the Hindu Cosmic cycle details. 

1 Mahayuga = Sum of 4 Yugas (Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali) = 4,320,000 years. 1000 such mahayugas comprise a day-time of Brahma also known as a Kalpa. The kalpa is ruled by 14 manus in succession. The reigning period of a manu is one manvantara which is 71.42 mahayugas. There is an equivalent night-time of 4,320,000,000 years. The day-night of Brahma together constitutes one Brahma day (8.64 billion years). 360 Brahma days constitute a Brahma year while 360 years represent the lifetime of Brahma which is the life of the cosmos. Doing this simple maths gives the age of the cosmos to be 311 trillion years. Carl Sagan, the noted scientist says in relation to this, ""The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology. Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still." 

We are presently in the Sveta-Varaha kalpa in the reigning period of Vaivaswatha - the 7th manu. In this manvantara we are in the 28th mahayuga. As per our Cosmology, Brahma is supposed to have completed 50 Brahma years and is in his 51st year. That is why he is called "Parardha-dvaya-jivin" (ie) he lives for two parardhas. A parardha is half. Two halves make one. He is called so as he has completed one half of his tenure. These terminology makes better sense in relation to the Sankalpa.

The actual Sankalpa mantra and its meaning runs like this 

".... dviteeya parardhe - in the 2nd half of Brhama's lifeSvetavaraha kalpe - in the kalpa of Sveta-VarahaVaivaswatha manvantare - in the reining period of the current manu VaivaswathaAshta Vimsati tame - in the 28th mahayuga of the current manavantaraKaliyuge - in this kali yugaPrathame Padhe - in the first quarter of this yugaJamboodveepe - this denotes the place where the ritual is performed. India was

known as JambudveepaBharata Varshe, Bharata Kande - in the land of BharatSakhabde Mero, Dakshine dikbhage - to the South of the Meru mountainAsmin Varthamane Vyavaharike - in the current period now reigningPrabhavadi Shasti Samvatsaranam Madya - among the cycle of 60 years starting from PrabhavaNama Samvatsare - the name of the year in the 60 year Hindu calendar....Ayane - Dakshinayane (Aadi to Marghazi) or Uttarayane (Thai to Aani)....Ritou - denotes the 6 seasons or Ritus - Vasantha, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharadh, Hemantha and Shishira....Mase - one of the 12 months....Pakshe - either Shukla Paksham (day after Amavasya till and including Pournami) or Krishna Paksham (day after Pournami till and including Amavasya)....Subha Thithou - one of the 15 days between Pournami and Amavasya (Prathama, Dvithiya, Trithiya, Chaturthi, Panchami, Shasti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dasami, Ekadasi, Dwadashi, Trayodasi, Chaturdasi, Pournami or Amavasya....Vasara Yuktayam - one of the days of the week (Bhanu, Soma, Bhowma, Soumya, Guru, Brugu and Sthira)....Nakshatra Yuktayam - the day's star or Nakshatram. 

After saying the above the name of the ritual is said.

BHARATA VARSHA means entire Asian countries including Iran, Irag, Afghanistan,TIBET, bURMA, sRILANKA, iNDONESIA, mALAYSIA, jAWA AND sUMATRA, BALI, VIETNAMS, THAILAND, bURMA ETC. YOU KNOW THE AREAS OF MALAYSIA,INDONESIA, VIETNAM,ALL THOSE PLACES ARE CALLED SRIVIJAYAM IN NCIENT INDIA.. BHARATA KANDE IDHASHINAPADE, SATAPTE IT GOESON IN THE SANKALP. THERE IS A RIVER FLOWIN IN KERALA CALLED BHARATHA PUZHA. THIS RIVER AND ITS BANKS ARECALLED BHARATHA KANDE IF THE WORDS DHASHINAYANE IS USED. OTHER WISE WHOLE OF INDIA,PAKISTAN BANGLADESH, TIBET ARE INCLUDEDIN BHARATVARSHE.

Bharatavarsha refers to the whole of modern India and many other countries which did not exist then. Emperor Bharat was one of the few emperors to rule

all of former India or Bharata, which was much bigger than modern India.

1) Bharata Varushe, Bharata Kande:

(i) The Vishnu Puranam accounts the extent of Bharatavarsham,

" उत्तरं� यत्समुद्रस्य हि मु�द्र�श्चै�व दक्षि�णमु� । वर्षं� तद� भा�रंत� ना�मु भा�रंत� यत्र स�तहित ।।"

'uttaram yatsamudrasya himadrescaiva daksinamvarsam tadbharatam nama bharati yatra santatih'

"The country (varsam) that lies north of the ocean and south of the snowy mountains is called Bharatam; there dwell the descendants of Bharata."

