yathā mṛdguḍikā ekāṅke prakṣiptā ekam ity ucyate, śatāṅke śataṃ, sahasrāṅge sahasraṃ tathā kāritre 'vasthito bhāvo vartamānas tataḥ pracyuto 'tītas tadaprāpto 'nāgata iti /
Just as a clay counter placed in the ones column is called "one," in the hundreds column "hundred," in the thousands column "thousand," likewise an entity situated in activity is [called] "present," fallen from that [activity] is "past," [and] not yet reached that [activity] is "future."