The Lifespans of the Gods under the Sway of Time

Verse 1 (shiva.vayaviya.8.1)

ऋषय ऊचुः । केन मानेन कालेऽस्मिन्नायुः सङ्ख्या प्रकल्प्यते । सङ्ख्यारूपस्य कालस्य कः पुनः परमोऽवधिः

ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | kena mānena kāle'sminnāyuḥ saṁkhyā prakalpyate | saṁkhyārūpasya kālasya kaḥ punaḥ paramo'vadhiḥ

The sages said: By what measure is the reckoning of lifespan calculated within this Time? And what, again, is the ultimate limit of Time in its numerical form?

Verse 2 (shiva.vayaviya.8.2)

वायुरुवाच । आयुषोऽत्र निमेषाख्यमाद्यमानं प्रचक्षते । सङ्ख्यारूपस्य कालस्य शान्त्यतीतकलावधि

vāyuruvāca | āyuṣo'tra nimeṣākhyamādyamānaṁ pracakṣate | saṁkhyārūpasya kālasya śāntyatītakalāvadhi

Vayu said: Here, the unit called 'nimesha,' the wink of an eye, is declared to be the first measure of lifespan; it is the smallest fraction of Time in its numerical form.

Verse 3 (shiva.vayaviya.8.3)

अक्षिपक्ष्मपरिक्षेपो निमेषः परिकल्पितः । तादृशानां निमेषाणां काष्ठा दश च पञ्च च

akṣipakṣmaparikṣepo nimeṣaḥ parikalpitaḥ | tādṛśānāṁ nimeṣāṇāṁ kāṣṭhā daśa ca pañca ca

The closing of the eyelid is reckoned as one nimesha; fifteen such nimeshas make one kashtha.

Verse 4 (shiva.vayaviya.8.4)

काष्ठास्त्रिंशत्कला नाम कलास्त्रिंशन्मुहूर्तकः । मुहूर्त्तानामपि त्रिंशदहोरात्रं प्रचक्षते

kāṣṭhāstriṁśatkalā nāma kalāstriṁśanmuhūrtakaḥ | muhūrttānāmapi triṁśadahorātraṁ pracakṣate

Thirty kashthas are called one kala; thirty kalas make one muhurta; and thirty muhurtas, they declare, make one day-and-night.

Verse 5 (shiva.vayaviya.8.5)

त्रिंशत्सङ्ख्यैरहोरात्रैर्मासः पक्षद्वयात्मकः

triṁśatsaṁkhyairahorātrairmāsaḥ pakṣadvayātmakaḥ

By thirty such day-and-nights, a month is formed, consisting of two fortnights.

Verse 6 (shiva.vayaviya.8.6)

ज्ञेयं पित्र्यमहोरात्रं मासः कृष्णसितात्मकः

jñeyaṁ pitryamahorātraṁ māsaḥ kṛṣṇasitātmakaḥ

This month, consisting of the dark and bright fortnights, should be known as a single day-and-night for the ancestors.

Verse 7 (shiva.vayaviya.8.7)

मासैस्तैरयनं षड्भिर्वर्षं द्वे चायनं मतम् । लौकिकेनैव मानेन ह्यब्दो यो मानुषः स्मृतः

māsaistairayanaṁ ṣaḍbhirvarṣaṁ dve cāyanaṁ matam | laukikenaiva mānena hyabdo yo mānuṣaḥ smṛtaḥ

By six such months, one ayana is formed, and two ayanas are held to make one year — this, by ordinary human measure, is called a human year.

Verse 8 (shiva.vayaviya.8.8)

एतद्दिव्यमहोरात्रमिति शास्त्रस्य निश्चयः । दक्षिणं चायनं रात्रिस्तथोदगयनं दिनम्

etaddivyamahorātramiti śāstrasya niścayaḥ | dakṣiṇaṁ cāyanaṁ rātristathodagayanaṁ dinam

By the settled teaching of the scriptures, this human year is a single divine day-and-night: the southern course is the gods' night, and the northern course is their day.

