Manvantara

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Everything is a cycle. The creation and destruction of universe is also a cyclic routine. It is said that the birth and expansion of universe is a process of 311.04 trillion yrs (maha-manvantara) and its destruction and non-existence also remains for the same period of time.

I studied many articles on internet about the Hindu calendar out of my sheer interest and I was really stunned at how we have been so perfect about these scientific calculations during age old times. I got to learn so many things and finally realized that what I'm searching for is an ocean and what I got to know are just droplets.

As per Hindu calendar, the time related calculations are based on the age of Brahma.

Age of Brahma

Brahma lifespan = 100 Brahma years = 1 maha kalpa = 1 para
His half lifespan i.e. 50yrs is one Paraardha (i.e. Para ardha. Ardha means half), and second 50 yrs is another paraardha.
After 100 Brahma yrs, another 100 Brahma yrs will pass till new Brahma is born.


1 Brahma year has 12 brahma months.
1 brahma month has 30 brahma days(daytime+nighttime)
1 brahma day has 2 kalpas. (i.e. 1 kalpa=daytime, called Adhi and 1 kalpa=nighttime, called sandhi wherein earth and all lifeforms are in state of rest due to destruction by Lord Shiva. Also called Pralaya wherein the world {earth and all life forms, but not the entire universe itself} is destroyed and lies in a state of rest)

 1 kalpa = 1000 Mahayugas = 14 manvantaras

1 manvantara = 71 mahayugas. (each manvantara is ruled by a Manu who is created by brahma)

1 mahayuga = 4 yugas.

But, we said 1 kalpa =14 manvantaras =1000 mahayugas. And 1 manvantara = 71 mahayugas. Whereas, 14x71 = 994 mahayuga only. what abt remaining 6? We will come to this question later.


We said 1 mahayuga= 4 yugas. They are:
1. Satya yuga
2. Treta yuga
3. Dwapar yuga
4. Kali yuga

If Kali yuga has 'X' number of years, then Dwapar yuga = 2X, Treta yuga = 3X and Satya Yuga = 4X.
This 'X' is called Karana, which is equal to 4,32,000 human years.

1,728,000 human years = 1 Satya Yuga = 4X
1,296,000 human years = 1 Tretā Yuga = 3X
8,64,000 human years = 1 Dvāpara Yuga = 2X
4,32,000 human years = 1 Kali Yuga = 1X

 Coming back to the question: 14x71 = 994 mahayuga only. what abt remaining 6?
Answer: each manvantara is followed by one sandhi kaal = 4X (during this time entire earth submerged in water). This gives 14 sandhi kaal. We need to count one Sandhi kaal before the first manvantara. So it gives 14+1 = 15 sandhi kaals = 15 x 4X = 60X = 6 x 10X = 6 x (4X+3X+2X+X). This time equals 6 Mahayugas.

Hence,
1 kalpa = 14 Manvantaras = {14 x (71 mahayugas)} + {(15 x 4X)} = {14 x (71 mahayugas)} + {6 Mahayugas} = 994+ 6 mahayugas = 1000 mahayugas.

Now to understand details of mahayuga (satyayug+tretayug+dwaparyug+kaliyug), we need to understand the Age of Devas, Age of Pitru (i.e.age of our ancestors) and how they are related to Age of a Human Being.

Age of Pitru

Our Pitrus(ancestors) reside in Pitru Lok. Pitru Lok is like a different planetary system wherein 3 generations of our ancestors reside.
In Pitrulok, 1 complete Pitru day(daytime+nighttime) = 30 complete human days.
So 15 human days is daytime for Pitru and another 15 human days is nighttime for Pitru.
So, 1 Pitru day = 1 Human month

Pitru daytime = 15 human days = New Moon to Full moon
This is called Shukla Paksha. During this period moon gets brighter. This is daytime for Pitrus/ancestors.
We have named these 15 days as below:
1. New Moon/Prathama ==> 2.  dwitiya ==> 3. tritiya ==> 4. chathurthi ==> 5. panchami ==> 6. shashti ==> 7. Saptami ==> 8. ashtami ==> 9. navami ==> 10. dashami ==>11. ekadashi ==> 12. dwadashi ==> 13. thrayodashi ==> 14. chathurdashi  ==> 15. Pournami or Poornima or Full moon.

