Speculations on feasibility of puranic time travel

To this excellent post of eminent scholar Sri Raj Vedam, i would like to share my 2 cents of speculative reconciliation on the feasibility of time travel accounts provided in the Holy Hindu scriptures.

https://www.facebook.com/raj.vedam.1/posts/10216341973846454

https://www.facebook.com/raj.vedam.1/posts/10216337103484698


IMHO I think it all boils down on what one means by concepts like "Time" and "Travel”. These concepts have been some of the most debated and speculated topics not only in ancient philosophical traditions across the globe but also medieval philosophies as well as modern sciences. Particularly, the ontological and epistemological status of time is one of the most important questions debated across different schools of philosophies. Take the Indian scenario itself, there are considerable differences in between each of these pairs of schools viz. नयाय & वैशेषिक दर्शन (nyāya & vaiśeṣika darśana), योग & सांख्य दर्शन (yoga & sāṁkhya daṛśana), उत्तर /वेदान्त & पूर्व मीमांस दर्शन (uttara / vedānta & pūrva mīmāṁsa darśana).  The Buddhists and Jains have their own customized versions as well. Similarly, in the western world there are a variety of schools.

While some schools consider काल (kāla - time) as an independent ontological entity – दरव्य (dravya - element), while for others it is just an epistemological construct.; similarly, for some it is a धर्मि (dharmi – substantial), while for others it is धर्म (dharma -attributive); again, some schools believe that time momentary, while others say it is enduring, while still other believe it is perduring. For some time is linear (flat space-time), for some it is cyclical, while for still others it is spiral. Classical physics considers time is static and absolute, whereas relativistic physics considers it dynamic and relative. Certain schools of quantum physics consider time not as a fundamental principle, but as a derived or emergent one. In a nutshell, there is no single universally accepted model of time either in religion, philosophy or for that matter even in physics.

The next important concept to understand is that not only there are striking differences in the ontological viewpoints on time across philosophical schools, but there are also differences in the measurement scales of time i.e. defining the units and durations of time scales. Before proceeding further, please remember that both according to ancient Hindu philosophical wisdom, as well as modern relativistic-quantum physics देश (deśa - space) & काल (kāla - time) are not considered as two isolated entities but as one integrated संप्रवाह (saṁpravāha - continuum) called the fabric of देश-काल संप्रवाह (deśa-kāla saṁpravāha – space time contiuum).

For example, according to the श्रीमद् भागवत महापुराण (śrīmad bhāgavata mahāpurāṇa) the denomination of space-time begins from microscopic subatomic scales of परमानु (paramānu), अनु (anu), त्रसरेनु (trasarenu), त्रुति (truti), वेध (vedha), लव (lava); through मानुष्य काल (mānuṣya kāla – human time) of meso-time scales निमिष (nimiṣa), क्षण (kṣaṇa), काष्ठा (kāṣṭhā), लघु (laghu), नाडिक (nāḍika), मुहूर्त (muhūrta) दिन (dina - day), सप्ताह (saptāha -week), पक्ष (pakṣa - fortnight), मास (māsa - month), आयन (āyana – half year), वर्ष (varṣa - year), युग (yuga - aeon), महायुग (mahā yuga – grand epoch), मन्वन्तर (manvantara – patriarch era), कल्प (kalpa) etc. In a nutshell, the comprehensive timescale roughly spanning from nano-seconds to more than trillions of years. Many scholars, scientists and subject matter experts are testifying that these time scales are astonishingly very close to modern cosmological estimates.