Verse 9 (shiva.vayaviya.8.9)

मासस्त्रिंशदहोरात्रैर्दिव्यो मानुषवत्स्मृतः । संवत्सरोऽपि देवानां मासैर्द्वादशभिस्तथा

māsastriṁśadahorātrairdivyo mānuṣavatsmṛtaḥ | saṁvatsaro'pi devānāṁ māsairdvādaśabhistathā

A divine month, like the human one, is remembered as consisting of thirty divine day-and-nights; and a year of the gods likewise consists of twelve such months.

Verse 10 (shiva.vayaviya.8.10)

त्रीणि वर्षशतान्येव षष्टिवर्षयुतान्यपि । दिव्यः संवत्सरो ज्ञेयो मानुषेण प्रकीर्तितः

trīṇi varṣaśatānyeva ṣaṣṭivarṣayutānyapi | divyaḥ saṁvatsaro jñeyo mānuṣeṇa prakīrtitaḥ

Three hundred and sixty human years, so it is said, should be known as equal to one divine year.

Verse 11 (shiva.vayaviya.8.11)

दिव्येनैव प्रमाणेन युगसङ्ख्या प्रवर्तते । चत्वारि भारते वर्षे युगानि कवयो विदुः

divyenaiva pramāṇena yugasaṁkhyā pravartate | catvāri bhārate varṣe yugāni kavayo viduḥ

By this divine measure alone the reckoning of the Yugas proceeds; the sages know four Yugas in the land of Bharata.

Verse 12 (shiva.vayaviya.8.12)

पूर्वं कृतयुगं नाम ततस्त्रेता विधीयते । द्वापरं च कलिश्चैव युगान्येतानि कृत्स्नशः

pūrvaṁ kṛtayugaṁ nāma tatastretā vidhīyate | dvāparaṁ ca kaliścaiva yugānyetāni kṛtsnaśaḥ

First is the one called Krita Yuga; then Treta is ordained; then Dvapara, and then Kali — these, in their entirety, are the Yugas.

Verse 13 (shiva.vayaviya.8.13)

चत्वारि तु सहस्राणि वर्षाणां तत्कृतं युगम् । तस्य तावच्छती सन्ध्या सन्ध्यांशश्च तथाविधः

catvāri tu sahasrāṇi varṣāṇāṁ tatkṛtaṁ yugam | tasya tāvacchatī sandhyā sandhyāṁśaśca tathāvidhaḥ

Krita Yuga consists of four thousand years; its twilight is a hundred years of the same span, and its twilight-portion likewise a hundred.

Verse 14 (shiva.vayaviya.8.14)

इतरेषु ससन्ध्येषु ससन्ध्यांशेषु च त्रिषु । एकापायेन वर्तन्ते सहस्राणि शतानि च

itareṣu sasandhyeṣu sasandhyāṁśeṣu ca triṣu | ekāpāyena vartante sahasrāṇi śatāni ca

In the remaining three Yugas, each with its own twilight and twilight-portion, the thousands and hundreds proceed, each one diminished in turn.

Verse 15 (shiva.vayaviya.8.15)

एतद्द्वादशसाहस्रं साधिकं च चतुर्युगम् । चतुर्युगसहस्रं यत्सङ्कल्प इति कथ्यते

etaddvādaśasāhasraṁ sādhikaṁ ca caturyugam | caturyugasahasraṁ yatsaṁkalpa iti kathyate

This sum of the four Yugas comes to somewhat more than twelve thousand years; a thousand such sets of four Yugas is called a Sankalpa.

