Text 5: The division of gross time is calculated as follows: two atoms make one double atom, and three double atoms make one hexatom. This hexatom is visible in the sunshine which enters through the holes of a window screen. One can clearly see that the hexatom goes up towards the sky.
Text 6: The time duration needed for the integration of three trasareṇus is called a truṭi, and one hundred truṭis make one vedha. Three vedhas make one lava.
Text 7: The duration of time of three lavas is equal to one nimeṣa, the combination of three nimeṣas makes one kṣaṇa, five kṣaṇas combined together make one kāṣṭhā, and fifteen kāṣṭhās make one laghu.
Text 8: Fifteen laghus make one nāḍikā, which is also called a daṇḍa. Two daṇḍas make one muhūrta, and six or seven daṇḍas make one fourth of a day or night, according to human calculation.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Now he describes the intermediate time state with the characteristics of dvyaṇuka (dyad) etc. He says that two paramāṇus (atoms) would be an aṇu (molecule), and three aṇus (molecules) would be a trasareṇu (mote), which is perceptible. Jālārka etc. What is perceived in the sun's rays entering through a window, moving in the sky due to its extreme lightness, not falling to the ground. In another reading, "moving in the sky, not perceived on the ground" ॥ 5 ॥
One hundred parts of a truṭi (instant) form a vedha (pierce) ॥ 6 ॥
Three nimeṣas (blinks) are said to be a kṣaṇa (moment), fifteen kāṣṭhās (short periods) make one laghu (brief time) ॥ 7 ॥
Six or seven nāḍikās (hours) make a prahara (watch), which is a yāma (quarter) or fourth part of a day or night. It should be understood that in decrease there are six, in increase seven, excluding the two muhūrtas (48 minutes each) of twilight. The word "or" here also indicates irregularity. Because it's impossible to count their variations daily ॥ 8 ॥
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
That trasareṇu (mote), in the alternative reading "moving in the sky, not on the ground", implies the perceptibility of the trasareṇu and the imperceptibility of aṇu and paramāṇu for ordinary humans, but for yogis even those two are perceptible. As stated: "When the sun is seen through a lattice, the tiny dust visible, one-sixth of that is called a paramāṇu." This reveals the nature of the perceived aṇu and paramāṇu. Thus, what is the proof for the existence of aṇu and paramāṇu? How is the trasareṇu itself? The rule everywhere is that without the abundance and grossness of parts, the whole is not visible. Here, for the trasareṇu as the whole, three gross aṇus are imagined as parts, not paramāṇus due to their lack of grossness. Grossness is being composed of multiple entities, so the grossness of an aṇu is not possible without a paramāṇu, thus proving the paramāṇu. The visibility of a trasareṇu is not possible without the grossness of its parts, thus proving the aṇu. Similarly, for the grossness of an aṇu, only the duality of paramāṇus is imagined, not triplicity or quaternity, etc., according to the principle of "first occurrence". Just as in "One should not sacrifice kapinjala birds", others also accept only the first occurring triplicity for abundance, the same should be understood here ॥ 5 ॥
A truṭi is made of three trasareṇus. As stated in the Sūryasiddhānta: "When a lotus petal is pierced by a needle, that time is called a truṭi." The time it takes to pierce a lotus flower petal is a truṭi. A vedha would be made of a hundred truṭis ॥ 6 ॥
A trilava (three lavas) is that which contains three lavas ॥ 7 ॥
A nāḍikā is a daṇḍa (rod), as per the lexicon: "A ghaṭī, daṇḍa, and nāḍikā are the same." In decrease, when day and night are shorter, it measures twenty-four ghaṭīs, in increase twenty-eight ghaṭīs. The calculation of yāmas should be done excluding two twilight muhūrtas, one in the morning and one in the evening, even with the omission of two muhūrtas. The rule of seven or six nāḍikās for a prahara is not fixed, but sometimes less and sometimes more. If asked when this occurs, the answer is that it's impossible to count their variations daily ॥ 8 ॥
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
The aṇu, dvyaṇuka (dyad) entity, as well as the time that measures it, and thus that entity, those times as examples and exemplified, with one name, should be explained as a general description in this verse. "Three aṇus" means three tryaṇukas (triads). In the alternative reading "not on the ground", avagata means "known" ॥ 5 ॥
A trasareṇu occupies or pervades a triple space. Its definition is as in the Sūryasiddhānta: "When a lotus petal is pierced by a needle, that is called a truṭi." The meaning is: when a single lotus petal is pierced or split by a needle, that much time is called a truṭi. Bhāgāḥ means parts of time ॥ 6 ॥
With the addition of the word "iti", kṣaṇa should be read in the singular ॥ 7 ॥
