Skip to main content

ŚB 3.11.7

Devanagari

निमेषस्त्रिलवो ज्ञेय आम्नातस्ते त्रय: क्षण: ।
क्षणान् पञ्च विदु: काष्ठां लघु ता दश पञ्च च ॥ ७ ॥

Text

nimeṣas tri-lavo jñeya
āmnātas te trayaḥ kṣaṇaḥ
kṣaṇān pañca viduḥ kāṣṭhāṁ
laghu tā daśa pañca ca

Synonyms

nimeṣaḥ — the duration of time called a nimeṣa; tri-lavaḥ — the duration of three lavas; jñeyaḥ — is to be known; āmnātaḥ — it is so called; te — they; trayaḥ — three; kṣaṇaḥ — the duration of time called a kṣaṇa; kṣaṇān — such kṣaṇas; pañca — five; viduḥ — one should understand; kāṣṭhām — the duration of time called a kāṣṭhā; laghu — the duration of time called a laghu; tāḥ — those; daśa pañca — fifteen; ca — also.

Translation

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.

Purport

By calculation it is found that one laghu is equal to two minutes. The atomic calculation of time in terms of Vedic wisdom may be converted into present time with this understanding.