Time Explained in Hindu Philosophy

Short Answer

Time (kāla) in Hindu philosophy is not an absolute reality. It is a projection of the mind. The Upanishads declare that time is a product of the mind’s activity – past, present, and future are appearances in consciousness. The only reality is the timeless Self (Brahman). The Mandukya Upanishad teaches that AUM represents the three states of consciousness (waking, dream, deep sleep) – and the silence beyond is Turiya, the timeless Self. The story of Bhusunda (Yoga Vāsiṣṭha) illustrates the relativity of time: a crow who has lived through countless cosmic cycles remains unchanged. Time passes over him like water over a stone. The Self is timeless. The world comes and goes. You remain. The past is a memory. The future is an imagination. The present is the only moment – and even the present is an appearance in consciousness. Wake up from time. Be timeless.

In one line: Time is not absolute reality – it is a projection of the mind; the Self is timeless, never born, never dying.

Key points:

• Time (kāla) is not an absolute reality – it is a projection of the mind
• The Upanishads: time is a product of the mind’s activity – past, present, and future appear in consciousness
• The only reality is the timeless Self (Brahman)
• Mandukya Upanishad: AUM represents three states of consciousness; the silence beyond is Turiya – the timeless Self
• The story of Bhusunda: a crow who lived through countless cosmic cycles, unchanged – time is relative
• The past is a memory; the future is an imagination; the present is an appearance in consciousness

For a complete understanding of time in Hindu philosophy, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Awakening Through Vedanta provides the philosophical framework, while her Divine Truth Unveiled explores the Mandukya Upanishad’s teaching on the four states of consciousness.

---

Part 1: The Nature of Time

Not Absolute Reality

The most common misunderstanding is thinking time is an absolute reality – a container in which events happen, independent of the mind.

What Time Is NOT	What Time IS
An absolute container	A projection of the mind
Independent of consciousness	An appearance in consciousness
The same for all beings	Relative – depends on the mind
Ultimately real	Vyavahārika (practical) – real for everyday purposes

“Time is like a line drawn on water. It appears. It disappears. It has no substance. The mind draws the line of time. The mind erases it. Only consciousness remains.”

Time as a Projection of the Mind

The Yoga Vāsiṣṭha teaches that time is a product of the mind’s activity – past, present, and future are appearances in consciousness.

The Mind Projects	In Reality
Past (memory)	Present consciousness remembering
Future (anticipation)	Present consciousness imagining
Present (fleeting)	Present consciousness witnessing
Duration (time passing)	Timeless consciousness

“The past is only a memory in the present. The future is only an imagination in the present. The present is only an appearance in consciousness. There is no time. There is only consciousness appearing as past, present, and future.”

For a deeper exploration of time as projection, refer to the article on “Time and Creation in the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha” in this series.

---

Part 2: The Upanishads on Time

The Fourth State (Turiya) – Beyond Time

The Mandukya Upanishad describes the four states of consciousness. The fourth state, Turiya, is beyond time.

State	Experience	Time
Waking (Jagrat)	Experiencing the world	Past, present, future appear
Dream (Svapna)	Experiencing mental images	Past, present, future appear
Deep sleep (Suṣupti)	Experiencing nothing	Time seems to stop (but not known)
Turiya (Fourth)	Pure consciousness itself	Beyond time – timeless

“Turiya is not a state. It is the background of all states. It is what you are when you are awake, when you dream, and when you sleep deeply. It is beyond time. It never comes. It never goes. It is timeless.”

AUM and Time

The Mandukya Upanishad uses AUM to represent the four states. The silence after AUM is Turiya – the timeless Self.

Letter	State	Time
‘A’	Waking	Time appears
‘U’	Dream	Time appears
‘M’	Deep sleep	Time appears to stop
Silence	Turiya	Beyond time – timeless

“AUM is not a mantra to be repeated mechanically. It is a map of consciousness. ‘A’ is waking, ‘U’ is dream, ‘M’ is sleep. The silence after is Turiya – the timeless Self. Chant AUM. Feel the states. Rest in the silence. That is beyond time.”

For a complete understanding of the Mandukya Upanishad, refer to the article on “Mandukya Upanishad Teachings” in this series.

---

Part 3: The Story of Bhusunda – Timelessness of the Self

The Crow Who Witnessed Cosmic Cycles

The story of sage Bhusunda (Yoga Vāsiṣṭha, Book 6) illustrates the relativity of time.

Element	Teaching
Bhusunda the crow	The Self (you)
Countless cosmic cycles	Time is an appearance
Many creations and destructions	The world comes and goes
Bhusunda remains unchanged	The Self remains unchanged

“Bhusunda said: ‘I have seen countless universes arise and dissolve. I have seen gods come and go. I remain. Time passes over me like water over a stone. I am not touched. The Self is timeless. The world comes and goes. You remain.'”

You Are Bhusunda

The story is not about a crow. It is about you.

Bhusunda	You
Watched cosmic cycles come and go	Watch moments come and go
Remained unchanged	Remain unchanged
Time passed over him	Time passes over you
He was timeless	You are timeless

“Bhusunda is not a historical character. He is a teaching. He shows you that the Self is not bound by time. The world changes. You do not. The world comes and goes. You remain. This is not poetry. It is direct pointing. You are Bhusunda. You have always been. You will always be. Time passes over you. You are not touched.”