Bharatakandam is the region which is contained in Bharatavarsha, comprising modern South Asia. 

In the Hindu prayer invocations (Sankalpam), the normal order of geography isBharatavarshe (Akhanda Bharatam), Bharatakhande (Bharatam),...(In Bharatavarsha, in Bharatakantha and so on)

(ii) Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning:

According to some Puranas, the term Bharatvarsha applies to planet Earth and not to India.

वसधा�, vasudhaa ( f.) means Earth. 

'Vasudha' refers to the Earth or to the entire Creation, meaning the vast cosmos. 'Eva' means “certainly” or “verily.” 'Kutumbam' means a family or blood relations, and kutumbakam technically means a little family. So here the Vedic sages are saying that the entire world is truly just one family. The world is like a small, tightly knit, nuclear family.

2) Rig Veda, Book 3, Hyme 53, Verse 12:

" य इमु� रं#दस� उभा� अ मिमुन्द्रमुतष्टवमु |  हिवश्वा�मिमुत्रस्यरं�हित बरंह्मे�द� भा�रंत� जनामु ||" 

'ya ime rodasi ubhe ahamindramatustavam | visvamitrasyaraksati brahmedaṃ BHARATAM janam ||' 

'Praises to Indra have I sung, sustainer of this earth and heaven. This prayer of Visvamitra keeps secure the race of Bharatas.'

3) Srimad Bhagavatam, Book 5, Chapter 20, Verses 2 to 29:

There are 7 concentric dvips of varying sizes and surrounded by various types of oceans.

(yojan is the size of 4 gaau, and 1 gaau is 2 miles (thus 1 yojan is 8 miles). 

(i) Jambu-dvip (the central dvip) with 100,000 yojan at the centre. It is surrounded by salt-water ocean of 100,000 yojan.(ii) Next surrounded by serial one is Plaksh-dvip with 200,000 yojan. It is surrounded by ikshu or sugarcane juice ocean of 200, 000 yojan.(iii) Shaalmali-dvip is next with 400,000 yojan wide. This is encircled by the Like suraa or alcohol ocean with 400,000 yijana.(iv) Kush-dvip is the next one with800,000 yojan. Beyond this Like ghrut or ghee (melted butter) ocean with 800,000 yojan wide.

(v) Next encircled is Kraunch-dvipwith 1,600,000 yojan and beyond this is Like KSHEER or MILK OCEAN with 1,600,000 yojan wide.(vi) Shaak-dvip is next with 3,200,000 yojan and further with Like dadhi-mandod or yogurt ocean with 3,200,000 yojan.(vii) Pushkar-dvip is the last one with 6,400,000 yojan and surrounded with a ocean of Water sweet as sudhaa or amrut (nectar) of 6,400,000 yojan wide.

4) Sangalpam in India and abroad:

(i) In India, the locale part of the Sankalpa would be as follows :

Jambudveepe In the isle of the rose apple

Bharata Varshe In the region called Bharata Varsha

Bharatah Khande In the continent of Bharata etc.

(ii) In U.S.A, SOME PEOPLE adopt the same as follows:-

Krouncha Dweepe In the island called Krouncha

Ramanaka Varshe In the region called Ramanaka Varsha

Aindra Khande In the continent called Aindra

Prasantha Saagare*: Near the Pacific Ocean

Pushkara Kshetre* In the locale known as Pushkara

Rocky - mickelny Parvatayor Madhye*

Between the mountains of Rockey and Mickelny

Misissipi- Missouri Ityadhi Aneka Shodasa Jeeva Nadeenam sameepa stite :

the place that is surrounded by such perenniel rivers like Mississipi , Missouri and 16 other rivers

(iii) NOTE:

This does not seem necessary because the whole Bhoo lokam (of which USA is only a part) lies South to the legendary Meru mountain, the Sankalpam as mentioned for INDIA would hold good to all places on earth!

Our ancient Maharshis with their Ritambara Pragna in Deep Dhaanam , could see wht normal humans with their physical eye can not.

So they could see the planet earth in the universe , the Bhartah varsha , and Bharata Kanda etc.