Verse 16 (shiva.vayaviya.8.16)

चतुर्युगैकसप्तत्या मनोरन्तरमुच्यते । कल्पे चतुर्दशैकस्मिन्मनूनां परिवृत्तयः

caturyugaikasaptatyā manorantaramucyate | kalpe caturdaśaikasminmanūnāṁ parivṛttayaḥ

Seventy-one sets of four Yugas are called one Manvantara; within a single Kalpa there are fourteen successive turns of Manus.

Verse 17 (shiva.vayaviya.8.17)

एतेन क्रमयोगेन कल्पमन्वन्तराणि च । सप्रजानि व्यतीतानि शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः

etena kramayogena kalpamanvantarāṇi ca | saprajāni vyatītāni śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ

By this same sequential reckoning, Kalpas and Manvantaras, together with their creatures, have passed by the hundreds, indeed by the thousands.

Verse 18 (shiva.vayaviya.8.18)

अज्ञेयत्वाच्च सर्वेषामसङ्ख्येयतया पुनः । शक्यो नैवानुपूर्व्याद्वै तेषां वक्तुं सुविस्तरः

ajñeyatvācca sarveṣāmasaṁkhyeyatayā punaḥ | śakyo naivānupūrvyādvai teṣāṁ vaktuṁ suvistaraḥ

Since all of these are beyond knowing, and beyond counting, it is truly not possible to recount them in full, one after another.

Verse 19 (shiva.vayaviya.8.19)

कल्पो नाम दिवा प्रोक्तो ब्रह्मणोऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कल्पानां वै सहस्रं च ब्राह्मं वर्षमिहोच्यते

kalpo nāma divā prokto brahmaṇo'vyaktajanmanaḥ | kalpānāṁ vai sahasraṁ ca brāhmaṁ varṣamihocyate

A single day of Brahma, whose birth is unmanifest, is called a Kalpa; and a thousand such Kalpas is here called a year of Brahma.

Verse 20 (shiva.vayaviya.8.20)

वर्षाणामष्टसाहस्रं यच्च तद्ब्रह्मणो युगम् । सवनं युगसाहस्रं ब्रह्मणः पद्मजन्मनः

varṣāṇāmaṣṭasāhasraṁ yacca tadbrahmaṇo yugam | savanaṁ yugasāhasraṁ brahmaṇaḥ padmajanmanaḥ

Eight thousand such years constitute an Age of Brahma; and a thousand such Ages constitute one Savana of Brahma, the lotus-born.

Verse 21 (shiva.vayaviya.8.21)

सवनानां सहस्रं च त्रिगुणं त्रिवृतं तथा । कल्प्यते सकलः कालो ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः

savanānāṁ sahasraṁ ca triguṇaṁ trivṛtaṁ tathā | kalpyate sakalaḥ kālo brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ

A thousand Savanas, threefold, and thrice-repeated — thus is reckoned the entire lifespan of Brahma, the Supreme Lord.

Verse 22 (shiva.vayaviya.8.22)

तस्य वै दिवसे यान्ति चतुर्दश पुरन्दराः । शतानि मासे चत्वारि विंशत्या सहितानि च

tasya vai divase yānti caturdaśa purandarāḥ | śatāni māse catvāri viṁśatyā sahitāni ca

In a single day of his, fourteen Indras pass away; in a month, four hundred and twenty pass away,

Verse 23 (shiva.vayaviya.8.23)

अब्दे पञ्च सहस्राणि चत्वारिंशद्युतानि च । चत्वारिंशत्सहस्राणि पञ्च लक्षाणि चायुषि

abde pañca sahasrāṇi catvāriṁśadyutāni ca | catvāriṁśatsahasrāṇi pañca lakṣāṇi cāyuṣi

in a year, five thousand and forty; and across his entire lifespan, forty thousand and five hundred thousand Indras pass away.

