The Measure of Time

Verse 1 (vishnu.1.3.1)

श्रीमैत्रेय उवाच । निर्गुणस्याप्रमेयस्य शुद्धस्याप्य् अमलात्मनः । कथं सर्गादिकर्तृत्वं ब्रह्मणोऽभ्युपगम्यते

śrīmaitreya uvāca nirguṇasyāprameyasya śuddhasyāpy amalātmanaḥ kathaṁ sargādikartṛtvaṁ brahmaṇo 'bhyupagamyate

Shri Maitreya said: How can creatorship of the universe be attributed to Brahman, who is without qualities, immeasurable, pure, and stainless by nature?

Verse 2 (vishnu.1.3.2)

श्रीपराशर उवाच । शक्तयः सर्वभावानाम् अचिन्त्यज्ञानगोचराः । यतोऽतो ब्रह्मणस् तास् तु सर्गाद्या भावशक्तयः । भवन्ति तपतां श्रेष्ठ पावकस्य यथोष्णता

śrīparāśara uvāca śaktayaḥ sarvabhāvānām acintyajñānagocarāḥ yato 'to brahmaṇas tās tu sargādyā bhāvaśaktayaḥ bhavanti tapatāṁ śreṣṭha pāvakasya yathoṣṇatā

Shri Parashara said: The powers of all existing things lie beyond the reach of conceivable knowledge; therefore, O best of ascetics, those powers of creation and the rest belong to Brahman by its very nature, just as heat belongs to fire.

Verse 3 (vishnu.1.3.3)

तन् निबोध यथा सर्गे भगवान् संप्रवर्तते । नारायणाख्यो भगवान् ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः

tan nibodha yathā sarge bhagavān saṁpravartate nārāyaṇākhyo bhagavān brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ

Understand this, then: how the blessed one, named Narayana, Brahma, the grandfather of the worlds, comes to engage in creation.

Verse 4 (vishnu.1.3.4)

उत्पन्नः प्रोच्यते विद्वन् नित्य एवोपचारतः

utpannaḥ procyate vidvan nitya evopacārataḥ

O wise one, he is spoken of as 'born,' though he is in truth eternal — this is said merely as a figure of speech.

Verse 5 (vishnu.1.3.5)

निजेन तस्य मानेन आयुर् वर्षशतं स्मृतम् । तत् पराख्यं तदर्धं च परार्धम् अभिधीयते

nijena tasya mānena āyur varṣaśataṁ smṛtam tat parākhyaṁ tadardhaṁ ca parārdham abhidhīyate

By his own measure, his lifespan is reckoned as a hundred years; that full span is called 'Para,' and half of it is called 'Parardha.'

Verse 6 (vishnu.1.3.6)

कालस्वरूपं विष्णोश् च यन् मयोक्तं तवानघ । तेन तस्य निबोध त्वं परिमाणोपपादनम्

kālasvarūpaṁ viṣṇoś ca yan mayoktaṁ tavānagha tena tasya nibodha tvaṁ parimāṇopapādanam

O sinless one, by means of that nature of Vishnu as Time which I have already told you, now understand the exposition of its measure.

Verse 7 (vishnu.1.3.7)

अन्येषां चैव जन्तूनां चराणाम् अचराश् च ये । भूभूभृत्सागरादीनाम् अशेषाणां च सत्तम

anyeṣāṁ caiva jantūnāṁ carāṇām acarāś ca ye bhūbhūbhṛtsāgarādīnām aśeṣāṇāṁ ca sattama

And, O most excellent one, hear also the measure of time as it applies to other creatures, moving and unmoving, and to the earth, the mountains, the oceans, and all things without exception —

Verse 8 (vishnu.1.3.8)

काष्ठा पञ्चदशाख्याता निमेषा मुनिसत्तम । काष्ठात्रिंशत् कला त्रिंशत् कला मौहूर्तिको विधिः

kāṣṭhā pañcadaśākhyātā nimeṣā munisattama kāṣṭhātriṁśat kalā triṁśat kalā mauhūrtiko vidhiḥ

O best of sages, fifteen nimeshas are said to make one Kashtha; thirty Kashthas make one Kala; and thirty Kalas constitute the measure of a Muhurta.

Verse 9 (vishnu.1.3.9)

तावत्संख्यैर् अहोरात्रं मुहूर्तैर् मानुषं स्मृतम् । अहोरात्राणि तावन्ति मासः पक्षद्वयात्मकः

tāvatsaṁkhyair ahorātraṁ muhūrtair mānuṣaṁ smṛtam ahorātrāṇi tāvanti māsaḥ pakṣadvayātmakaḥ

By that same number of Muhurtas is reckoned a day-and-night for men; and that same number of day-nights makes a month, composed of two fortnights.

