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सचित्र उत्तराध्ययन सूत्र
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IMPORTANT NOTES
Verse 13-16—The word paurushi is derived from purush (man). The time which is measured by purush is paurushi or prahar. The word purush has two meanings-human body and shanku (a linear measure equal to 24 Anguls or breadth of a finger). Measurement from foot to knee is also 24 Anguls. On the day the length of the shadow of a thing is equal to the thing, it is the day of summer solstice. On the first solar year of the Yug (decade) the first day of the dark fortnight of the lunar month of Shravan, the shadow of Shanku measures 24 Anguls. The foot (paad), being of 12 Anguls the shadow of shanku is standardized as two paad (feet).
There are two ayans in a year Dakshinayan (when the sun appears to shift southwards) and Uttarayan (when the sun appears to shift northwards). Dakshinayan period begins from the month of Shravan (sometime in July) and Uttarayan from the month of Maagh (sometime in February). The shadow increases during the southward shift and decreases during the northward shift.
Verse 19-20—There are four parts of the night-1. Praadoshik (evening), 2. Ardharatrik (midnight), 3. Vairaatrik (third quarter), and 4. Praabhaatik (morning). Studies are done during the two quarters (prahars) Praadoshik and Praabhaatik, meditation during the Ardharatrik and sleep during Vairatrik. (Ogha Niryukti, 658)