In many scriptures the length of the महायुग (mahā yuga) is considered to be 43,20,000 solar (human) years. Which is further split into चतुर् युग काल (catur yuga kāla – fourfold epoch period) in the ratio of 4:3:2:1 across 17,28,000 years of कृत्या युग (kṛtyā yuga – creation epoch), 12,96,000 years of त्रेतायुग (tretāyuga – third epoch), 8,64,000 years of द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga – second epoch) & 4,32,000 years of कलियुग (kaliyuga – dark/black epoch) respectively. 71 such महायुग (mahā yuga – grand epochs) constitute what is called as a मन्वन्तर (manvantara – manu’s period) and 14 such मन्वन्तर (manvantara – patriarch periods) constitute a कल्प (kalpa -aeon) which in turn corresponds to 24 hours (=12*2) or 1 ब्रह्मअहोरात्रि (brahma ahorātri – daytime of brahma) and 720 (=360 *2) such ब्रह्मअहोरात्रि (brahma ahorātri – daytimes of brahma) corresponds to 1 ब्रह्म वर्ष (brahma varṣa – brahma year). 100 such years correspond to ब्रह्म आयुश् काल (brahma āyuś kāla – brahma’s lifetime). And more importantly, such scales are cyclical wherein the events are repetitively recurring.
In fact, the दश महा विभव अवतार (daśa mahā vibhava avatāra - ten supreme glorious incarnations) of Lord श्री महा विष्णु (śrī mahā viṣṇu) is also uniformly spread across चतुर् युगकाल (catur yugakāla - four-fold epoc period) i.e. one महा विभव अवतार (mahā vibhava avatāra - supreme glorious incarnations) for every 4,32,000 years. In other words, the golden ratio 4:3:2;1 is applicable not only to the epochs (yugas) but also to the incarnations (avataras).
In this context, just as there are temporal units of measure discussed above, there are spatial measures as well. For example, the temporal ranges discussed so far belongs to the realm of human consciousness operating within the spatial range of मनुष्य / भूलोक काल (manuṣya bhūloka kāla / bhūloka – human /terrestrial spacetime fabric /plane).  But this is not the only space-time realm. There are still higher realms of spiritual consciousness viz. देव लोक काल (deva loka kāla – heavenly space-time plane) which has time scale ranges like देव अहोरात्रि (deva ahorātri), देव वर्ष (deva varṣa), देव युग (deva yuga) etc. However, even this is not the end of Hindu time scales. There are still higher degrees of spiritual space-time realms like the ब्रह्म लोक काल (brahma loka kāla) having time scale ranges like ब्रह्म अहोरात्रि (brahma ahorātri), ब्रह्म वर्ष (brahma varṣa), ब्रह्म युग (brahma yuga) etc. and even further extends to विष्णु लोक काल (viṣṇu loka kāla) and शिव लोक काल (śiva loka kāla) each possessing corresponding time-scale ranges like विष्णु अहोरात्रि (viṣṇu ahorātri), विष्णु वर्ष (viṣṇu varṣa), विष्णु युग (viṣṇu yuga) & शिव अहोरात्रि (śiva ahorātri), शिव वर्ष (śiva varṣa), शिव युग (śiva yuga) etc., respectively.

Thus, each realm has a relative frame of reference and of course there is a mathematical mapping relating these realms. Like a मानुष्य वर्ष (mānuṣya varṣa – human year) in the भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial plane) corresponds to a देव अहोरात्रि (deva ahorātri – divine daynight) in देव लोक (deva loka – heavenly plane). Similarly, there are corresponding mappings between देव लोक काल (deva loka kāla – heavenly space-time plane), विष्णु लोक काल (viṣṇu loka kāla) & शिव लोक काल (śiva loka kāla).

Based on the account given in the sacred श्रीमद् भागवत महापुराण (śrīmad bhāgavata mahāpurāṇa), at present (as on 14^th June 2018), in the capacity of ordinary mortals are operating currently from भूलोक (bhūloka – terrestrial plane) in the 5118^th year in the 4^th phase of the चतुर् युग काल (catur yuga kāla – fourfold epoch period) viz. कलियुग (kaliyuga – dark/black epoch) of the 28^th महायुग (mahā yuga – grand epoch) in the वैवस्वत मन्वन्त्र (vaivasvata manvantra) which is the 7^th मन्वन्तर (manvantara – patriarch era) within the श्वेतवराह कल्प (śvetavarāha kalpa) in the 51^st ब्रह्म वर्ष (brahma varṣa – brahma year).  The eminent Indian astronomer श्री वराहमिहिर (śrī varāhamihira) in his phenomenal work सूर्य सिद्धान्त (sūrya siddhānta) very clearly testifies this model. 

However, the next important point to understand is that while referring about the time scales in the Indian scriptural context viz. इतिहास (itihāsa - epic), पुराण (purāña - mythology), ज्योतिष शास्त् (jyotiṣa śāstra – astrological literature), there seems to be some discrepancies regarding the durations amongst different scriptures. For example, some eminent astronomers do not subscribe to the above ratio (4:3;2:1). श्री आर्यभट्ट (śrī āryabhaṭṭa) in his monumental work आर्यभाटीय (āryabhāṭīya) states that the महायुग काल (mahā yuga kāla – grand epoch period) is distributed in equal proportions across the चतुर् युग (catur yuga– fourfold epochs) viz. 10,80,000 years each.

