hinduonline.co/FactsAboutHinduism/ConceptOfTime
Hinduism, time (Kala) is viewed as eternal, cyclic, and grand in scale, characterized by endless cycles of creation, preservation, and dissolution. It is not strictly linear but moves in a "wheel of time" (Kalachakra) consisting of four repeating ages (yugas)—Satya, Treta, Dvapara, and Kali—representing a decline in virtue, totaling 4.32 million years per cycle.
Key Aspects of Hindu Time Conception:
Cyclical Time: The universe goes through repetitive cycles of manifestation and destruction. A complete cycle involves four yugas, with each subsequent age suffering from greater decay than the previous.
The Yuga Cycle:
Satya Yuga (Golden Age): 1,728,000 years, characterized by virtue and truth.
Treta Yuga: 1,296,000 years.
Dvapara Yuga: 864,000 years.
Kali Yuga (Current Age): 432,000 years, known as the age of decline and quarrel.
Cosmic Time (Brahma's Life):
1 Mahayuga: Total of all 4 yugas
1 Kalpa (Day of Brahma):
1 Kalpa Night: Brahma sleeps for an equal length, leading to partial dissolution.
1 Life of Brahma:
years of Brahma, comprising
trillion billion human years, ending in total destruction (Mahapralaya).
Time's Nature:
Time is seen as a manifestation of the Divine (Shiva), serving as a catalyst for life and cosmic processes, often surpassing gods in its ultimate authority.
Units of Time:
Hindu scriptures define time ranging from infinitesimal to cosmic.
Truti: th of a second.
Alpakala: Time taken by a needle to pierce a lotus leaf.
Nimisha: A blink of an eye.
Significance:
This immense perspective highlights the transience of material existence and encourages spiritual progression towards Moksha (liberation) to escape this endless wheel.