Verse 10 (vishnu.1.3.10)

तैः षड्भिर् अयनं वर्षं द्वेऽयने दक्षिणोत्तरे । अयनं दक्षिणं रात्रिर् देवानाम् उत्तरं दिनम्

taiḥ ṣaḍbhir ayanaṁ varṣaṁ dve 'yane dakṣiṇottare ayanaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ rātrir devānām uttaraṁ dinam

Six of those months make one Ayana (solstitial course); a year consists of two Ayanas, the southern and the northern. The southern Ayana is a night for the gods, and the northern is their day.

Verse 11 (vishnu.1.3.11)

दिव्यैर् वर्षसहस्रैस् तु कृतत्रेतादिसंज्ञितम् । चतुर्युगं द्वादशभिस् तद्विभागं निबोध मे

divyair varṣasahasrais tu kṛtatretādisaṁjñitam caturyugaṁ dvādaśabhis tadvibhāgaṁ nibodha me

The group of four ages called Krita, Treta, and the rest is measured by twelve thousand divine years in all; now understand from me its division.

Verse 12 (vishnu.1.3.12)

चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैकं कृतादिषु यथाक्रमम् । दिव्याब्दानां सहस्राणि युगेष्व् आहुः पुराविदः

catvāri trīṇi dve caikaṁ kṛtādiṣu yathākramam divyābdānāṁ sahasrāṇi yugeṣv āhuḥ purāvidaḥ

Four, three, two, and one — in that order, for Krita and the ages that follow — thousands of divine years: thus do those versed in the ancient lore declare of the four ages.

Verse 13 (vishnu.1.3.13)

तत्प्रमाणैः शतैः संध्या पूर्वा तत्राभिधीयते । संध्यांशकश् च तत्तुल्यो युगस्यानन्तरो हि सः

tatpramāṇaiḥ śataiḥ saṁdhyā pūrvā tatrābhidhīyate saṁdhyāṁśakaś ca tattulyo yugasyānantaro hi saḥ

In proportion to that number, reckoned in hundreds, is what is called each age's preceding twilight (sandhya); and a closing portion (sandhyamsha) equal to it follows immediately after the age itself.

Verse 14 (vishnu.1.3.14)

संध्यासंध्यांशयोर् अन्तर् यः कालो मुनिसत्तम । युगाख्यः स तु विज्ञेयः कृतत्रेतादिसंज्ञितः

saṁdhyāsaṁdhyāṁśayor antar yaḥ kālo munisattama yugākhyaḥ sa tu vijñeyaḥ kṛtatretādisaṁjñitaḥ

O best of sages, the time that lies between the twilight and the closing twilight-portion is to be understood as the age itself, bearing the names Krita, Treta, and so on.

Verse 15 (vishnu.1.3.15)

कृतं त्रेता द्वापरश् च कलिश् चैव चतुर्युगम् । प्रोच्यते तत्सहस्रं च ब्रह्मणो दिवसं मुने

kṛtaṁ tretā dvāparaś ca kaliś caiva caturyugam procyate tatsahasraṁ ca brahmaṇo divasaṁ mune

Krita, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali — these together are called a Chaturyuga; and, O sage, a thousand such Chaturyugas are said to be a single day of Brahma.

Verse 16 (vishnu.1.3.16)

ब्रह्मणो दिवसे ब्रह्मन् मनवस् तु चतुर्दश । भवन्ति परिमाणं च तेषां कालकृतं शृणु

brahmaṇo divase brahman manavas tu caturdaśa bhavanti parimāṇaṁ ca teṣāṁ kālakṛtaṁ śṛṇu

O brahmin, in a single day of Brahma there are fourteen Manus; hear now the measure of their duration, as determined by time.

Verse 17 (vishnu.1.3.17)

सप्तर्षयः सुराः शक्रो मनुस् तत्सूनवो नृपाः । एककाले हि सृज्यन्ते संह्रियन्ते च पूर्ववत्

saptarṣayaḥ surāḥ śakro manus tatsūnavo nṛpāḥ ekakāle hi sṛjyante saṁhriyante ca pūrvavat

The Seven Sages, the gods, Indra, Manu, and his royal sons are all created at one and the same time, and are withdrawn again together, just as before.

Verse 18 (vishnu.1.3.18)

चतुर्युगाणां संख्याता साधिका ह्य् एकसप्ततिः । मन्वन्तरं मनोः कालः सुरादीनां च सत्तम

caturyugāṇāṁ saṁkhyātā sādhikā hy ekasaptatiḥ manvantaraṁ manoḥ kālaḥ surādīnāṁ ca sattama

Seventy-one Chaturyugas, and a little more, make up a Manvantara — the period of a Manu, O most excellent one, and likewise of the gods and the rest.

Verse 19 (vishnu.1.3.19)

अष्टौ शतसहस्राणि दिव्यया संख्यया स्मृतम् । द्वापञ्चाशत् तथान्यानि सहस्राण्य् अधिकानि तु

aṣṭau śatasahasrāṇi divyayā saṁkhyayā smṛtam dvāpañcāśat tathānyāni sahasrāṇy adhikāni tu

Eight hundred thousand, reckoned in divine years, is the count remembered; and beyond that, fifty-two thousand more.

