[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Reference works](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference) › [Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975) › c8.530 # Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.530 Purāṇic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Purāṇic Literature c8.530 - **Language:** English ### [c8.530](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.530) 2) Human year (Manuṣya varṣa) and Divine year (Deva varṣa). When two leaves are placed one over the other and they are pierced by a needle, the time required for the needle to pass from the first leaf to the second is called “Alpakāla”. Thirty such alpakālas make one “Truṭi”. Thirty truṭis make one “Kalā”. Thirty Kalās make one “Kāṣṭhā”, which is also known as “Nimiṣa” “Noṭi” or “Mātrā”. Four “Nimiṣas” make one “Gaṇita”. Ten Gaṇitas, one “Neṭuvīrppu”. Six neṭuvīrppus, one “Vināzhikā”. Sixty vināzhikās one “Ghaṭikā”. Sixty ghaṭikās one day (day and night together). Fifteen days, one “Pakṣa”. Two Pakṣas, one “Cāndra māsa” (lunar month). One Cāndramāsa for human beings is one “ahorātra” (one day and night making up one full day) for the pitrs. Twelve Cāndra māsas make one year for human beings. One year for human beings is one ahorātra for the gods. Three hundred ahorātras of gods make one “Deva Vatsara” or “Divya vatsara”. 4,800 divyavatsaras make one Kṛtayuga. 3,600 divyavatsaras make one Tretāyuga, 2,400 divyavatsaras make one Dvāparayuga. 1,200 divyavatsaras make one Kaliyuga. 12,000 divyavatsaras comprising a set of Kṛta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kaliyugas make one Caturyuga. A Manu’s period is completed at the end of 71 Caturyugas. With that, the first group of gods also comes to an end. At the end of fourteen such Manus, one “Kalpa” is over and a deluge takes place. The whole of this period comprises one night for Brahmā. Night is the time of complete inactivity. With the end of the night, creation is started again. When 360 such ahorātras of Brahmā are completed, he completes one year. After completing 120 such years, a Brahmā perishes. Again a period of absolute inactivity follows for the length of a Brahmā’s life-span. After a period of 120 Brahma varṣas (the life-span of a Brahmā) another Brahmā comes into being. The life-span of Brahmā is shown in the following tabular form : - [Previous: c8.529](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.529) - [Next: c8.531](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.531) - [Up: c8](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.530](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.reference.mani-1975.c8.530) · Pramāṇa