Even with the omission of two muhūrtas, "their variations" refers to the variations of praharas caused by palas and vipalas ॥ 8 ॥
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Having thus established decrease and increase, he explains the states delimited by specific intermediate times. With "Two aṇus" etc., up to "southern and northern in the sky", he's not using Vaiśeṣika terminology, but rather applying words defined by them for objects to parts of time, which he will explain from paramāṇu to the end of the year. The meaning is: one time would be an aṇu made of two paramāṇus. One time would be a trasareṇu made of three aṇus. Since it's impossible to describe times and their delimiters that are extremely subtle compared to the time called trasareṇu, he describes the delimiter of the time called trasareṇu. With "Jālārka" etc. The dust seen in sunbeams coming through a lattice window, moving in the sky, not falling to the ground, that is a trasareṇu time. There's a metaphorical co-reference between the delimited time and the delimited dust particle. The meaning is: the time delimited by the slight movement of the dust particle perceived in the lattice sunbeam is called a trasareṇu ॥ 5 ॥
The time that consumes (bhuṅkte) three trasareṇu-sized particles is called truṭi. It means that three trasareṇu time periods equal one truṭi. That truṭi is one-hundredth part of the time called vedha. The time that is one hundred times that, limited by piercing one leaf, is called lava. It means that one lava time is remembered as three of those vedhas. || 6 ||
He says three lavas make one nimeṣa. Nimeṣa means: The vedha is one-hundredth part, as the word śata (hundred) in śruti has multiple meanings. In that case, it would agree with Śaunaka's statement: "O king, one kṣaṇa is one-thousandth part of a nimeṣa. And by ten thousand parts of that, there is growth in humans."
If asked how such time divisions are known: In one kṣaṇa, lightning and other phenomena spread over many yojanas. In one kṣaṇa, the Sun's chariot is remembered to travel many yojanas. Even in one yojana of space, it is not possible to count all the assembled hairs and mustard seeds. Therefore, just like hairs etc., time parts limited by spreading over a measured space are understood like one kṣaṇa and are countable. Thus it is established that those three nimeṣas would be one kṣaṇa. They know five kṣaṇas as one kāṣṭhā. Fifteen kāṣṭhās make one laghu, which is one time unit called laghu. || 7 ||
Fifteen laghus are traditionally known as one nāḍikā. Two of those nāḍikās make one muhūrta. Six or seven nāḍikās make one prahara, which is also called yāma - the fourth part of a day and night. It should be known that in decrease there are six, in increase seven, excluding the two muhūrtas of twilight. Here also the word 'or' indicates lack of fixed rule. "Of humans" indicates this is human measure. || 8 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Now he states the names of the time parts between paramāṇu and paramahat by adding up numbers. Two paramāṇus: Two paramāṇus combined would be the time called dvyaṇuka. The same should be understood for what follows. Three dvyaṇukas combined make a trasareṇu, a tryaṇuka time. This is perceptible to yogis, as he says "In a lattice": A lattice is a window. The sun's ray appearing there, moving through space, becomes visible to the eye. The meaning is it goes after becoming visible. Everywhere here it should be understood that the infinite nature characterized by existence, consciousness and bliss, called Ananta, experiences itself as the inner controller of those respective time parts, as denoted by those respective words, and as the instigator of the substances existing in those respective times. Hence it is said to be the enjoyer of everything everywhere. || 5 ||
The division, sharing of those three truṭis is tri-bhāga. It is said that three truṭis make one vedha. || 6 ||
Nimeṣas are known by snapping fingers. Those kāṣṭhās are fifteen laghus. || 7 ||
Fifteen laghus make a nāḍikā. They know two nāḍikās as one muhūrta. Six nāḍikās make a prahara, seven nāḍikās a yāma. There is an option due to increase or decrease based on the difference in zodiac signs indicated by the sun's motion. || 8 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
The verse "aṇu" etc. is a general statement about substance and time, and also due to having the same name through example and exemplified relationship. || 5-7 ||
"Six or seven": The word 'or' there combines all the intervals. || 8-11 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Two paramāṇus would be an aṇu. Three aṇus make a trasareṇu. He says that is perceptible: "jālārka" means in sun rays entering through a window, moving through space due to extreme lightness, it is perceived, known by the eye. Or if the reading is "na tu gām pṛthvīm agāt", the meaning is it moves in that way but does not go to earth.