Pitru nighttime = 15 human days = Full moon to new moon
This is called Krishna Paksha. During this period moon gets darker. This is nighttime for Pitrus/ancestors.
[1. Full moon/Prathama  ==> 2.  dwitiya ==> 3. tritiya ==> 4. chathurthi ==> 5. panchami ==> 6. shashti ==> 7. Saptami ==> 8. ashtami ==> 9. navami ==> 10. dashami ==>11. ekadashi ==> 12. dwadashi ==> 13. thrayodashi ==> 14. chathurdashi  ==> 15. Amavasya or new moon]

Hence,
1 human day  = 24 hrs
1 complete day of Pitru = 30 human days
Lifespan of Pitru = 100 Pitru years = 100 x (12 pitru months) = 100 x (12 x {30 pitru days}) = 100 x (12 x {30 x 30 human days}) = 100 x (30 x {12 x 30 human days}) i.e. reshuffling= 100 x (30 x 1 human year) = 3000 human years
Hence, Lifespan of Pitru = 3000 human years

It is said that in Pitru Lok, ancestors will suffer from thirst and hunger.  That is why we perform Tarpan and Shraadhdha to give them relief.
In Tarpan, water is offered. Tarpan is performed every ammavasya, which comes once in a human month, i.e. once in one Pitru day.
 In Shraadhdha food is offered. Shraadhdha is performed once in a human year, i.e. once in 12 human months i..e once in 12 pitru days. It is said that Pitrus accept it in form of birds or through the bodies of Brahmanas who are invited and offered food.



DevaLok (where Devatas reside)

Devalok is another planetary system where devatas reside.

1 aho for Devata = 6 human months wherein sun travels south to north (Uttaraayana)
1 raatre for Devata = 6 human months wherein sun travels north to south (Dakshinaayana)

Aayana means journey/dwelling.  Uttar means north and dakshin means south. It takes 6 months for Sun to move from South to North. This is called Uttaraayana. And it takes 6 months for Sun to move North to South. This is called Dakshinaayana.

Hence,
1 ahoraatram for Deva = 1 human year = 2 Aayana
1 year for Deva (called divine year) = 360 ahoraatram = 360 human years
Lifespan of Deva = 12,000 divine years = 12,000 x 360 human years = 4,320,000 human years = 1 Mahayuga.



Currently,
We are in 51st year of Brahma, i.e. second paraardha.
In that, we are in 1st day or 1st kalpa called shwetha varaha kalpa.
In that 7th Manvantara called vaivaswatha or sraadhadeva.
In that 28th mahayuga, in that Kaliyuga which began in 3102 BC.

so 3102 bc + 2015ad = 5117 years have elapsed in current kaliyuga. Still 4,26,983 yrs remain.

In kaliyuga, we are in prathama paada.

During Brahma's daytime, he appoints 14 Manus. Each Manvantara is created and ruled by a specific Manu. Manu creates the world, and all its species during that period of time, each Manvantara lasts the lifetime of a Manu, upon whose death, the next Manu continues the cycle of Creation or Shristi. Vishnu on his part takes Avatar to protect the world, and also a new Indra and Saptarishis are appointed.

After 14 manus, comes Brahma's nighttime and shiva destroys. Again when daytime arrives Brahma appoints 14 manus...goes on...

1 Maha Yuga consists of 4 yugas (satya+treta+dwapar+kali yuga)

400 + 4,000 + 400 = 4,800 divine years (= 1,728,000 human years) = 1 Satya Yuga = 4X
300 + 3,000 + 300 = 3,600 divine years (= 1,296,000 human years) = 1 Tretā Yuga = 3X
200 + 2,000 + 200 = 2,400 divine years (= 864,000 human years) = 1 Dvāpara Yuga = 2X
100 + 1,000 + 100 = 1,200 divine years (= 432,000 human years) = 1 Kali Yuga = 1X

1 kalpa = 14 Manvantaras = 14 x (71 mahayugas) + (15x4X) = 994 + (15x4800 divine yrs) = 994+ (72,000 divine yrs) = 994+(6x12000divine yrs) = 994+ 6 = 1000.

