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THE MAXIMUM LIFETIME OF DEVAS
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ting souls other than these. They are born as animals. Just as in the case of celestial beings and the others, the regions of subhuman beings must also be described. But they are spread throughout the universe. Hence their regions are not mentioned.
The lifetime of infernal, human and subhuman beings has been described. That of devas has not been described, and hence it has to be described. First the lifetime of the first order of devas-namely the Residential devas—is mentioned.
स्थितिरसुरनागसुपर्णद्वीपशेषाणां सागरोपमत्रिपल्योपमार्द्धहीनमिताः
11 RCI Sthitirasuranāgasuparnadvipaśeşāņāın sāgaro
pamatripalyopamārddhahinamitāḥ (28) 28. The lifetime of Asura, Nāga, Suparna and Dvipa kumāras and the rest of the Residential devas is one sāgaropama, three palyas, two and a half palyas, two palyas, and one and a half palyas.
Asura and the others are taken respectively with sāgaropama and the rest. This is the maximum duration. The minimum is mentioned later. It is as follows. The lifetime of Asuras is ono sāgaropama, that of Nāgas three palyas, that of Suparnas two and a half, that of Dvipas two, and that of the other six classes one and a half palyas.
The lifetime of Vyantaras and Jyotişkas (the Peripatetic and the Stellar devas) is to be described next in the regular order. But these are passed over and that of the Vaimānikas is described next. Why? Their (that of the Peripatetic and the Stellar deva s) lifetime is mentioned briefly later on. Among the kalpas the lifetime of the devas in the first two kalpas is mentioned in the next sutra.
सौधर्मेशानयोः सागरोपमे अधिक
Saudharmaišānayoḥ sāgaropame adhike (29) 29. In Saudharma and Aiśāna Kalpas the maximum lifetime is a little over two sāgaropamas.
Sügaropame is dual. Hence the meaning is two sāgaropamas.
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