They found out that the eart is Mainly composed of '' The world is considered as having seven dweepas (islands)-Kusha, Shalmali, Plaksha, Jambu, Krauncha, Saaka, Pushkara. Jamboodweepa is at the centre. Mountain Sumeru is at the centre of Jambudweepa. To the south of Meru(Meru here refers to an etheric mountain wherein resides and walk great saints and sages including Tripura Sundari) is Bharatha Varsha the land ruled by Bharatha,present India is Bharatha-khanda. ''

The Present day India is a small part of that land Called Bharatha Varsham.If you could obtain and see the map of those days , the present day Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Indonesia, Nepal, a part of china and many more surrounding countries were then in Bharata varsha..( Now you can observe many Hindu temples and Hindu gods idols in those countries)

Mainly , Why we recite the SANKALPAM before doing pooja?

Please Kindly SLOWLY READ EACH WORD AND THINK ABOUT IT.

It is called Desha KAALA Sankeertanam.

Who is doing, where he is doing, why he is dong this pooja, how he is doing the pooja etc are explained in this.

Duraitam ( Our Paapa and punya Raasi) Kshayam ( to nullify ) , with the Grace or ORDER (AAGNA) of Maha Vishnu, we do saying this Sankalapam.

We tell our Gotra naamam, our namam and for Parameswara preetyartham , Dharma artha , kaama Moksha sidyartham, Dharma patnee sameytasya, sambhavidbhihi dravayai ...Yadhaa Shakti poojam kariyaey.

The manin PURPOSE OF THE SANKALPAM IS NOT TO SUBMIT OURDESIRES OR WANTS TO GOD.

But you follow the sankalpam...Bharata Varshyey( it is a big part), Bharata

Kanadey( a part of the earlier said varsham), Even in this there is Meru Parvatam, and Meror Dakshina Dikbhaagey ( in the south region of Meru) , Sreesailasya ( or qanother Kshetram) agneyasya pradeshey, Krishna Kaveriormadhyey, Vasati gruhey or swagruhey , Paajam karishey.

What did you observe in THIS.

YOU carefully observe; It shows The plave where we sit and do pooja is infiniteky small by Comparing STEP BY STEP TO A LARGER ONE TO A SMALLER ONE AND FURTHRT ANOTHER SMALLER ONE ETC ETC.

This shall Make us NOT THINK THAT OUR HOUSE IS SO BIG, AND OUR LIVING VILLAGE OR TOWN IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO TALK EVEN.

This shall make you feel that HOW small we are compared to Bharata Varsha, then compared to Universe we are INSIGNIFICANT.

There is NOTHING TO FEEL EGOISM OR AHANKAARAM

Similarly the first part that tells about TIME gradually reveals , how many kalpas have gone, how many yugas have gone, how many brahmas have gone and in what moment the COSMIC time we are praying.

Compared to the GREATEST COSMIC TIMES OUR LIFESPAN IS SO SMALL AND INSIGNIFICANT.

But INSITE OF THIS GOD HAS BEEN SO MERCIFUL, THAT HE GAVE US A MIND TO UNDERSTAND THE ENTIRE VISWAM IF WE FOLLOW PROPER SAADHANA.

The Sankalpam is Mainly to make OUR EGO VANISH and make US FEEL HUMBLE and LOVE ALL.

Various aspects of a sankalpa has been described below:1.kalpa-para This refers to the life span of the Creator, Lord Brahma and the computation(it

various according to various sources but Iam giving here a popular one) is given below. There are four yugaas in the Hindu calendar as described in Puranas: a. Krutha yuga(sathya yuga), 1728000 years (known as total virtue era-- golden age era) b. Trethaayuga, 129600 years(three-fourths virtue; one fourth sin; :--silver age). c. Dwaaparayuga, 864000 years (half virtue half sin:--bronze age) d. Kaliyuga, 432000 years (one-quarter virtue; three-quarter sin; --iron age) .(To find truly good people in this age is very rare)e. One Mahaayuga 4320000 years A Kalpa is made up of 1000 Mahaayugas; 4320000000 years and constitutes a single daytime period of Brahma. A night of Brahma is of equal duration. A full day of Brahma is thus two kalpas--8640000000 years. A year of Brahma is 360 days(720 Kalpas). Lifespan of Brahma is 100 such years 311.04 Trillion years. This is called 'Para' and is considered in two parts-prathama paraardha(para+ ardha=first half of para). i.e the first 50 years of Brahma‟s lifespan and dwitiya paraardha(second half of para i.e. the second 50 years of Brahma‟s lifespan. We are now in dwitiya paraardha, in Brahma‟s 51st year 1st Day called Shwethavaraaha Kalpa. According to Vishnupuraana, at the end of Brahma‟s daytime period, the three worlds Bhooloka, Bhuvarloka and Suvar loka(and the seven netherworlds (Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Bhootala, Rasaatala, Mahaatala and Paataala)are temporarily dissolved (naimittika pralaya/incidental deluge). A dreadful draught occurs and lasts for 100 years. This is followed by a deluge. Lord Vishnu reclines in meditative pose (Yoganidraa) for another kalpa before starting re-creation. 