X is called Kaarana.
total = 4800 + 3600+ 2400 + 1200 = 12,000 divine yrs = 4,32,000 human r solar yrs = 4.32 million solar yrs


We hear so many words in sanskrit like muhurta, tithi,paksha etc. Each and everything is related to scientific time calculations.


Muhurta - 48min. (30 muhurtas = 24hrs)
Tithi - time period in which the longitudinal angle between the sun and moon increases by 12 degree.
[Tithis begin at varying times of day and vary in duration from approximately 19 to approximately 26 hours]
Aho - period during which sun is visible on earth (daytime)
raatri - period during which sun is not visible on earth  (nighttime)
Ahoraatram - one complete day (daytime+nighttime)
Paksha - 15 ahoraatram
Masa - month = 30 days = 2 pakshas (krishnapaksha+shuklapaksha)
ritu - season = 2 months
Ayana - 6 months = 3 ritu/6 months
Samvatsara - 1 yr = 2 ayana (uttar ayana + dakshin ayana)


A Hindu muhurta (moment) can be represented in five attributes of Hindu astronomy namely,
1.  vara the weekday,
2.   tithi,
3.   nakshatra the Moon's asterism,
4.  yoga the angular relationship between Sun and Moon and
5.   karana half of tithi.

Now dont think that these details on Kalpa and Manvantara seem funny. Hinduism explains facts through stories and characters so that even a layman can understand. If I go and tell a layman that there is a constellation out there wherein unlike earth which rotates in 24hrs and revolves sun in 365 days, there are planetary objects which have a different Sun with different rotation/revolution time and hence has a daytime of 6 months and nighttime of 6 months, his head will start revolving. We have personified earth as Bhoomadevi, Sun as SuryaDev, Moon as Chandra Dev. Similarly by PitruLok and Devlok we refer to some planetary system. As per science we say even Sun has its own life and will die down slowly in trillions of years. And from Hinduism what i understand is all Gods and deities are nothing but some planetary or cosmic forces which control the lives not only on earth but may be also on other planets in some unknown, far-off galaxy. Brahma is the Universe..may be bing bang theory is his law of creation. Vishnu is the forces residing within which try to balance each other so that the Brahmand stays alive and Shiva the destructive force which does not mean that he ends everything..but he replenishes for a new beginning.

Go, Kiss the World!

Please read this inspiring speech by Subroto Bagchi, CEO mindtree given at IIM, Bangalore 2008.

http://subrotobagchi.mindtree.com/iim-bangalore-speech/

Impressive lines:

"To me, the lesson was significant – you treat small people with more respect than how you treat big people. It is more important to respect your subordinates than your superiors."

"He used to say, “You should leave your newspaper and your toilet, the way you expect to find it”. That lesson was about showing consideration to others. Business begins and ends with that simple precept."

 “I have to create a bloom in a desert and whenever I am given a new place, I must leave it more beautiful than what I had inherited”.

"It is not about what you create for yourself, it is what you leave behind that defines success."

" If we can imagine a future, we can create it, if we can create that future, others will live in it. That is the essence of success."

"To me, success is about the sense of independence; it is about not seeing the world but seeing the light."

"Success to me is about Vision......It is about giving back more to life than you take out of it. It is about creating extra-ordinary success with ordinary lives."

Ancient Indian Scholars

Acharya Kanad- 600 BCE - atomic theory

Born in Prabhas Kshetra near Dwarika in Gujarat, India, he proposed the existence of atoms/molecules - he also stated that Anu can have 2 states - absolute rest and state of motion. It is believed that John Dalton in 1803 proposed the atomic theory,but Kanad revelaed this 2600 yrs ago.

Bhaskaracharya - 1114-1183 BCE - law of gravity


Born in jalgaon, maharashtra, he was the first to propose law of gravity 500 yrs before Newton. In Surya Siddhanta - he stated the law of gravity, also calculated time taken by earth to orbit the sun - 365.258756484 days. He was also a genius in maths and he recorded his mathematical works in book called Lilavati, bijaganita. In his book siddhanta shiromani - he wrote about position of planets, eclipse, cosmography, mathematical technique and astronomical equipments.

