God’s Relationship With The Atoms of Space and Time

A concise summary of Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 3 Chapter 11

The concept of Atoms, Space and Time was described by Sage Maitreya to Vidura. Similar concept was later described by the philosopher Kanada in his text “Paramanu-vada”.

The ultimate substance and the indivisible aspect of the matter that exists when no form is seen is called an atom. These atoms are the state of the unmanifest universe.

Time is one of the energies of the Supreme Lord which is not perceived by any material instrument but pervades the matter. The time can be measured in terms of covering a certain space of atoms and atomic combinations.

Fundamentals of Time

The period of time required to occupy an atom is called an Atomic Time.

The smallest particle that is visible to the naked eye which is visible in the ray of a sunshine is made up of 6 atoms (hexatom). The period of time required to occupy 3 hexatoms is 1/1687.5 seconds.

The time required to occupy 2700 hexatoms is a nimesha (equal to a wink of an eye). Approximately 112 nimesha’s make up a minute. 48 minutes make up a muhurtha. Seven muhurthas make up 1/4th of a day.

Half muhurtha can be measured using a copper pot of 6 palas in weight and 6 angulas in height with a dimension of a gold wire of 4 angulas in length and 4 masas in weight filled with water.

One human month is the day and night for departed forefathers (Pitr loka). 6 human months is a day and night for the residents of heavens (Svarga loka).

One year is called Samvatsara (1 solar year) and Idavatsara (360 days). The maximum life span of any living being is 100 years according to their respective measures of time. However, a self-realized person is able to visualize past, present and future as well as extend his life beyond the standard 100 years.

Concept of a Yuga

The aggregate time of 4 yugas i.e. Satya, Treta, Dwapara and Kali make up for 4,320,000 human years but only 12,000 years for celestial gods in the heavens i.e. 1 year for a celestial god is 360 human years.

The period of 4 yugas multiplied by 1000 is one day of Lord Brahma. The equivalent period comprises the night of Lord Brahma. Lord Krishna, the Supreme Person appears only once on the Earth in 1 day of Lord Brahma. The Supreme Lord doesn’t incarnate in a human perceivable form in Kali Yuga but makes his addressable names as potent as his incarnation.

Lord Brahma executes the process of creation everyday and he goes to sleep at night when the entire creation which includes the 3 worlds Bhu (Earthly planets), Bhuvah (Hellish planets) and Svah (Heavenly planets) are dissolved. These 3 worlds are destroyed by the fire that emerges from Adi Sesa. As per some Vedic texts, this act is performed by Lord Rudra (Shiva). The Vedic philosophers have concluded that Lord Shiva is just another aspect of Adi Sesa. The Supreme Lord, Sri Hari lies on the bed of Adi Sesa.

Lord Brahma’s life span is 100 years of such days and nights. The first 50 years of Lord Brahma’s life (Padma Kalpa) is complete and the second half (Varaha Kalpa) is in progress. Lord Hari incarnated as Varaha in the second half of Lord Brahma’s life. There is a Vedic reference that Lord Hanuman will occupy the position of Brahma when the current Brahma’s life ends.

Lord Brahma’s 100 years is equal to a nimesha (wink of an eye) for the Supreme Lord, Hari. The time beginning from the Atomic Time up to the end of life of Lord Brahma doesn’t have any influence on the Supreme Lord, who is eternal.

This creation of Lord Brhama consisting of Bhu, Bhavah and Svah is 6 billion miles wide and it looks like an egg (Brahmanda) from the outside. Innumerable creations like these (eggs) form a cluster.

The Supreme Abode

The spiritual abode of the Supreme Person, Lord Hari (Vaikuntha) is the foundation as well as the cause of these clusters of innumerable material creations. This spiritual abode is verily the imperishable Spirit (Brahman).

Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (14.27) “brahmano hi pratisthaham”, that he is the foundation of the imperishable Spirit.

The supreme light (Brahma Jyoti), the imperishable Spirit (Brahman) and the spiritual abode of the Supreme Person (Vaikuntha) are non-different from each other.