Purana6 - SPECIES OF LIFE & CALCULATION OF TIME FROM ATOM

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THE SPECIES OF LIFE.

 

jalaja nava laksani

sthavara laksha-vimsati

krimayo rudra sankhyakat

prkshinam dasa-laksanam

trimsal-laksani paravah

catur laksani manusah

 

There are 900,000 species living in the water. There are also 2,000,000

nonmoving entities such as trees and plants. There are 1.100,000 species of

insects and reptiles and there are 1,000,000 species of birds. As far as

animals are concerned there are 3,000,000 varieties and there are 400,000 human

species.

 

(Padma Purana)

 

(S.B. 2.10.37-40)

 

Brahma and his sons like Daksa, the periodical heads like Vaivasvata Manu,

the demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuna, the great sages like Bhrgu, Vyasa

and Vasistha, the Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Asuras, Yaksas, Kinnaras and Angels,

the serpentines, the monkey shaped Kimpurusas, the Human Beings, the

inhabitants of Matrloka, the demons, Pisacas, ghosts, spirits, lunatics and

evil spirits, the good and evil stars, goblins, the animals in the forest, the

birds, the household animals, the reptiles, the mountains, the entities born

from the embryo, from eggs, from perspiration, from seeds and all others,

whether they be in water, land or air, in happiness or distress. All of them,

according to their past deeds are created by the Supreme Lord.

 

(S.B.5.5.21-22)

 

Beings who have a living force (vegetables, trees and plants), are superior

to earth, stone or dull matter, etc. Superior to non-moving beings are snakes

and worms, etc., or beings that move. Superior to snakes and worms are animals

with developed intelligence. Superior to animals are human beings. Superior to

human beings are ghosts - because they have no material (gross) bodies.

Superior to ghosts are Gandharvas. Superior to Gandharvas are the Siddhas.

Superior to the Siddhas are the Kinnaras. Superior to the Kinnaras are the

demons. Superior to the demons are the demigods. Of the demigods Indra is the

topmost. Brahma's direct sons like Daksa, etc., are superior to Indra. among

Brahma's sons Siva is the most elevated.

 

(S.B. Canto 6, Chapter 6)

 

Prajapati Daksa begot sixty daughters in the womb of his wife Aksini. These

daughters were given in charity to different people to increase the population.

 

Ten daughters were given to Dharmaraja, thirteen to Kasyapa, and

twenty-seven to the moon god. In this way fifty daughters were distributed. Of

the other ten, two were given to Bhuta, Angira and Krsasva and the remaining

four were given to Kasyapa. Thus Kasyapa got seventeen of Daksa's daughters.

It was because of the union of these daughters with various exalted

personalities, that the entire universe was filled with various kinds of living

entities in various bodies like humans, demigods, birds, etc.

 

NOTE:

 

Daksa was the son of Brahma and therefore a brahmana. Due to his misbehaving

like a non- brahmana by insulting Lord Siva, he had to take birth in the womb

of a ksatriya. Thus he became the son of the Pracetas. Also because of his

disrespecting Lord Siva, he had to undergo the tribulation of taking birth in

the womb of a woman.

 

The controversy of the Daksa yajna took place during the Svayambhuva

manvantara and as a punishment he was killed by Virabhadra. But because that

was not sufficient he also had to take birth from Marisa and the Pracetas.

According to Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura, Daksa underwent penance up to the

fifth manvantara and then at the beginning of the sixth manvantara (Caksusa),

Daksa took birth again (as previously mentioned), and on the order of Brahma,

engaged in generating the population of the universe.

 

(S.B. 4.30.48-50)

 

CALCULATION OF TIME FROM THE ATOM

 

(S.B.3.11.1-12)

 

The atomic description of the Srimad Bhagavatam is almost the same as the

modern science. This is further described in the Paraman-vada of Kanada. Time

is measured in terms of its covering a certain space of atoms. Standard time is

calculated in terms of the movement of the sun. The time covered by the sun in

passing over an atom is calculated as atomic time.

 

Two atoms - a double atom

Three double atoms - a hexatom (particle visable in

sunshine)

Three hexatoms - a truti or 18 atomic particles, or one

second divided in 16,875 parts.

One hundred trutis - one veda

Three vedas - one lava

Three lavas - one nimesa

Three nimesas - one ksana

Five ksanas - one kastha or 8 seconds

Fifteen kasthas - one laghu or 2 minutes

Fifteen laghus - one (nadika-danda) or 30 minutes

Two dandas - one muhurta or one hour

Six to seven dandas - one prahara or quarter of a day

Fifteen days and nights - two weeks or a fortnight

Two fortnights - one month

 

During the period of one month the moon wanes and is called krsna paksa, the

dark moon or amavasya. In the same month the moon waxes and is called

gaur-paksa or sukla paksa, the full moon or purnima.

 

Purnima to amavasya is called krsnapaksa (dark moon).

Amavasya to purnima is called gaurpaksa (bright moon).

 

Two months - one season

 

During the first six months the sun travels from south to north and is known

as uttarayana. During the second six months the sun travels from north to south

and is known as daksinayana. Two solar movements equals one day and night of

the demigods.

 

Next: The Four Yugas & the Manvantara Incarnations.