{"id":371,"date":"2012-08-04T03:04:44","date_gmt":"2012-08-04T01:04:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/?p=371"},"modified":"2012-08-04T03:04:44","modified_gmt":"2012-08-04T01:04:44","slug":"the-surya-siddhanta-on-yugas-manvantaras-and-kalpas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/the-surya-siddhanta-on-yugas-manvantaras-and-kalpas\/","title":{"rendered":"The S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta on Yugas, Manvantaras, and Kalpas"},"content":{"rendered":"

As can easily be seen from the sources mentioned in the May 15 posting on the S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta<\/em>, the information on yugas, manvantaras, and kalpas in the S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta<\/em> is found in chapter 1, verses 15-24, and 45-47 (or 44-46 in the Sanskrit edition with the commentary by Parame\u015bvara). There are adequate English translations, by Rev. Ebenezer Burgess (1860), by B\u0101p\u016b Deva \u015a\u0101str\u012b (1861), and by Bimal\u0101 Pras\u0101da Siddh\u0101nta Sarasvat\u012b (from Sanskrit to Bengali,1894 or 1896, and from Bengali to English, 2007). Nonetheless, these verses are here given in Sanskrit and English translation, primarily for convenience of reference. Unless the compiler of the Tiru Ganita Panchanga<\/em> had access to a more complete manuscript of the S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta<\/em>, this is the data on which the figures for the elapsed years of various epochs given at its beginning would have been based.<\/p>\n

The Sanskrit text given here is based primarily on the 1957 edition of the S\u016bryasiddh\u0101nta<\/em> by Kripa Shankar Shukla with the Sanskrit commentary by Parame\u015bvara (1432 C.E.), in comparison with the 1859 edition by Fitzedward Hall with the Sanskrit commentary by Ra\u1e45gan\u0101tha (1603 C.E.). I have also compared the 1871, 1891, and 1911 editions, and the 1991 edition by \u015ar\u012bcandra P\u0101\u1e47\u1e0deya with the Sanskrit commentary by Kamal\u0101kara Bha\u1e6d\u1e6da (born 1618 C.E.). Shukla\u2019s edition gives in footnotes variant readings from the text as found with the Sanskrit commentaries by Mallik\u0101rjuna S\u016bri (1178 C.E.), Yallaya (1472 C.E.), and R\u0101mak\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a \u0100r\u0101dhya (1472 C.E.). Shukla also consulted the commentaries by Bh\u016bdhara (1572 C.E.) and Tamma Yajv\u0101 (1599 C.E.) for questionable readings. The fact that all these major commentaries were used by Shukla for his edition does not leave a very high probability that a more complete manuscript, having additional verses here, was available to the compiler of the Tiru Ganita Panchanga<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When putting the Sanskrit into roman script I have divided the words with spaces and hyphens as much as possible. Also I have made my English translation fairly literal, so that the Sanskrit can more easily be followed. There seems to be no possibility of deriving a figure of eighteen million years for the age of the Vaivasvata manvantara from this data, and this is all that can be found on this topic in the extant S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta<\/em>.<\/p>\n

S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta<\/em>, chapter 1<\/p>\n

tad-dv\u0101da\u015ba-sahasr\u0101\u1e47i catur-yugam ud\u0101h\u1e5btam |<\/p>\n

s\u016bry\u0101bda-sa\u1e45khyay\u0101 dvi-tri-s\u0101garair ayut\u0101hatai\u1e25 || 15 ||<\/p>\n

sandhy\u0101-sandhy\u0101\u1e43\u015ba-sahita\u1e43 vij\u00f1eya\u1e43 tac catur-yugam |<\/p>\n

k\u1e5bt\u0101d\u012bn\u0101\u1e43 vyavastheya\u1e43 dharma-p\u0101da-vyavasthay\u0101 || 16 ||<\/p>\n

15-16. Twelve thousand of those [divine years, divya\u1e43 var\u1e63am] are called a fourfold yuga (age). By the count of solar years, that fourfold yuga together with its [opening] sandhi period and [closing] sandhi period is to be understood as four hundred and thirty-two multiplied by ten thousand [i.e., 4,320,000]. This fixed limit of the k\u1e5bta and other [yugas] is by way of the fixed limit of the legs of dharma (righteousness).<\/p>\n