Similarly, लगध महऋषि (lagadha mahaṛṣi) in his magnum opus masterpiece वेदाङ ज्योतिष (vedāṅga jyotiṣa) which is considered to be one of the oldest astrological (astronomical) treatise does not talk about such huge time scales. In fact, instead of the चतुर् युग काल (catur yuga kāla – fourfold epoch periods) spanning to lakhs of solar years, he only refers to a period of five-fold solar years viz. सांवत्सर (sāṁvatsara), परिवत्सर (parivatsara), इदावत्सर (idāvatsara), अनुवत्सर (anuvatsara) & उद्रवत्सर (udravatsara) respectively (totaling to approximately 12830 human days) which is again a reflection of the definitions in the ancient वेद शास्त्र (veda śāstra) like the तैत्तिरीय ब्राह्मन (taittrīya brahmana).

Please do not get confused between such vast differences between these two strikingly different models of युग (yuga - epoch) system. Although both the models commonly leverage the term युग (yuga - epoch) to represent time scales, yet they target completely different functionalities. The former is used to measure cosmological phenomena, while the latter serves more for social and ritualistic calendar purposes. In other words, they are similar but not the same. Once we understand this, the seeming disparities (inconsistencies) in yuga definitions will reduce.

With this general background overview on time scale models, let us get back to the topic of time-travel. The Indian scriptural corpus is pregnant with multiple accounts of such time-travel episodes. There are ample case studies in the महाभारत (mahābhārata), महापुराण शास्त्र (mahāpurāṇa śāstra – mythological literature), (yoga vaśiṣṭa) beautifully demonstrating time-travel.  For example, श्री नारद महामुनि (śri nārada mahāmuni) for example is one of the most popular space-time traveler mentioned across almost all the पुराण शास्त्र (purāṇa śāstra – mythological literature). The story of ककुद्मी (kakudmī), लीला (līlā) are other very popular examples.   But one may be wondering how is such time pravel physically possible particularly when traveling across prohibitively large astronomical distances, considering the physical limitations posed by the laws of relativistic physics.    

The conventional view is a common-sense logic according to linear sequencing of time scales, also referred as ‘mesotime scales’.  Such a linear flow of time is also called ‘psychological time’ in modern physics. It’s a great model for all practical purposes and I personally am fine with it.

But this is not the only model discussed in ancient religious philosophies as well as in modern science. The temporal models referred in the पुराण शास्त्र (purāṇa śāstra – mythological literature) are spirally cyclical models spanning great ranges of time scales.  

Now, coming the main crux of your genuinely valid observation/concern raised in the comment. Instead of look at these massive time scales in a unidirectional linear mode which makes it difficult for the feasibility of time travel. However, this difficulty can be theoretically reduced if we begin to consider other alternate space-time geometric models. For example, instead of the linear model we can consider a spirally cyclical model. Such spiral model is also speculated by many physicists including Frank Tipler the eminent mathematician physcist. Again, typically, such spiralized space-time geometry, one can conceive two different paths or trajectories viz.

·         क्रमक यात्र (kramaka yātra – gradual travel / pilgrimage): one is traversing along the spiral curve which is the longer path. One can visualize such a spiral channel as a perdurant tube, and any cross-section (arc) in the 3+1D curve is considered as a space-time (block universe) containing both spatial parts and temporal parts.      

·         सुवेग यात्र (suvega yātra – rapid travel / pilgrimage): In this case instead of the regular trajectory of gradual progress, a spiritual adept takes a short cut viz. a direct vertical line (and that is the perpendicular distance which mathematically is the shortest distance between the source and target points) by making a hole (technically called a worm-hole) through the space-time warp (tunnel).   

According to many scriptures महायुग (mahā yuga) cycles can also be shrunk accordingly, as done in the scriptures itself. The कलियुग (kaliyuga – dark/black epoch), द्वापर युग (dvāpara yuga – second epoch), त्रेतायुग (tretāyuga) & कृत्या युग (kṛtyā yuga)  is stated to be 4,32,000 years in some scriptures at the same time, another scripture scales same as just 4,320 years and still others provide a similar but slightly different time-scales. This seeming disparity between them will be cleared if we understand the laws of relativity viz. relative frames of references used across different scriptural versions which need to be interpreted from perspectives viz. Vertical vs spiral etc. 
For example, the duration in terms of vertical scales of  of 43,20,000 मनुष्य / भूलोक काल (manuṣya bhūloka kāla / bhūloka – human /terrestrial spacetime fabric /plane) distributed across चतुर् युगकाल (catur yugakāla - four-fold epoch period) in the golden ratio (4:3:2:1) as 17,28,000:12,96,000:8,64000:4,32,000 can be temporally dilated (mapped  / reduced) to 12,000 ब्रह्म लोक काल (brahma loka kāla - divine spacetime) distributed in the same ratio as 4,800: 3,600: 2,400: 1,200.       
Please remember that as established by Einstein's General relativity ...Time is not an absolute measure but a relative measure based on the frame of reference. The life time of भगवान् श्री रामचन्द्र मूर्ति (bhagavān śrī rāmacandra mūrti) can be considered from both scales...based on your personal belief system or frame of reference.

