Section 8 Ancient Measures & Calendar
Contents
8.1 Number System
8.2 Measures Length / Land Gold
8.3 Size of Infantry
8.4 Divine Calendar (Yugas)
8.5 Calendar
General
Tamil
Months / Sankranti
Days / Hours
Time
Sankalpa
8.1 Number System
Powers Of Ten (decimal system)
1. 10.ⁿ1 10 dasam ten (sankam)
2. 10.ⁿ² 100 satam hundred (padmam)
3. 10.ⁿ³ 1000 sahasram thousand
4. 10.ⁿ4 10,000 aytam ten thousand
5. 10.ⁿ5 100,000 niyutam lakh
6. 10.ⁿ6 1000,000 prayutam ten lakhs (one Million)
7. 10.ⁿ7 10,000,000 one crore
arvardam/arbudam
8. 10.ⁿ8 100,000,000 ten crore
niyurvadam/nyarbuda
9. 10.ⁿ9 1000,000,000 hundred crore (one Billion)
vrindam/samudra
10. 10.ⁿ10 10,000,000,000 param/madya ten Billion
11. 10.ⁿ11 100,000,000,000; karvam/anta hundred Billion
12. 10.ⁿ12 1000,000,000,000 nikharvam/paraardha Trillion
13. 10.ⁿ15 Samudram
14. 10.ⁿ16 ; Madyamam
15. 10.ⁿ17 ; Para-ardha
8.2 msit Measures
8.2.1 Length / Land Measure
10 Parama Anu
10 Para Sukshamam
10 Tresara Anu
10 Doosi (dust particle)
10 Hair size
10 Likhye
10 Yuvadhara
10 Grain of Barley (1 inch )
6 Finger (1inch)
2 Padam
2 Vitasti
4 Hasta ( cubit )
2000 Dhanu ( Danda )
4 Gavyati Yojana
24 Fingers Hand
4 Hands Dandam
2000 Dandam Krosam
4 Krosam Yojana
8.2.2 Gold Measure
Sun Ray through Window
Tresa Anu
8 Lisa
3 Raja sarshabam
3 gauri
6 Yavam
3 Madhyam
5 Krishnalam
5 Masham
16 Swarnam
4 or 5 Palam (Nishkan)
20 Cowri Kagini
4 Panam
16 Dram
16 Nishkan
* used for currency valuation.
8.3 Ancient Army
1 chariot , elephant, horse , foot soldier
1 Pathi
1 Sena mukham
1 Kulmam
1 Vahini
1 Pruthanai
1 Samuh
1 Anikini
Akshouhini
21, 870 Chariots
21, 870 Elephants
65, 610 Horses
109, 350 Foot soldiers
218, 700
8.4 Yugas (Divine Calendar )
• Human Life span
100 Years ( 360 day &night )
• Devas
1 Day = 1 Man Year
day 6 months (Uttarayanam)
6 months (Dakshinayanam)
1 Year = 360 Man Years
(360 Days)
• 1 12,000 = 43,20,000 Yuga Chatur Yuga Deva Years Man Years
periods/Yuga Satya/Kruta Treta Dwapara Kali
Sandhya 400 300 200 100
Yuga 4000 3000 2000 1000
Sandhyamsam 400 300 200 100
12,000 4800 3600 2400 1200
Total Deva Years)
Avatars Matsya etc. Rama Krishna Kalki
Animal forms Human forms
Kali Yuga began on 20th Feb., 3102 BC (14 hours 27.30 min.)
Present (2004) 5106 years have elapsed
• Brahma
Brahma was the first entity to be created by the Supreme GOD, who in turn created the rest of the Universe
1 = 1000 4320 million years Day or Night Chaturyugas (Devas ) (Human)
1 2000 Day (including night) Chaturyugas (Devas )
= 100 ( 100 x 360 x 2000 Life span Brahma Years Chaturyugas (Devas )
Brahma’s life span is divided into two halves, called Kalpa or Para-Ardha
1st half is known as Padma Kalpa, creation started with Lotus (Padma)
2nd half is knowm as Sweta Varaha Kalpa, creation started from Varaha (Boar)
• Manu (Ruler of Manvantara)
1 Day of Brahma (when he is awake and does creation) is divided into 14 periods called Manvantaras, each ruled by a Manu.
1000/14 = 71.4 Life span Manvantaram) Chatur Yugas (Devas)
1 Day (including night) Years (Devas)
14 10 Fortnight Days (Manu)
1 10 Month Fortnights (Manu)
1 12 Season Months (Manu)
1 6 1Year Seasons (Manu)
• 60 khjq;fs; = xU tU\k; = 1 a[fk;
Months Year Yuga
• 60 = 5 cycles = 1 Years of 12 years year of Jupiter (years are of 5 types or cycles)
• Present Manu is Vaivastya Manu
Pralaya (Dissolution)
1. Nitya Pralaya (daily occurence of deaths)
2. Naimittika Pralaya : takes place when Brahma goes to sleep. 3 lokas (Bhu, Bhuvar,Suvar lokas) get destroyed due to heat and are surrounded by water. Residents ofMaharloka migrate to Janaloka to escape the heat; the loka is not destroyed. The threeLokas (7 dweepas etc.) are created again when Brahma wakesup,
3. Mahapralaya takes place at the end of Brahma’s life span. All 7 lokas get absorbed in The Supreme GOD.
8.5 Calender
8.5.1 Calendar - General
Panchangam (Almanac) is a table detailing days, months, seasons etc.