If asked what indicates the existence of aṇu and paramāṇu here, the answer is trasareṇu itself. That is, there is a rule everywhere that without abundance of large parts, the whole is not visible. Here for trasareṇu as the whole, only three large aṇus should be imagined as parts, not paramāṇus due to their lack of largeness. Largeness means being composed of multiple things, so the largeness of an aṇu is not possible without a paramāṇu. Thus paramāṇu is established. The visibility of trasareṇu is not possible without largeness of parts, thus aṇu is established.
Similarly, only two paramāṇus are imagined for the largeness of an aṇu, not three or four etc., due to the principle of first occurrence being authoritative. Just as in "One should not offer kapiñjala birds", only three aṇus are imagined for abundance, as that is suitable. "Trasareṇu trika" means a truṭi is made of three trasareṇus. The Sūryasiddhānta says: "When a lotus petal is pierced by a needle, that is called a truṭi." The meaning is: The time it takes to pierce a lotus flower petal is a truṭi. || 5 ||
The meaning is: That which has one hundred parts in the form of truṭis is a vedha. Three of those make a lava. || 6 ||
Those nimeṣas are traditionally stated. Those are kāṣṭhās. || 7 ||
A nāḍikā is a daṇḍa. Two of those nāḍikās. Six or seven nāḍikās make a prahara, which is also called a yāma. It is the fourth part of a day and night. In decrease there are six, in increase there are seven. It should be known excluding the two ghaṭikās of twilight. The word 'or' there also indicates lack of fixed rule, as it is impossible to count those differences every day. || 8 ||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Now he states the intermediate time divisions, starting with defining the first substances. "Aṇu" etc.: Two paramāṇus would be an aṇu. Three aṇus make a trasareṇu. He says that is perceptible: "jālārka" etc. means perceived, moving only through space, not going to earth. || 5 ||
A vedha has one hundred parts, one hundred truṭis. By those vedhas. || 6 ||
Those kāṣṭhās are fifteen laghus. || 7 ||
Two of those nāḍikās make a muhūrta. Six or seven nāḍikās make a prahara, which is also called a yāma. This means: Excluding the two muhūrtas of twilight and twilight portion, in decrease the fourth part of day and night consists of six nāḍikās, in increase it consists of seven nāḍikās as a yāma. This too is stated from a gross perspective, as a fixed rule is not possible. || 8 ||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
Thus, having described the beginning and end times, he now describes the middle time - aṇuddo paramāṇū syāt. The path by which the sun's chariot wheel travels, the time it takes to cross a paramāṇu's space on that path is a paramāṇu-kāla. The time it takes to cross the space of two paramāṇus is an aṇu-kāla. Similarly for the rest. The time it takes to cross the entire sky circle of twelve zodiac signs is the supreme great year (saṃvatsara). Three aṇus make a trasareṇu. The authority for this is the memory of the great ones. But that is perceptible, as he says - jalārkasyavagata. It is perceived in sunbeams entering through a window. He states two indicators of perception - khamevānu'patann gām. Those trasareṇus do not fall to the ground, but fly upwards in that very ray towards the sky. The singular is used to exclude intermediate distinctions. || 5 ||
The time of three trasareṇus is called a truṭi. That very truṭi is one-hundredth of a vedha, and one-hundredth is a bhāga. The word "hundred" here does not mean unlimited, as indicated by the word "tu". The meaning is that one hundred truṭis make one vedha. Three vedhas make a lava. A nimeṣa is three lavas. Three nimeṣas make a kṣaṇa. Five kṣaṇas make a kāṣṭhā. Fifteen laghus make a nāḍikā. Two nāḍikās make a muhūrta. Six or seven nāḍikās make a prahara. For humans (nṛṇām). Since a nāḍikā is coarser compared to a ghaṭikā, somehow a long night or day, its fourth part consisting of seven nāḍīs, but six nāḍīs. Thus there are fifty-two nāḍikās in a day and night. Sixty nāḍikās are calculated in this way here. But those who speak leaving out the two twilights should consider the statement "four yāmas, four yāmas". Now if the morning twilight is in the day and the evening twilight in the night, four ghaṭikās are not counted. Because there is no purpose in such counting. If it is for dharma in the middle excluding the twilight portions? Even so, there is no purpose in omitting it as it determines lifespan. If dharma increases lifespan then? At other times doing dharma would not increase lifespan. And there is contradiction with "rising and setting". It cannot be that the earlier twilight time is for the gods and the later for the asuras based on the phrase "for humans". Even so, it need not be counted for measuring lifespan. It is not appropriate to state it that way just for dharma. Moreover, if the authority to be stated later were only for the current nāḍī measure, then such assumption would be proper, but this measure increases. || 6 || 7 || 8 ||