**Some philosiphize stating that it refers to an antar-pralaya and kundalini related stuff. I have no arguments with them.2. Manvanthara Each kalpa is reined by a succession of 14 manus(Please don't confuse this Manu with another King Manu who came in Kaliyuga who wrote or got written the Manu smrithi) and the period of reign is called manvanthara and corresponds to approximately 71 mahaayugas. The manus are Swaayambhuva, Svaarochisha, Utthama, Thaamasa, Raivatha, Chaakshusha, Vaivaswatha, Saavarni, Dakshasaavarni, Brahmasaavarni,

Dharmasaavarni, Rudrasaavarni, Devasaavarni, Indrasaavarni We are now in the 7th Manvanthara called Vaivaswatha manvanthara and in the 28th Mahaayuga of that Manvanthara. This is around 454th Mahayuga(of the 1000 Mahayugas that form one daytime of Brahma.) As an aside: Seeing this magnanimity, just realize that we are little ants

3. Kaliyuge prathamepaade Within this mahaayuga we are now in Kaliyuga,5106th year of Kaliyuga(corresponding to 2004 AD). Kaliyuga is believed to have started on the midnight of 17th/18th February 3102 BC corresponding to Friday, Bhaadrapada Maasa Krishna paksha Thrayoedashi. Thus we are in the very early part of kaliyuga (first leg) with more than 426000 years to go. 4. Jamboodweepe/Bharthavarshe/Bhrathakhande The world is considered as having seven dweepas (islands)-Kusha, Shalmali, Plaksha, Jambu, Krauncha, Saaka, Pushkara. Jamboodweepa is at the centre. Mountain Sumeru is at the centre of Jambudweepa. To the south of Meru(Meru here refers to an etheric mountain wherein resides and walk great saints and sages including Tripura Sundari) is Bharatha Varsha the land ruled by Bharatha,present India is Bharatha-khanda. America belongs to Krauncha dweepa.USA and Canada to Aindra-Khanda5.Shakaabde This refers to Saalivaahana saka. We are now in saka 1927. 6.Meroho dakshine/vaayavya paarshwe/dishe'In the case of America or the place you are in USA/Canada/or any other country one must read the direction accordingly.--Vaavaye,paschime',etc7.asmin varthamane At the present time 8.Vyyaavahaarike Prabhavaadi-shastyaaha samvatsaraanaam madhye (Prabhava and other 59 years)The Hindu calendar is drawn on the basis of a cycle of 60 samvatsaraas(Years).There is a mythological reference that these are manifestations of progeny of sage Narada who after having stray thoughts was ordained to take birth in this world and beget the sixty issues. Names are as under: Prabhava,Vibhava,Shukla,Pramodootha,Prajotpatti,An geerasa,Srimukha,Bhaava,Yuva,Dhathru,Easwara,Bahud hanya,Pramaathi, Vikrama,Vishnu,Chitrabhaanu,Swabhaanu,Thaarana,Paa rthiva,Vyaya,Sarvajit,Sarvadhaari,Viroedhi,Vikruth i,Khara,Nanda,

Vijaya,Jaya,Manmatha,Durmukhi,Hevilambi,Vilambi,Vi kaari, -Sharvari,Plava,Shubhakruth,Shoebhakruth,Kroedhi,Vi swaavasu,Paraabhava,Plavanga,Keelaka,Soumya,Saadha arana,ViroedhikruthPareedhavi,Pramathicha,Aananda, Rakshasa,Nala,Pingala,Kaal-yukthi,Siddhaarthi,Roudri,Durmathi,Dundhubhi, Rudhiroedgaari,Rakthakshi,Kroedhana,Akshaya 

