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Kala (Samskrit : कालः) means "time period" in a broad sense. The concept of time is explained systematically in [[Vedanga Jyotisha (वेदाङ्गज्योतिष्)|vedanga jyotisha]] (astronomy). It is significant that time has been considered both at the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels. Various Puranas also describe Kalapramana that existed previously.

 

Kala (Samskrit : कालः) means "time period" in a broad sense. The concept of time is explained systematically in [[Vedanga Jyotisha (वेदाङ्गज्योतिष्)|vedanga jyotisha]] (astronomy). It is significant that time has been considered both at the microcosmic and the macrocosmic levels. Various Puranas also describe Kalapramana that existed previously.  

Kala is kshayakari (क्षयकारी । exhausting) or vriddi kari (वृध्दिकारी । flourishing). Firstly Kala, refers to the inexorable flow of both creation and unfolding of the universe and its subsequent destruction, in time cycles of huge dimensions. Secondly, Kala refers to the shorter and relative time periods on earth, the days and nights, paksha, masa (months), ayana (uttarayana and dakshinayana), samvatsara (year) and this leads to the bigger units of yugas which again refer back to the cycles of srishti (सृष्टिः । creation) and kshaya (क्षयः। decay) that the universe passes through.<ref name=":2">Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>

Kala is kshayakari (क्षयकारी । exhausting) or vriddi kari (वृध्दिकारी । flourishing). Firstly Kala, refers to the inexorable flow of both creation and unfolding of the universe and its subsequent destruction, in time cycles of huge dimensions. Secondly, Kala refers to the shorter and relative time periods on earth, the days and nights, paksha, masa (months), ayana (uttarayana and dakshinayana), samvatsara (year) and this leads to the bigger units of yugas which again refer back to the cycles of srishti (सृष्टिः । creation) and kshaya (क्षयः। decay) that the universe passes through.<ref name=":2">Narayanacharya, K. S. (2011). ''Veda Sanskritiya Parichaya''. Hubli:​Sahitya Prakashana​.</ref>

Yuga (युगम्) is one of the four large periods into which the basic Chaturyuga cycle is divided, it forms the basic Indian cycle of creation and destruction.  Yuga Pramana is calculated in terms of Human varshas and Divya varshas. Bhagavata Purana describes the concept of time and yugas (in Divya varshas) in the following verses<blockquote>कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च कलिश्चेति चतुर्युगम् । दिव्यैर्द्वादशभिर्वर्षैः सावधानं निरूपितम् ॥ १८ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 3.11.18)</blockquote><blockquote>चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैकं कृतादिषु यथाक्रमम् । सङ्ख्यातानि सहस्राणि द्विगुणानि शतानि च ॥ १९ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 3.11.19) <ref name=":3">Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7 Skanda 3 Adhyaya 11])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : The four yugas are namely Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali consisting of 12,000 divya varshas, in the order of 4000, 3000, 2000, and 1000 divya years respectively.  

Yuga (युगम्) is one of the four large periods into which the basic Chaturyuga cycle is divided, it forms the basic Indian cycle of creation and destruction.  Yuga Pramana is calculated in terms of Human varshas and Divya varshas. Bhagavata Purana describes the concept of time and yugas (in Divya varshas) in the following verses<blockquote>कृतं त्रेता द्वापरं च कलिश्चेति चतुर्युगम् । दिव्यैर्द्वादशभिर्वर्षैः सावधानं निरूपितम् ॥ १८ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 3.11.18)</blockquote><blockquote>चत्वारि त्रीणि द्वे चैकं कृतादिषु यथाक्रमम् । सङ्ख्यातानि सहस्राणि द्विगुणानि शतानि च ॥ १९ ॥ (Bhag. Pura. 3.11.19) <ref name=":3">Bhagavata Purana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A9/%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%A7%E0%A5%A7 Skanda 3 Adhyaya 11])</ref></blockquote>Meaning : The four yugas are namely Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali consisting of 12,000 divya varshas, in the order of 4000, 3000, 2000, and 1000 divya years respectively.  

The earliest reference to a mahayuga's division into 4 yugas is found in the Aitereya Brahmana belonging to the Rig Veda.  <blockquote>कलिः शयानो भवति संजिहानस्तु द्वापरः। उत्तिष्ठंस्त्रेता भवति कृतं सम्पद्यते चरंश् चरैवेति चरैवेति... (Aite. Brah. 7.15)<ref>Aitereya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%90%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A5%AD_(%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE) Panchika 7])</ref></blockquote>The scheme and exact number of years are slightly different in different texts.  

The earliest reference to a mahayuga's division into 4 yugas is found in the Aitereya Brahmana belonging to the Rig Veda.  <blockquote>कलिः शयानो भवति संजिहानस्तु द्वापरः। उत्तिष्ठंस्त्रेता भवति कृतं सम्पद्यते चरंश् चरैवेति चरैवेति... (Aite. Brah. 7.15)<ref>Aitereya Brahmana ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%90%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%AF_%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE_%E0%A5%AD_(%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE_%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%9E%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE) Panchika 7])</ref></blockquote>Thus, the concept of four yugas is vedic in origin, although the exact measure is not mentioned we rely on the Puranas and other texts. The scheme and exact number of years are slightly different in different texts.  

=== चतुर्युगाः ॥ Chaturyugas in terms of Divya Varshas ===

=== चतुर्युगाः ॥ Chaturyugas in terms of Divya Varshas ===

This scheme of the Yuga Pramana includes calculations of Kala, the macroscopic time, in terms of Divya varshas. According to Surya Siddhanta,  

This scheme of the Yuga Pramana includes calculations of Kala, the macroscopic time, in terms of Divya varshas. According to Surya Siddhanta,  

== Microcosmic Time Scale ==

== Microcosmic Time Scale ==

Just as the macrocosmic Yuga system is discussed extensively in various texts, the microcosmic time scale is also widely explained. A few systems are discussed.   

Just as the macrocosmic Yuga system is discussed extensively in various texts, the microcosmic time scale is also widely explained in different texts. A few systems are discussed here below.   

=== Surya Siddhanta ===

=== Surya Siddhanta ===

== References ==

== References ==