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
In "aṇu" etc. Saṃvatsarātmaka means a human year. In "aṇuḍhau", "trasareṇustraya" etc. there is no joining of two or three, as that is prevented by "sadā asaṃyutaḥ", but indivisibility should be understood as being able to withstand division up to that point. || 5 ||
In "te dve muhūrte". Having cited Śrīdhara's explanation with "ye tu" etc., they state the unacceptable there - "tair" etc. Anusandheyam means: In that counting there would be the statement "four yāmas and two muhūrtas in a day", not just that much, so they should consider that. Evamapī etc. Even if for dharma, due to the later statement "a hundred years is determined as the maximum lifespan for humans", this counting is for that purpose, so as it determines lifespan, in omitting four ghaṭikās the lifespan measure would not be complete, so there is no purpose in omitting it. Tatra means in day and night. Anyadā means in the two twilights. They state another flaw - udyann etc. Thus in this statement, having included twilight in taking away lifespan, it is determined that twilights are also included in lifespan measurement, but if they were not included there would be contradiction with the stated verse. They say that even accepting the stated alternative view does not remove the stated flaw - evam etc. They state the inappropriateness of the previous assumption due to contradiction with the statement to be made - kiñca etc. || 6 || 7 || 8 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Now he describes the middle time state with the characteristics of dyad, triad etc. - aṇu iti. Two paramāṇus make one aṇu, one aṇu is made of two paramāṇus, the time the sun takes to cross that is an aṇu-kāla. Three aṇus make one trasareṇu, remembered as stated by the elders, one trasareṇu is made of three aṇus, the time the sun takes to cross that is remembered as a trasareṇu-kāla. Paramāṇu and aṇu are not perceptible due to extreme subtlety, but trasareṇu is perceptible, as they say - jalārke iti. Seen (avagata) in sunbeams (arkara śmiṣu) entering through lattice holes in a window, that which due to extreme lightness flies (agāt) upwards towards the sky (kham) alone is a trasareṇu. In the reading "na gām", it means it is seen flying upwards towards the sky alone, but is not seen falling towards the earth. || 5 ||
The time the sun takes to traverse three trasareṇus is remembered as a truṭi, stated with the name truṭi. One vedha-named time consists of one hundred parts in the form of truṭis. One lava is remembered as made of three of those vedhas. || 6 ||
Three lavas should be known as one nimeṣa. Three of those nimeṣas are said to be one kṣaṇa. They know five kṣaṇas as one kāṣṭhā. Fifteen of those kāṣṭhās make one laghu. || 7 ||
Fifteen laghus are said to be one nāḍikā. Two of those nāḍikās make one muhūrta. Six or seven nāḍikās make one prahara for humans. That same is a yāma, the fourth part of a day or night, six in decrease and seven in increase, excluding the two twilight muhūrtas, should be known. Even there the word "adya" is for showing non-fixity, as it is impossible to show all the variations daily. With "nṛṇām" the human measure is stated. || 8 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
Two atoms combine to form one molecule, and three molecules combining form one 'trasareṇu' (particle of dust), which can be seen floating in the air through the sunlight coming from a window. || 5 ||
The time it takes the sun to pass through three such trasareṇus is called a 'truṭi' (fraction of a second). A hundred times this duration is called a 'vedha', and three vedhas make one 'lava'. || 6 ||
Three lavas make one 'nimeṣa' (blink), and three nimeṣas make one 'kṣaṇa' (moment). Five kṣaṇas make one 'kāṣṭhā', and fifteen kāṣṭhās make one 'laghu'. || 7 ||
Fifteen laghus make one 'nāḍikā' (daṇḍa) (hour), two nāḍikās make one 'muhūrta', and according to the increase or decrease of the day (excluding the two muhūrtas of twilight at dawn and dusk), six or seven nāḍikās make one 'prahara'. This is called a 'yāma', which is a quarter of a human day or night. || 8 ||
SB 3.11.5-8