Notes: fourfold yuga, consisting of the k\u1e5bta, tret\u0101, dv\u0101para and kali yugas; sandhi or sandhy\u0101 = \u201cjunction, interval, twilight\u201d; four hundred and thirty-two, dvi-tri-s\u0101gara = \u201ctwo three ocean,\u201d where ocean is a word-number standing for \u201cfour,\u201d and the whole number is to be read backwards.<\/p>\n

yugasya da\u015bamo bh\u0101ga\u015b catus-tri-dvy-eka-sa\u1e45gu\u1e47a\u1e25 |<\/p>\n

kram\u0101t k\u1e5bta-yug\u0101d\u012bn\u0101\u1e43 \u1e63a\u1e63\u1e6dho \u2019\u1e43\u015ba\u1e25 sandhyayo\u1e25 svaka\u1e25 || 17 ||<\/p>\n

17. The tenth part of a yuga [i.e., 432,000] multiplied by four, three, two, and one in sequence [is the length] of the k\u1e5bta and other yugas. Their own sixth part [is the length] of the two sandhi periods [combined].<\/p>\n

yug\u0101n\u0101\u1e43 saptati\u1e25 saik\u0101 manvantaram ihocyate |<\/p>\n

k\u1e5bt\u0101bda-sa\u1e45khy\u0101 tasy\u0101nte sandhi\u1e25 prokto jala-plava\u1e25 || 18 ||<\/p>\n

18. Seventy plus one yugas are here called a manvantara. At the end of it is said to be a sandhi period having the number of years of a k\u1e5bta [yuga]. It is an inundation by water.<\/p>\n

sa-sandhayas te manava\u1e25 kalpe j\u00f1ey\u0101\u015b caturda\u015ba |<\/p>\n

k\u1e5bta-pram\u0101\u1e47a\u1e25 kalp\u0101dau sandhi\u1e25 pa\u00f1cada\u015ba\u1e25 sm\u1e5bta\u1e25 || 19 ||<\/p>\n

19. Those manus together with the sandhi periods are to be understood to be fourteen in a kalpa (eon). At the beginning of a kalpa is recollected to be a fifteenth sandhi period having the measure of a k\u1e5bta [yuga].<\/p>\n

ittha\u1e43 yuga-sahasre\u1e47a bh\u016bta-sa\u1e43h\u0101ra-k\u0101raka\u1e25 |<\/p>\n

kalpo br\u0101hmam aha\u1e25 prokta\u1e43 \u015barvar\u012b tasya t\u0101vat\u012b || 20 ||<\/p>\n

20. Thus a kalpa, with a thousand yugas, bringing about the destruction of beings, is said to be a day of Brahm\u0101. His night is of the same extent.<\/p>\n

param \u0101yu\u1e25 \u015bata\u1e43 tasya tay\u0101hor\u0101tra-sa\u1e45khyay\u0101 |<\/p>\n

\u0101yu\u1e63o \u2019rdham ita\u1e43 tasya \u015be\u1e63\u0101t kalpo \u2019yam \u0101dima\u1e25 || 21 ||<\/p>\n

21. His complete life is a hundred [divine years] by this count of days and nights. Half of his life has passed. Of the remainder, this is the first kalpa.<\/p>\n

Note: the reading \u015be\u1e63\u0101t kalpo, found in the edition with the commentary by Parame\u015bvara (and read in the three other commentaries cited in the footnotes), is preferable to the reading \u015be\u1e63a-kalpo, found in the editions with the commentary by Ra\u1e45gan\u0101tha.<\/p>\n

kalp\u0101d asm\u0101c ca manava\u1e25 \u1e63a\u1e0d vyat\u012bt\u0101\u1e25 sa-sandhaya\u1e25 |<\/p>\n

vaivasvatasya ca manor yug\u0101n\u0101\u1e43 tri-ghano gata\u1e25 || 22 ||<\/p>\n

22. Of this kalpa six manus have passed with their sandhi periods. Of the Vaivasvata manu, three cubed [i.e., 27] yugas have passed.<\/p>\n

a\u1e63\u1e6d\u0101vi\u1e43s\u0101d yug\u0101d asm\u0101d y\u0101tam etat k\u1e5bta\u1e43 yugam |<\/p>\n

ata\u1e25 k\u0101la\u1e43 prasa\u1e45khy\u0101ya sa\u1e45khy\u0101m ekatra pi\u1e47\u1e0dayet || 23 ||<\/p>\n