Verse 20 (vishnu.1.3.20)

त्रिंशत्कोट्यस् तु संपूर्णाः संख्याताः संख्यया द्विज । सप्तषष्टिस् तथान्यानि नियुतानि महामुने

triṁśatkoṭyas tu saṁpūrṇāḥ saṁkhyātāḥ saṁkhyayā dvija saptaṣaṣṭis tathānyāni niyutāni mahāmune

O twice-born, thirty crores complete, so reckoned by number [in human years]; and, O great sage, besides that, sixty-seven lakhs more —

Verse 21 (vishnu.1.3.21)

विंशतिश् च सहस्राणि कालोऽयम् अधिकं विना । मन्वन्तरस्य संख्येयं मानुषैर् वत्सरैर् द्विज

viṁśatiś ca sahasrāṇi kālo 'yam adhikaṁ vinā manvantarasya saṁkhyeyaṁ mānuṣair vatsarair dvija

and twenty thousand — this, O twice-born, without the small additional fraction, is the reckoning of a Manvantara expressed in human years.

Verse 22 (vishnu.1.3.22)

चतुर्दशगुणो ह्य् एष कालो ब्राह्मम् अहः स्मृतम् । ब्राह्मो नैमित्तिको नाम तस्यान्ते प्रतिसंचरः

caturdaśaguṇo hy eṣa kālo brāhmam ahaḥ smṛtam brāhmo naimittiko nāma tasyānte pratisaṁcaraḥ

This period, multiplied fourteen times, is known as a day of Brahma; at its end occurs the dissolution called 'naimittika' (occasional), the dissolution belonging to Brahma.

Verse 23 (vishnu.1.3.23)

तदा हि दह्यते सर्वं त्रैलोक्यं भूर्भुवादिकम् । जनं प्रयान्ति तापार्ता महर्लोकनिवासिनः

tadā hi dahyate sarvaṁ trailokyaṁ bhūrbhuvādikam janaṁ prayānti tāpārtā maharlokanivāsinaḥ

At that time the entire triple world — Bhu, Bhuvah, and the rest — is consumed by fire, and the inhabitants of Maharloka, afflicted by the heat, depart to Janaloka.

Verse 24 (vishnu.1.3.24)

एकार्णवे तु त्रैलोक्ये ब्रह्मा नारायणात्मकः । भोगिशय्यागतः शेते त्रैलोक्यग्रासबृंहितः

ekārṇave tu trailokye brahmā nārāyaṇātmakaḥ bhogiśayyāgataḥ śete trailokyagrāsabṛṁhitaḥ

When the triple world has become a single ocean, Brahma, in the form of Narayana, having come to the serpent-couch, lies there, swollen with having swallowed the triple world.

Verse 25 (vishnu.1.3.25)

जनस्थैर् योगिभिर् देवश् चिन्त्यमानोऽब्जसंभवः । तत्प्रमाणां हि तां रात्रिं तदन्ते सृजते पुनः

janasthair yogibhir devaś cintyamāno 'bjasaṁbhavaḥ tatpramāṇāṁ hi tāṁ rātriṁ tadante sṛjate punaḥ

Meditated upon by the yogis dwelling in Janaloka, that lotus-born god, after passing a night of equal duration to the day, creates again at its end.

Verse 26 (vishnu.1.3.26)

एवं तु ब्रह्मणो वर्षम् एवं वर्षशतं च यत् । शतं हि तस्य वर्षाणां परमायुर् महात्मनः

evaṁ tu brahmaṇo varṣam evaṁ varṣaśataṁ ca yat śataṁ hi tasya varṣāṇāṁ paramāyur mahātmanaḥ

Thus is reckoned one year of Brahma — and, in the same way, a hundred such years; a hundred of his years is the supreme lifespan of that great being.

Verse 27 (vishnu.1.3.27)

एकम् अस्य व्यतीतं तु परार्धं ब्रह्मणोऽनघ । तस्यान्तेऽभून् महाकल्पः पाद्म इत्य् अभिविश्रुतः

ekam asya vyatītaṁ tu parārdhaṁ brahmaṇo 'nagha tasyānte 'bhūn mahākalpaḥ pādma ity abhiviśrutaḥ

O sinless one, one Parardha of Brahma's life has already passed; at the end of it there occurred the great Kalpa known by the celebrated name Padma.

Verse 28 (vishnu.1.3.28)

द्वितीयस्य परार्धस्य वर्तमानस्य वै द्विज । वाराह इति कल्पोऽयं प्रथमः परिकीर्तितः

dvitīyasya parārdhasya vartamānasya vai dvija vārāha iti kalpo 'yaṁ prathamaḥ parikīrtitaḥ

And now, O twice-born, in the second Parardha which is presently underway, this first Kalpa of it is proclaimed by the name Varaha.