English system / Solar system is based on the movement of Sun in various Zodiac signs (Lagna).
Indian system / Lunar system is based on the movement of Moon (Rasi).
60 seconds = 1 minute;
60 minutes = 1 hour
24 hours = 1 day
7 days =11 week
4 + weeks = 1 month
52 weeks = 1 year
12 months = 1 year
365 days = 1 year
31 days a month – Jan, ,March, May, July, Aug, Oct, Dec 7 months = 304 days
30 days a month – Apr, Jun, Sep, Nov 4 months = 120 days
28 days (29 days in leap year ) - Feb 1 month = 28 or 29
Total days = 365/366
Leap Year (bissextile) the correct revolution of earth around Sun is approx. 365 1/4 days not 365 days. Therefore, corrections are applied as under :
Non-Centuries 1 day added to Feb, every 4 years (i.e. year / 4)
Centuries 1 day added to Feb. every 400 years not 100 years (i.e. year / 400)
( 1900 is not a leap year since it is not divisible by 400 )
Leap Sundays mean 5 Sundays in Feb, ( viz 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 )
8.5.2 Tamil Calendars
Panchangam (Almanac) gives information on the following 5 aspects
• day of the week
• phase of moon
• star
• karanam
• yogam
1. 365 ehl;fs; Souramanam (Sun based)
2. 354 days Chandrmanam (Moon based)
3. 331 days Barhaspathyamanam
4. 368 days Savanam
5. Nakshatramanam
The Panchangam is based on the lunar movements ( app. 30 days in a month )
Types of Years
1. Samvatsaram
2. Parivatsaram
3. Indvatsaram
4. Amuvatsaram
5. Utharavatsaram
• They form a cycle of 60 years
• Likewise, months are of 4 types
60 Years in one cycle
12 Months
Tithi (phase of moon) 1 to 14 + New Moon/Full Moon
7 Days
27 Stars
6 Seasons
2 Half years (phase of Sun)
Mo ( Jan. to July )
( July to Jan. )
8.5.3 Months, Rasi & Sankranti
It is the transit of Sun from one Rasi (Moon sign ) to another in the Solar based calendar.
They are of 4 types
1
Vishupadam Vaikasi - virushabam
Avani Simham
Karthikai- viruchikam
Masi - kumbam
2
Shadseeti Aani - mitunam
purattasi - kanni
Margazi - dhanus
Panguni- meenam
Sunrise and Sunset timings vary according to place and season. The details are given in Panchanga (Almanac). Day ( sunrise to sunset) or night is divided into 5 intervals :
Sunrise
1. Morning Prathah
2. Fore Noon Sangamam
3. Mid day Madhyahnam
4. After noon Aparahnam
5. Evening Sayaharam
Sunset
Night
Each interval spans 3 Muhurtam ( 3*2 = 6 Nazhi = 2hours 24 minutes)
• Day or Night = 12 hours = 4 Prahar (intervals) of 3 hours each.
• Brahma Muhurtam is the last Prahar of night, before sunrise.
It is considered to be the most favouable period for one’s development.
Hence, saints and sadhakas rise early and perform their meditation during this period.
________________________________________Sunrise_____________
/ / / /
3 AM 4 5 6 AM
/
----24 M-------24 M-----
/ / /
5 36 6 00 6 24 AM
Pratah (morning) Sandhya
Sandhya period is the interval of change, each of 1 Muhurtam (48 Minutes) duration
1. Sunrise East Pratah Sandhya
2. Midday Above Madhyanikam
3. Evening West Sayam Sandhya
8.5.4.2 Day of the Week
Day Tamil Planet
Sunday Bhanu Sun
Monday Indu Moon
Tuesday Bauma Mars
Wednesday Sowmya Mercury
Thursday Guru Jupiter
Friday Bhrigu Venus
Saturday Sthira Saturn
8.5.5 Time
Day starts at 0600 A.M., adjusted to sunrise timings, and ends at 0600 A.M. next day.
1 blink of eyelid = 1 Nimisha
15 Nimisha 1 Kashta
30 Kashta 1 Kalai
20 Kalai = 1 Nadi
2 Nadi 1 Nimisham
30 Kalai 48 minutes ) Muhurtam
30 Muhurtam Day (incl night)
Eng. Time Tamil Time Eng. Time Tamil time
6 AM 00 ehHp 19 hrs 32.1/2 ehHp
7 2.1/2 20 35
8 5 21 37.1/2
9 7.1/2 22 40
10 10 23 42.1/2
11 12.1/2 24/00 Night 45
12 Noon 15.00 01 47.1/2
13 17.1/2 02 50
14 20 03 52.1/2
15 22.1/2 04 55
16 25 05 57.1/2
17 27.1/2 06 60
18 30
8.5.6 Sankalpa
(Period & Location)
• Dwitiya Pararthe ( second half of Brahma’s life)
• Sweta Varaha Kalpe
• Vaivasvata Manvantare
• Kali Yuge
• Pratame Padhe
• Jambhu Dweepe
• Bharat Varshe
• Bharata Kande
• Dakshine, Parsave Sahapte
• Sashtya Samvatsaranam
(Specific Day of Ritual ) e.g. Sunday 1st August 2004
• samvatsara type
• southern movement of Sun
• summer
• July-Aug
• dark fortnight ( waning of moon )
• Ist day after new moon
• sunday
• Sravana star
-- E -- N -- D --
Prepared, edited by R.Jagannathan & R. Devanathan
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