A History of the Canonical Literature of the Jainas c5.7

c5.7

1 *Avasarpiṇī* has for its counter-part *utsarpiṇī*, along with which it makes up a *kala-cakra* or the twelve-spoked wheel of time. This *kala-cakra* is the basis of law of time so far as 5 Bharata *kṣetras* (zones) and 5 Airāvata *kṣetras* are concerned. It is two-fold because of its division into *avasarpiṇī* and *utsarpiṇī*. There are six spokes in *avasarpiṇī* beginning with unadulterated happiness and ending in utmost misery. Reverse 's rather the case with *utsarpiṇī* which, too, has six spokes.