Verse 24 (shiva.vayaviya.8.24)

ब्रह्मा विष्णोर्दिने चैको विष्णू रुद्रदिने तथा । ईश्वरस्य दिने रुद्रः सदाख्यस्य तथेश्वरः

brahmā viṣṇordine caiko viṣṇū rudradine tathā | īśvarasya dine rudraḥ sadākhyasya tatheśvaraḥ

In a day of Vishnu, one Brahma passes; likewise, in a day of Rudra, Vishnus pass; in a day of Ishvara, Rudra passes, and in a day of the one called Sada, Ishvara passes.

Verse 25 (shiva.vayaviya.8.25)

साक्षाच्छिवस्य तत्सङ्ख्यस्तथा सोऽपि सदाशिवः । चत्वारिंशत्सहस्राणि पञ्चलक्षाणि चायुषि

sākṣācchivasya tatsaṁkhyastathā so'pi sadāśivaḥ | catvāriṁśatsahasrāṇi pañcalakṣāṇi cāyuṣi

In a day of Shiva himself, Sadashiva passes in that same measure; his lifespan too is forty thousand and five hundred thousand years.

Verse 26 (shiva.vayaviya.8.26)

तस्मिन्साक्षाच्छिवेनैष कालात्मा सम्प्रवर्तते । यत्तत्सृष्टेः समाख्यातं कालान्तरमिह द्विजाः

tasminsākṣācchivenaiṣa kālātmā sampravartate | yattatsṛṣṭeḥ samākhyātaṁ kālāntaramiha dvijāḥ

Within Shiva himself this very self of Time proceeds; O twice-born, this span of time reckoned here down to the origin of creation —

Verse 27 (shiva.vayaviya.8.27)

एतत्कालान्तरं ज्ञेयमहर्वै पारमेश्वरम् । रात्रिश्च तावती ज्ञेया परमेशस्य कृत्स्नशः

etatkālāntaraṁ jñeyamaharvai pārameśvaram | rātriśca tāvatī jñeyā parameśasya kṛtsnaśaḥ

this entire span is to be known as a single day of the Supreme Lord; and a night of equal length is likewise to be known as belonging wholly to him.

Verse 28 (shiva.vayaviya.8.28)

अहस्तस्य तु या सृष्टी रात्रिश्च प्रलयः स्मृतः । अहर्न विद्यते तस्य न रात्रिरिति धारयेत्

ahastasya tu yā sṛṣṭī rātriśca pralayaḥ smṛtaḥ | aharna vidyate tasya na rātririti dhārayet

His day is held to be creation, and his night, dissolution; yet one should understand that for him, in truth, there is neither day nor night.

Verse 29 (shiva.vayaviya.8.29)

एषोपचारः क्रियते लोकानां हितकाम्यया । प्रजाः प्रजानां पतयो मूर्तयश्च सुरासुराः

eṣopacāraḥ kriyate lokānāṁ hitakāmyayā | prajāḥ prajānāṁ patayo mūrtayaśca surāsurāḥ

This distinction of day and night is made only as a figure of speech, for the welfare of the worlds. Creatures, the lords of creatures, and the embodied forms of gods and demons,

Verse 30 (shiva.vayaviya.8.30)

इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थाश्च महाभूतानि पञ्च च । तन्मात्राण्यथ भूतादिर्बुद्धिश्च सह दैवतैः

indriyāṇīndriyārthāśca mahābhūtāni pañca ca | tanmātrāṇyatha bhūtādirbuddhiśca saha daivataiḥ

the senses and their objects, the five gross elements, the subtle elements, the origin of the elements, and the intellect, together with their presiding deities —

Verse 31 (shiva.vayaviya.8.31)

अहस्तिष्ठन्ति सर्वाणि परमेशस्य धीमतः । अहरन्ते प्रलीयन्ते रात्र्यन्ते विश्वसम्भवः

ahastiṣṭhanti sarvāṇi parameśasya dhīmataḥ | aharante pralīyante rātryante viśvasambhavaḥ

all of these stand forth during the day of the wise Supreme Lord; at the end of the day they are dissolved, and at the end of the night, the universe arises once more.