________________
6) duşamā-duşamā, of 21000 years duration.
The ascending (utsarpiņī) half-cycle has the same periods of time but in reverse order. In this half-cycle there is the all-round, progressive increase in age, strength, stature and happiness of the living beings.
We are presently living in the fifth period (duşamā) of the descending (avasarpiņī) half-cycle. This period started after 3 years and 842 months of the liberation (nirvāņa) of the 24th Tīrthankara Lord Mahāvīra.
The complete cycle (kalpakāla) of 20 kotikotī sāgaropama duration is represented in the Figure (see next page).
Time periods beyond these values are termed as infinite (ananta) in Jaina cosmology.
