Time or Kaala

Time (Kaala) is under the control of Kaalapurusha. The Supreme Lord Sri Krishna is the presiding Lord of eternal time, He is Kaala or Time. He is the creator of time, the manager of time and also the one who is responsible for repetition of time. Lord Brahma and all other entities of this Universe are bound by Time. Everyone has a Time span to be present in this Universe. Lord Krishna is known as the kaalatma, the soul of time and has the Kaala-swaroopa, the form of time. He is not bound by time. The Lord is also known as “Kaalascha Naaraayanah” in the Naraayana Upanishad.  

This entire Cosmic Universe also known as material world revolves around time. Time is the most powerful force in the world. Lord Krishna mentions in the Bhagavadgita that He is indeed Time.Time diminishes eveyone’s life in tune with the rising and setting of the sun. 

The Time span is different in each of the planetary systems. It is much longer than on earth in the higher planetary systems, and so the beings on higher planets live for extremely long periods of time as per our estimation. The time in this material world is relative to the four yugas where each yuga lasts for hundreds of thousands of years.

The first yuga is known as Satya Yuga, human civilization was enlightened, but gradual degradation occurs in the next two yugas – Treta Yuga and Dwapara Yuga. When we reach the Kali yuga (which we are currently in), civilization sinks more and more and causes chaos and ignorance. At the end of the Kali yuga, a partial universal destruction occurs, and a new cycle begins again starting with Satya Yuga. The cycle repeats itself one thousand times in each day of Brahma, who has engineered or created this universe.

The Vedic conception of time throws up a very startling image of the fleeting human life. As per Vedas, every moment in this human life is very precious and has to be utilized for self-realization.

Eternal time is the primeval source of the interactions of the three modes of material nature. It is unchangeable and limitless, and it works as the instrument of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for His pastimes in the material creation.—Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.10.11

The presiding Lord or Niyamaka means the Lord who governs or has been appointed or assigned or instructor or is the guide and controller etc. Niyama—is a part of the word Niyamaka and it means rules, policies, principles, regulations, set of laws. The divine law maker and law giver as the Kaala Purusha or Kaala Niyamaka governs this eternal time. Time is the measured in terms of its covering a certain space of atoms.

The sun’s movement is the reference point for time calculation. The time taken by sun to cross over an atom is the atomic time. Gross time is further divided- Two atoms are known as double atom, three double atoms make up a hexa atom. The atom is said to be the invisible particle. Six atoms combine together is called a Trasarenu.

The time duration needed for the integration of three Trasarenus is called a Truti, and one hundred Trutis make one Vedha. Three Vedhas make up to one Lava. It is calculated that if a second is divided into 1687.5 parts, each part is the duration of a Truti, which is the time occupied in the integration of eighteen atomic particles.

One month comprises of two Pakshas, and twelve months comprise one calendar year, or one full orbit of the sun. A human being is expected to live up to one hundred years. The period of one month when the moon wanes is called Krishna-Paksha, the dark moon or Amavasya. In the same month the moon waxes and is called Gaura-Paksha or Sukla-Paksha, the full moon or Purnima. Thus Purnima to Amavasya is called Krishna-Paksha (dark moon) and Amavasya to Purnima is called Sukla-Paksha (bright moon). Two months equal one season. During the first six months the sun travels from south to north (Uttarayana). During the second six months the sun travels from north to south (Daksinayana). Two solar movements equal one day and night of the demigods.

Masa (month) is a micro constituent of Kalachakra the gigantic wheel of Time. Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Stothra (sloka # 45) describes Lord Vishnu as Rutuh (seasons), Kalah (Time) and Samvatsara (the year).

Rituh Sudarshanah Kaalah Parameshthee Parigrahah     |
Ugrah Samvatsaro Daksho Vishraamo Vishvadakshinah ||45||

Rituh – The Lord of Time who governs the Seasons

The Name Rituh is derived from the root ‘Rgati-Praapanayoh’ meaning ‘to go’.  Rcchati iti Rtuh – The term Rituh refers to seasons as they push one another and keep coming fresh without interruption. Sri Adi Sankara interprets this Nama as ‘Kaalaatmanaa ritushabdena Lakshyate iti Rituh – Seasons represent time and Bhagavan being the very essence of time is denoted as Rituh’.

Sri Parasara Bhattar interprets the Nama as referring to Bhagavan’s auspicious qualities, which are unique and delightful presenting themselves like waves of seasons in the hearts of His devotees and blessing them.

