Chapter 13: Analysis of Atom and Time

Mahatatva and Ten Creations having been described, Sage Maithreya proceeded to analyse the Concepts of Atom and Time to Vidura. An atom is the ‘Paramanu’ or the ultimate unit of Matter and this unit is indivisible further. The Matter comprising definable units of the atom goes into the creation of various bodies and the totality of such Material spreading over the Universe is measurable in terms of Space. The sum of Space occupied and the Movement of the Matter totals up to the Atomic Time. Thus the Matter, Space and Time are measurable. The Time Units are  measured in terms of Trasarenus (a mix of three celestial atoms)  and  the duration of integrating three trasarenus is known is a ‘triti’; hundred tritis make one ‘vedha’ and three vedhas make one ’lava’, three lavas make one ‘nimesha’ or a blink, three nimeshas make one ‘kshana’, five nimeshas make one ‘kashtha’ or eight seconds and fifteen kasthas make one ‘laghu’( two minutes); fifteen laghus make one ‘nadika’ or ‘Danda’ and  six or seven Dandas make one fourth of a day or night; there are four ‘praharas’ (‘Yamas’) each in a day and in a night; and two fortnights, called ‘Pakshas’ and two pakshas on a month;

two months each a season, and six months make one ‘Ayanam’ or two complete movements of a year by Sun- as ‘Dakshinayan’ from top to bottom and from bottom to top direction is known as ‘Urttarayan’.Combination of a day and night , numbering 365, makes a year to human beings and their average life-time is one hundred years. On the other hand two solar movements a year of the humans beings measures up to a day and a night to demi-Gods.[ According to Vishnu Purana-Book I, Chapter III on Time Measurement Section, there are 15 twinkles of an eye make one Kashtha; 30 Kashthas one Kala; 30 Kalas one Muhurtha; 30 Muhurthas one Day (24 hours) and so on. According to Hindu Metric System Time (Kala vyavahara), a Paramanu is the normal interval time of blinking ie.four seconds; one Vighati is six Paramanus or 24 seconds approx. ; one Ghadia is 60 Vighatis or 24 minutes; one Muhurtham is two Ghadias or 48 minutes; one Nakshatra Aho- Ratram ( Dawn to Midnight) is 30 Muhurthas. According to Lunar Metrics, a Lunar day or Thithi starts at the time it takes at  the longitudinal angle  between Moon and Sun by 12 degrees, the duration approximating from 19 to 26 hours; a Paksha ( fortnight) about 15 days and a lunar month of 29.5 days providing time for Sukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha; A season or Rithu for 2 months, Ayanam for 3 Rithus and a year for 2 Ayanams.]