9.....Ayane The year is divided into two ayanas-Uttaraayana and Dakshinaayana. UttarAyana refers to the period Makara to Kataka and DakshinAyana refers to the period Kataka to Makara.-also referred to as the summer solstice and winter solstice. 10....Ruthau There are six ruthus(seasons) in the year.These are: Vasantha(spring),Greeshma(summer),Varsha(rainy season/monsoon),Sharad(early autumn),Hemantha(late autumn),Shishira(winter). This is the Vedic classification(which is not like the western 4 season classification). 11.Each ruthu comprises two Chaandramaanna maasas(Months) as under: Chaitra-Vaishaakha,Jyestha-Ashaada,Sraavan-Bhaadrapada, Ashwayuja-Karthika, Maargashira-Pushya, Maagha-Phaalguna These names are derived from the nakshatraas obtaining on the Poornima day of the month. The corresponding Souramaana month names (along with Tamil names) are as under: Mesha-Vrushabha(Chittirai-Vaikaashi),Mithuna-Kataka(Ani-Adi),Simha-Kanyaa(Aavani-Purattaasi),Thulaa-Vruschika (Alpasi-Karthikai),Dhanus-Makara(Maarhazhi-Thai),Kumbha-Meena(Maashi-Panguni) The English names for the twelve zodiacal months are as under. Aries,Taurus,Gemini,Cancer,Leo,Virgo,Libra,Scorpio ,Saggi-tarius,Capricorn,Aquarius,Pisces. 12......Pakshe Each maasa is divided into two pakshas(fortnights).-Shukla paksha,the bright fortnight,the period of the waxing moon-from Prathamaa to Poornimaa. Krishna paksha,the dark fortnight,period of the waning moon-from Prathamaa to Amavaasyaa. 13....Tithau 

There are 15 tithis in each paksha. These are: prathamaa,dwiteeyaa,trutheeyaa,chaturthi,panchami, shasti, saptami,ashtami,navami,dashami,ekaadashi,dwaadashi ,thrayoe-dashi,chaturdashi,poornimaa/amaavaasyaa. 14......Vaasare There are seven days in the week: Bhaanuvara(Ravi,Adithya),Somavara(Indu),Kujavara(M angala), Budhavara, Guruvara(Bruhaspathi),Shukravara and Shanivara(Sthira).Equivalent Tamil and English names are; Gnyaayitrukkizhamai also called Kadiravan Naal(Sunday), Thingatkkizhamai (Monday), Sevvaikkizhmai(Tuesday),Budhankizhamai(Wednesday), Vyaazhakilzhmai (Thursday),Vellikizhamai(Friday) and Shanikizhamai(Saturday). 15......Nakshatre There are 27 stars as under. Their placement in various raashis is indicated below; ashwini,bharani,krittika1-Mesha krittika2,3,4,rohini,mrugashiraa 1,2-Vrushabha mrugashira 3,4,arudhra,punarvasu1,2,3-Mithuna punarvasu4,pushya, aaslesha, uttara1- Simha Uttara2,3,4,hasta,chitta1,2-Kanyaa Chitta3,4,swaathi,vishaakha1,2,3-Thulaa Vishakha4,anooraadhaa,,jyesthaa-Vruschika Moolaa,poorvaashaada,uttaraashaada1-Dhanus uttarashada2,3,4,shravana,dhanistaa1,2-Makara dhanista3,4,shatabhisha,poorvaabhadra1,2,3K poorvabhadra4,uttaraabhaadra,revathi M 16...Yoga There are 27 yogas as under: vishakumbha,preethi,ayushmaan,soubhaagya,shobhana, athiganda, sukarma,dhruthi,shoola,ganda,vruddhi,dhruva,vyaagh aatha, harshana,vajra,siddhi,vyatheepaatha,vareeyaan,pari gha, shivasiddha,saadhya,shubha,shukla(Shukra),brahma,i ndra,vaidh-ruthi. Some are considered auspicious and some in-auspicious. Normally the name of the yoga on the day is not spelt out. Instead it is just mentioned as shubhayoga,unless one knows exactly when. 17... Karana The karanas are as under: 

bhava,baalava,kaulava,thaithila,gara,vanij,vishtee ,shakuni, chatushpaada,naaga,kimsthughna. Some are considered auspicious and some inauspicious. Normally the name of the karana on the day is not spelt out. Instead it is just mentioned as shubhakarana. It is said that, when all these 17 aspects are recited in the sankalpa along with other details including pravara,etc(sometimes omitting it) and adding sankalpa suktham(again sometimes omitting it) and then touching the water(one of the pancha bhuthas) will have an auspicious dolement on the sadhana and will defintely fructify.Also, the mind(subconscious) is prepared for the great moment of the sadhana when this divine-rigmarole is complete.God or Amba does not need informing but it is meant as a resolve for our inner-consciousness. This is the paramaartha of sankalpa.