For a complete retelling of the Bhusunda story, refer to the article on “Time and Creation in the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha” in this series.

---

Part 4: Time and the Mind

Past, Present, Future – All in the Present

The past is not “out there.” It is a memory in the present. The future is not “out there.” It is an imagination in the present.

Time	Location
Past	In the mind (memory)
Future	In the mind (imagination)
Present	Appears in consciousness (fleeting)
Timeless	Consciousness itself (always present)

“You cannot find the past anywhere except in your mind. You cannot find the future anywhere except in your mind. The present is the only moment. And even the present is an appearance in consciousness. There is only consciousness. Timeless. Ever-present.”

The Mind Creates Time

The Yoga Vāsiṣṭha teaches that the mind creates the illusion of time.

The Mind Does	Result
Projects past, present, future	Time appears
Divides experience into before and after	Sequence appears
Creates the sense of duration	Time passing appears
Forgets its own nature	Time seems real

“The mind is like a cinema projector. It projects images of past, present, future. The audience forgets they are watching a movie. They think time is real. The projector is the mind. The movie is time. When the projector stops, the movie ends. When the mind is still, time is still.”

For a deeper exploration of the mind’s role, refer to the article on “Mind and Illusion According to the Yoga Vāsiṣṭha” in this series.

---

Part 5: Practical Implications

Freedom from Time

When you realize the Self is timeless, you are no longer bound by time.

Before Realization	After Realization
“I am my past”	“The past is a memory in me”
“I am my future”	“The future is an imagination in me”
“Time is running out”	“I am timeless”
“I will die”	“The body dies. I do not.”
“I have limited time”	“Time appears in me. I am unlimited.”

“Do not be a prisoner of time. Time is a projection of the mind. You are the projector. The projector is not bound by the projection. You are not bound by time. The past is a memory. Release it. The future is an imagination. Release it. The present is an appearance. See through it. Be timeless. Be free.”

Living in Time, Knowing Timelessness

The jivanmukta (liberated while living) lives in time but knows the Self is timeless.

Appearance	Reality
The body ages	The Self does not age
Memories arise	The Self is not the memories
Plans are made	The Self does not plan
The clock ticks	The Self is beyond time

“The jivanmukta does not deny time. The body ages. The mind remembers. Plans are made. But the jivanmukta knows: ‘I am not the body. I am not the mind. I am the timeless Self.’ Time appears. The Self remains.”

For a complete description of the jivanmukta, refer to the article on “Jīvanmukti Explained Clearly” in this series.

---

Part 6: Common Questions

Is time real?
Time is real at the practical level (vyāvahārika). You cannot ignore the clock. But at the absolute level (pāramārthika), time is an appearance in consciousness. The Self is timeless.

Does time exist without the mind?
Without the mind, there is no one to project past, present, and future. Time is not an absolute container. It is a function of the mind.

What happens to time in deep sleep?
In deep sleep, time seems to stop. You sleep for eight hours but wake feeling like a moment. Time is not absolute. It depends on the state of consciousness.

Is the Self in time?
No. Time appears in the Self. The Self is the timeless witness. The clock ticks. The Self does not tick.

How does the jivanmukta experience time?
The jivanmukta still uses the clock. The body still ages. But there is no identification. “The body ages. I do not.” Time appears. The Self remains.

What is the single most important teaching about time?
You are not in time. Time is in you. The past is a memory. The future is an imagination. The present is an appearance. You are the consciousness in which past, present, and future appear. You are timeless. This is the teaching.

---

Summary

Time (kāla) in Hindu philosophy is not an absolute reality. It is a projection of the mind. The Upanishads declare that time is a product of the mind’s activity – past, present, and future are appearances in consciousness. The only reality is the timeless Self (Brahman). The Mandukya Upanishad teaches that AUM represents the three states of consciousness (waking, dream, deep sleep) – and the silence beyond is Turiya, the timeless Self. ‘A’ is waking, ‘U’ is dream, ‘M’ is deep sleep. The silence after is Turiya – beyond time. The story of Bhusunda (Yoga Vāsiṣṭha) illustrates the relativity of time. Bhusunda is a crow who has lived through countless cosmic cycles. He has seen universes created and destroyed many times. He remains unchanged. Time passes over him like water over a stone. The Self is timeless. The world comes and goes. You remain. The past is not “out there.” It is a memory in the present. The future is not “out there.” It is an imagination in the present. The present is an appearance in consciousness. There is only consciousness. Timeless. Ever-present. The mind creates the illusion of time. When the mind is still, time is still. When you realize the Self is timeless, you are no longer bound by time. Do not be a prisoner of time. Time is a projection of the mind. You are the projector. The projector is not bound by the projection. You are not bound by time. The past is a memory. Release it. The future is an imagination. Release it. The present is an appearance. See through it. The jivanmukta lives in time but knows the Self is timeless. The body ages. The Self does not. The clock ticks. The Self does not tick. Time appears. The Self remains. You are not in time. Time is in you. You are timeless. This is the teaching.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.