Moreover, we should understand that time, as testified in many schools of ancient metaphysics as well as modern medieval ontological philosophy and even modern physics, time is not absolute of linear unidirectional tensed flow from past, through present, to the future. It rather is a tense-less enduring continuum (field). Time is a special kind of spatial extension and hence all the three tenses of time along with the spatial dimension persist always. However, as part of our constrained empirical consciousness only three spatial dimensions and one temporal dimension (which is the present tense) is perceivable at any instance. In other words, past and future entities are as real and enduring as the one in the present tense. Just as distant places far away are as real and enduring.

However, ordinary mortals like us whose locus of conscious awareness  is typically confined (bundled)  to the triple realms of अन्नमय कोश (annamaya kośa – food/body sheath), प्राणमय कोश (prāṅamaya kośa – mind sheath) and the मनोमय कोश (manomaya kośa) and operating within the triple states of जग्रत् अवस्त् (jagrat avasta-wakeful state), स्वप्न अवस्त् (svapna avasta – dream state) & सुशुप्ति अवस्त् (suśupti avasta – sleep state) respectively, can only empirically experience the present instance as a tangible consciousness of an extra-mental spatiotemporal objective reality. This is because, we still bound by the त्रिमल (trimala – triple fetters) viz. आणव/ अणुत्व ( āṅava / añutva – minuteness/atomicity),  कर्म (karma - fate) &  माया (māyā - delusion) respectively because of which the mind differentiates between the अस्मद् (asmad – I/me) and न अस्मद् (na asmad – not I/me) – in other words the विषयिन् विषय भेद (viṣayin viṣaya bheda – subject-object discrimination). One of the best ways to understand this concept is through the Minkowiski’s famous space-time diagram wherein the present tense (the now-here moment) is an intersection of the past and the future light-cones. the three dimensions of space hypersurface intersects the present-tense of time All spatio-temporal parts falling within the light-like cone boundary within perceptional boundaries while others are not.

On the other hand, for spiritually evolved souls, whose higher faculties of ब्रह्म ज्ञान सिद्धि (brahma ṇana siddhi – spiritual / para normal potencies) are awakened are no longer bound by the अहंभाव (ahaṁbhāva aṇutva – self arrogating minuteness) in terms of विषयिन् विषय भेद (viṣayin viṣaya bheda – subject-object discrimination). In other words, space-time continuum is fully pervaded by their mind and hence their journey space-time is no longer an extra-mental journey but an inner journey which again is a yogic time-travel.  through the yogic technique of  प्राण अग्निहोत्र (prāṅa agnihotra),  they travel in mind and as we know mind is the fastest traveler. of course, much faster than light as well. For example, although Sun light takes 8 seconds to reach us, and even millions of light years for light to reach us from a distant star or galaxy, we can instantaneously think of the Sun or distant star through my mind.  Hats of to mind -the greatest gift of God to man!     

So the faster than light limitation is no longer applicable to such adepts.  The yogically activated आधार चक्र (ādhāra cakra – base canters) in their सूक्ष्म ज्ञानदेह (sūṢma jñāna deha – subtle gnostic body) acts as the worm-hole through which the time-travel is made feasible.

Again, please remember that it is not necessary that these yogic adepts physically travel through spatial world-line to reach the target destination. Unlike for ordinary mortals, for them the whole multiverse is a omnj-jective continuum wherein the yogi is an endurant force capable of entangling even with any non-local entity.

They teleport through what is technically called in Minkowisky’s model as the ‘time-like’ worldline where the impact of gravitational resistance of spatial mass is minimized and the actual teleportation is only de-materialized (spiritualized) as quantum information wave viz. – मन्त्र   नाद स्पन्दन (mantra nāda spandana - theosonic vibrations) which is then rematerialized (cloned) as the entangled polarity at the target.  In other words, their  स्थूल भूत देह (sthūla bhūta deha – gross physical body) made up of the पञ्च महा भूत (pañca mahā bhūta – five physical elements) is spiritualized, through a technique which can be called as विप्रतीप पञ्चिकर्ण (vipratīpa pañcikaraṅa – reverse quintuplication), into  ज्ञान देह (jñāna deha- gnostic / information body).  Please remember that in accordance with the laws of quantum thermodynamics, the aroused प्राणाग्नि (prāṅagni – vital heat) serves as the medium (channel) for वाक् शक्ति (vāk śakti information-energy) helping in breaking the information-entropy which otherwise constraints the arrow of time.