Sanātana Dharma—the “eternal way”—does not see time as a straight line marching from past to future, but as Kāla (कालः, Time): the sacred pulse pervading all creation. Time is cyclical, flowing like the tides, rising and falling in magnificent rhythms of creation, preservation, and dissolution.
This vision, preserved in the Vedas, Purāṇas, and other texts, reveals a universe woven together by cycles—ranging from the blink of an eye to the lifespan of the cosmos itself.
From Nimēṣa to Kalpa: The Architecture of Time
The Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.3.8) and Manusmriti (1.64) beautifully describes how even a single day is composed of nested rhythms of time:
“Eighteen nimishas make a kāṣṭhā, thirty kāṣṭhās one kalā, thirty kalās one muhūrta, and thirty muhūrtas one day and night.”
| Sanskrit Unit | IAST | Modern Equivalent | Notes |
| निमेष | nimēṣa | ~Blink (~0.2s) | Smallest perceptible unit |
| 18 nimēṣa | kāṣṭhā | ~3s | |
| 30 kāṣṭhā | kalā | ~1.5 min | Ancient “minute” |
| 30 kalā | muhūrta | ~48 min | Ancient “hour” |
| 30 muhūrta | ahorātra | 1 day & night (24h) | Earthly day |
Even the blink of an eye (nimēṣa) is part of the Divine dance of time.
Perspective: Our lives are but a nimēṣa in cosmic time, yet spiritually priceless.
Yugas – The Grand Ages of Dharma
Human history unfolds through four repeating Yugas (ages), each marking the decline of Dharma (cosmic order).
This cycle of four Yugas (Ages) viz. Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali runs in this order on the earth for the sake of created beings.
– Bhāgavata Purāṇa (12.2.39):
| Yuga | Divine Years | Human Years | Dharma’s Strength | Typical Lifespan |
| Satya Yuga (Kṛta) | 4,800 | 1,728,000 | Dharma on 4 legs (perfect) | 100,000 yrs |
| Tretā Yuga | 3,600 | 1,296,000 | Dharma on 3 legs | 10,000 yrs |
| Dvāpara Yuga | 2,400 | 864,000 | Dharma on 2 legs | 1,000 yrs |
| Kali Yuga | 1,200 | 432,000 | Dharma on 1 leg (weakest) | 100 yrs |
“In Kali Yuga, wealth alone will be considered the sign of good birth, behavior, and virtue… Dharma will stand on one leg.”
– Bhāgavata Purāṇa (12.2.2):
We are now in Kali Yuga, which began in 3102 BCE, soon after the departure of Lord Krishna.
Mahāyuga and Manvantara – Spirals Within Spirals
- A full cycle of the four Yugas = 1 Mahāyuga = 4.32 million years.
- 71 Mahāyugas = 1 Manvantara, the reign of a cosmic progenitor called Manu.
- 14 Manvantaras make up a single Kalpa (a day of Brahmā).
“A Manu, the son of Brahmā, rules for seventy-one cycles of the four Yugas, and then another Manu takes his place.”
– Manusmriti 1.79
Which Manvantara Are We In?
We are currently in the 7th Manvantara: the reign of Vaivasvata Manu (the son of Vivasvān, the Sun God).
- He is the Manu of the present age and the ancestor of humanity.
- The story of Vaivasvata Manu parallels the great flood, where he was saved by Lord Viṣṇu in the form of Matsya (the Fish).
Thus, our present timeline is:
Kali Yuga → 28th Mahāyuga of Vaivasvata Manvantara → 7th Manvantara of this Kalpa.
Kalpa – The Day of Brahmā
A Kalpa = 1 day of Brahmā = 1,000 Mahāyugas (4.32 billion years).
| Measure | Duration (Human Years) |
| 1 Kalpa (Brahmā’s day) | 4.32 billion |
| 1 Night of Brahmā | 4.32 billion |
| 1 Year of Brahmā (360 days) | 3.11 trillion |
| Lifespan of Brahmā (100 years) | 311 trillion |
“A thousand cycles of the four Yugas is said to be a day of Brahmā, and the same length is his night.”
– Bhagavata Purana 3.11.22
At the end of Brahmā’s life, even he dissolves into the Absolute, Brahman.
Beyond Time: Paramakāla – The Supreme Time
Sanātana Dharma insists that Kāla is not merely a measure but a Divine force.
“Kālo’smi loka-kṣhaya-kṛit pravṛiddho”
“I am Time, the great destroyer of worlds.”
– Bhagavad Gita 11.32
Here, Kāla is revealed as the eternal agency of the Divine—at once the creator, preserver, and destroyer. Hope: Even in Kali Yuga, the Purāṇas promise that bhakti (devotion) is the most effective path to liberation.
Closing Thought
Every blink, every lifetime, every Yuga is but a wave in the infinite ocean of Kāla. To live with this awareness is to live with humility, wonder, and devotion—anchored not in fear of time’s passing, but in the eternal rhythm of the Divine.
References
- Bhagavad Gītā 11.32
- Vishnu Purāṇa (Book 1, Chapter 3)
- Defines the length of each Yuga (Satya, Treta, Dvāpara, Kali) and explains the concept of Mahāyuga and Kalpa.
- Śrīmad Bhāgavata Purāṇa (Canto 3, Chapter 11)
- Detailed description of cosmic time divisions, from the smallest units (nimeṣa, muhūrta) to the vast cycles of Yugas, Manvantaras, and Kalpas.
- Manusmṛti (Chapter 1)
- Describes the four Yugas, their durations, and the decline of Dharma in each successive age.
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