Acharya Charak - 600 BCE - Father of medicine

In book Charak Samhita -mentions about human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, blood circulation, diseases like diabetes, TB, heart diseases, etc. Has mentioned functions of 1,00,000 herbal plants, corelation between spirituality and physical health, ethical character for medical practioners what we call oath today.


Sage Bharadwaj - 800 BCE - Aviation

In book Vymaanika Shaastra (4th century BC text)  mentioned operation of ancient vimaanas, information on steering, precautions for long flights, protection of airships from storms and lightning, how to switch the drive to solar energy. Vimaanas were said to take off vertically.
He has described three categories of flying machines: 1.) One that flies on earth from one place to another. 2.) One that travels from one planet to another. 3.) And One that travels from one universe to another


Sage Kanva -Treta Yuga -  Science of wind

In Rigveda, in Jagati meter of God Wind, in Pavamana Soma in meter Gayatri, he has explained the science of wind. He looked after Shakuntala when she was abandoned by her parents(Vishwamitra), and also he took care of her son Bharat.

Kapil Muni - 3000 BCE - cosmology

In book Sankhya Darshan - defined dhyaan or state of mind or meditation. He stated principles of the ultimate Soul (Purusha), primal matter (Prakruti) and creation. His concept of transformation of energy and profound commentaries on atma, non-atma and the subtle elements of the cosmos, makes him father of cosmology.

Acharya Patanjali -200 BCE -  father of yoga

Born in district Gonda in UP, taught how to control breath to control body,mind and soul.  Acharya Patanjali's 84 yogic postures effectively enhance the efficiency of the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, digestive and endocrine systems and many other organs of the body. Yoga has eight limbs where Acharya Patanjali shows the attainment of the ultimate bliss of God in samadhi through the disciplines of: yam, niyam, asan, pranayam, pratyahar, dhyan and dharna. The Science of Yoga has gained popularity because of its scientific approach and benefits. Yoga also holds the honored place as one of six philosophies in the Indian philosophical system. Acharya Patanjali will forever be remembered and revered as a pioneer in the science of self-discipline, happiness and self-realization.


Aryabhatt - 476 CE - master astronomer and mathematician

Born in Kusumpur,Bihar,  in Aryabhatiyam he has stated motion of planets, time of eclipse, stated earth is round, rotates on its axis, revolves the sun ans id suspended in space 1000 years before Copernicus published his heliocentric theory. He is also acknowledged for calculating p (Pi) to four decimal places: 3.1416 and the sine table in trigonometry. Centuries later, in 825 CE, the Arab mathematician, Mohammed Ibna Musa credited the value of Pi to the Indians, "This value has been given by the Hindus." And above all, his most spectacular contribution was the concept of zero without which modern computer technology would have been non-existent.


Acharya Sushruta - 600 BCE - father of surgery

Son of Sage Vishwamitra, he has described cesaerean, cataract, artificial limbs, rhinoplasty(nose), fractures, urinary stone, cosmetic surgery, dislocations, etc. in his book Sushruta Samhita - 300 surgical procedures and 125 instruments.

Varahamihira - 499-587 CE- astrology

Renowned astrologer and astronomer who was honored with a special decoration and status as one of the nine gems in the court of King Vikramaditya in Avanti (Ujjain). In his book pancha siddhant - he described moon and planets are not lustrous because of their own light, but due to sunlight. In bruhad samhita , bruhad Jatak, revealed discovery in domain of geography, botany and animal science. Presented cures for diseases afflicting many plants and trees.

Nagarjuna - 100 CE - chemistry

He was an extraordinary wizard of science born in the nondescript village of Baluka in Madhya Pradesh. His dedicated research for twelve years produced maiden discoveries and inventions in the faculties of chemistry and metallurgy. Textual masterpieces like "Ras Ratnakar," "Rashrudaya" and "Rasendramangal" are his renowned contributions to the science of chemistry. Where the medieval alchemists of England failed, Nagarjuna had discovered the alchemy of transmuting base metals into gold. As the author of medical books like "Arogyamanjari" and "Yogasar," he also made significant contributions to the field of curative medicine. Because of his profound scholarliness and versatile knowledge, he was appointed as Chancellor of the famous University of Nalanda.