Beginning of universe and Concept of God -The Division Earth Time

Division of Earth time-

Name of the division	Duration in Human year	Remarks
Truti	One twinkle of an eye
Tatpara	100 trutis
Nimesha	30 tatpara
Kastha	30 nimeshas
Kala	30 kasthas
Muhurata	30 kalas	Approx 45-50 minutes
Ahoratra	30 muhurtas	Day and night
Masa	30 days	One lunar month
Paksha	15 days	One half of lunar month
Ayan	Six months or half year	Uttaryana is the day of Demigods and Daskhinayana their night
Divine year	360 years	One year of Demigods
Charna or one chatur yuga	432,000 years	Duration of earth. Length of the feet of time (kala)

            The Indian calendar are based on both sun and moon; it uses a solar year but divides it into 12 lunar months . In this calendar, season follows Sun, months follow Moon , and days follow both. To help the lunar months coincide with the solar year the practice of inserting an extra month called the Adhik Maas, arose which is inserted every 30 months ,since 60 months =62 months. They are calculated using the difference of the longitudinal angle between the position of sun and moon. Because of this, the Tithi may or may not have changed by the time the day has changed and this is why sometimes it Tithi is omitted ,and at others , two consecutive days share the same.

 This 24 hours period is also divided into an overlapping division call the” Praher”. Each 12 hour period has four Praher, each there by dividing one rotation of earth into 08 equal parts. 15 unit of Divas- Ratri forms a fortnight or a “Pakash”. The bright waxing Moon fortnight is called Shukla Paksh and the dark waning moon fortnight is known as Krishna Pakash. 

In one of the higher planets called Pitralok, one fortnight of humans corresponds two one day and a similar time period counts as their night. Therefore , the bright fortnights from the day of the Pitras and the dark ones from the night.

Two units (02) of Pakasha combine to form a month or ‘Masa’. 

Six (06) units of Masa jointly are referred as an Ayan.

The six months when sun is in the Northern hemisphere are called the Uttarayan and the corresponding six in the lower hemisphere from the Dakshinayan. This bright Northern journey of sun forms one day of Devas (demigod) and the six human months ,southern journey from their night. Thus, for the demigods, one human year is equal to one day and night period . So on the day of Makar Sankranti, the age of Devtas will change by one day and a normal human being will change by one year.

Nakshatras or Daily Stars-

           

According to Hindu mythology, there are 27 stars or nakshatras who are the daughters of either Daksha or Kashyapa, but wives of Chandra, the moon god. The moon god spends each night with one particular star, with whom he appears within the sky. According to Hindu astronomy, the sky is split into 27 divisions. During its monthly cycle, the moon passes through each division roughly one per day. According to another tradition the 27 nakshatras are related to the nine planets or navagrahas, with each planetary deity ruling over three particular stars. During the 27 day lunar cycle, the planetary gods enter into their respective star mansions and spend nine days with each of their three stars.Each nakshatra is further divided into four equal sectors called padas or steps. Multiply 4 by 27 and it equals 108. These 108 units mark the 108 steps that the earth takes through space. The names of the 27 stars along side their controlling planets are mentioned below.

60 Year Cycles- Hindus also follow a 60-year cycle during which each year is given a selected name which repeats after every 60 years.