One Rituh lasts for two-months and there are six such in a year.   The different Rituhs are: Vasanta, Greeshma, Varsha, Sharad, Hemantha, and Shisira Rituh. The cyclic time involves the movement of Ritus successively from one to another seamlessly. This Nama clearly indicates that Bhagavan is in the form of Time and is behind the cycle of Seasons.

Ritur-Ritunaa nudyamaanah vinnaada abhidhaavah – One season prods the other out and declares its arrival loudly.

Masa (Month) is a component of Time, which is reckoned as Lord Vishnu, so Masa can also be treated as Vishnu. Lord Vishnu is also the ruler or controller of time, known as Kaala Niyaamaka, so He then becomes the presiding Lord of the month or maasa and is known as Maasa Niyamaka by different names in different months.

The luminaries in our daily life whose presence completes this world are the Sun and the Moon.

The moon grows for 15 day period and then diminishes for the next 15 days. The Full moon and New moon days are the basic criteria on which the Lunar month is established. Our religious calendar – Panchang or Alamanac is based on this Lunar month.

Lunar month is the time period from New moon – Amavasya start to the end moment of the next New moon. Generally the Lunar month starts from Shukla Paksha- Padyami/pratipad/prathama and ends in the Krishna / Bahula Paksha – Amavasya. The sun and the moon traverse in a clea path known as the Zodiac. There ae twelve such zociac signs/ rashis. The movement of the Sun from one zodiac sign to another is known as Sankranthi/Sankramana. The Solar month or Soura is the period between two Sankranthis. The cycle of the sun begins with Aries/Mesha and ends with Pisces/Meena and is known as Solar year, indicating the complete cycle.

The Solar and Lunar calendars have been successfully combined to be known as the Luni-Solar calendar. This calendar is mainly used for spiritual and religious activities. The duration of a Lunar month is 29 days 12 hours and 44 minutes and the sum total of this is 354 days and 9 hours in a year. Out of 365 days, the solar year shows a shortage of 11 days. Over a period of three years, this difference accumulates to become 30 days. So, this results in an additional Lunar month to be accommodated in the calendar. The addition of this month balances the Lun-Solar calendar and helps keep pace with the seasons. This additional month is known as inter-calary month for Lunar calendar. Such an additional month is extra month and is known as Adhika masa which appears in the calendar at the end of 32 or 33 solar months. This time period calculation is a theoretical representation. Based on the velocity of movement of the sun and moon across the zodiac signs, the additional month is incorporated either in two or three years.

The Sun God / Aaditya / Suryanarayana travels amongst the planets by regulating their movements. Lord Vishnu is the creator of the Universe which includes these planets. He is the Supreme Soul of all the living beings. The sun god and Lord Hari are non-different. The Sun god being the source of all ritualistic activities prescribed in the Vedas has several names associated with Him as given by the Vedic sages. Lord Hari in His expansion of the Sun god is the soul of this material energy and is described by nine aspects – Time, Place, endeavor, performer, instrument, specific ritual, scripture, paraphernalia of worship and the result to be achieved.

The Lord manifests as sun god from His potency of time and travels through each of the twelve months, right from Madhu / Mesha /Aries. The six associates of the sun god change as they travel with him in different months.

The eyes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are represented by Sun God. The sun god is considered as the chief among the demi-gods. He is the demi god who watches the northern side of the universe. Lord Suryanarayana helps us to understand the Vedas. This is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (BS 5.38).

Aaditya / sun god is different in each month of the year and so also are his prowess.

The sun god

As Indra he destroys the enemies of the gods.

As Dhata, he creates living beings.

As Parjanya, he showers down rain.

As Tvashta, he lives in the trees and herbs.

As Pusha, he makes foodgrains grow.

As Aryama, he is in the wind.

As Bhaga, he is in the body of all living beings.

As Vivasvana, he is in fire and helps to cook food.

As Vishnu, he destroys the enemies of the gods.

As Amshumana, he is again in the wind.

As Varuna, Surya is in the waters

As Mitra, he is in the moon and in the oceans².

Thus, throughout the twelve months, the lord of the sun travels in all directions with his six types of associates, disseminating among the inhabitants of this universe purity of consciousness for both this life and the next.

Reference: Wikipedia

Chart to depict the different months and their equivalents.