23. Of this twenty-eighth yuga, this k\u1e5bta yuga has passed. For calculating time after this, one should combine into one the number.<\/p>\n

graha-rk\u1e63a-deva-daity\u0101di s\u1e5bjato \u2019sya car\u0101caram |<\/p>\n

k\u1e5bt\u0101dri-ved\u0101 divy\u0101bd\u0101\u1e25 \u015bata-ghn\u0101 vedhaso gat\u0101\u1e25 || 24 ||<\/p>\n

24. Four hundred and seventy-four times one hundred divine years passed of the creator [Brahm\u0101], he creating the moving and the unmoving, i.e., planets, stars, gods, demons, etc. [at the beginning of the kalpa].<\/p>\n

Note: four hundred and seventy-four, k\u1e5bta-adri-veda, word-numbers for four (k\u1e5bta, the four dots on a winning dice, also the k\u1e5bta yuga where dharma stands on all four legs), seven (adri, mountain, the seven mountains), and four (veda, the four vedas). Then the whole number is to be read backwards, although with this particular number it would not matter.<\/p>\n

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .<\/p>\n

\u1e63a\u1e47-man\u016bn\u0101\u1e43 tu samp\u012b\u1e0dya k\u0101la\u1e43 tat-sandhibhi\u1e25 saha |<\/p>\n

kalp\u0101di-sandhin\u0101 s\u0101rdha\u1e43 vaivasvata-manos tath\u0101 || 45 ||<\/p>\n

yug\u0101n\u0101\u1e43 tri-ghana\u1e43 y\u0101ta\u1e43 tath\u0101 k\u1e5bta-yuga\u1e43 tv idam |<\/p>\n

projjhya s\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e6des tata\u1e25 k\u0101la\u1e43 p\u016brvokta\u1e43 divya-sa\u1e45khyay\u0101 || 46 ||<\/p>\n

s\u016bry\u0101bda-sa\u1e45khyay\u0101 j\u00f1ey\u0101\u1e25 k\u1e5btasy\u0101nte gat\u0101 am\u012b |<\/p>\n

kha-catu\u1e63ka-yam\u0101dry-agni-\u015bara-randhra-ni\u015b\u0101kar\u0101\u1e25 || 47 ||<\/p>\n

45-47. Having combined the time of the six [past] manus together with their sandhi periods, along with the sandhi period at the beginning of the kalpa, also of the Vaivasvata manu the passed three cubed [i.e., 27] yugas, plus this k\u1e5bta yuga; having subtracted from that the time of creation previously stated by the count of divine [years]; the passed [years] at the end of the k\u1e5bta [yuga] by the count of solar years are to be understood as these: four skies, twins, mountain, fire, arrow, bodily openings, moon [i.e., 1,953,720,000].<\/p>\n

Notes: kha-catu\u1e63ka, a group of four skies, where sky or space equals 0, so 0000; yama, twins, 2; adri, mountain (the seven mountains), so 7; agni, fire (the three fires), so 3; \u015bara, arrow (the five arrows), so 5; randhra, opening (the nine apertures of the body), so 9; ni\u015b\u0101kara, \u201cnight-maker,\u201d the moon, so 1. Then all these digits must be read backwards, yielding 1,953,720,000. As the word-number nine, the reading randhra is superior to the reading nanda, found only in the edition with the commentary by Parame\u015bvara (based on a transcript of a single manuscript from the Adyar Library). The other commentaries cited in the footnotes read randhra. The nine Nanda brother-kings in Indian history come far later than the age of the S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta<\/em> is supposed to be. The variant sampi\u1e47\u1e0dya for samp\u012b\u1e0dya in 45a, being synonyms, and the preceding ca for tu, make little difference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As can easily be seen from the sources mentioned in the May 15 posting on the S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta, the information on yugas, manvantaras, and kalpas in the S\u016brya-siddh\u0101nta is found in chapter 1, verses 15-24, and 45-47 (or 44-46 in the Sanskrit edition with the commentary by Parame\u015bvara). There are adequate English translations, by Rev. Ebenezer […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-371","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occult-chronology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=371"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":372,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371\/revisions\/372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/prajnaquest.fr\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}