, exploring the concepts of Hindu time can offer solace and a sense of perspective. It reminds us that our current circumstances are part of a larger cosmic cycle and encourages us to seek spiritual growth and moral righteousness amidst the challenges of the present age.

Furthermore, the concepts of Hindu time invite us to reflect on the impermanence of material existence and the timeless nature of the soul. It encourages us to detach ourselves from the transient and focus on cultivating spiritual awareness and enlightenment, which transcend the limitations of time and space.

In conclusion, the concepts of Hindu time provide a fascinating insight into the cosmic cycles, divine interplay, and the profound nature of time in Hinduism. It offers a unique perspective on the cyclical nature of the universe and encourages individuals to seek spiritual growth and moral righteousness in the face of the ever-changing world. By embracing these concepts, one can gain a deeper understanding of the timeless essence that permeates all existence.