In both the Bhagavad Gita and the Srimad Bhagavatam, "time" (kāla) is described as a representation of Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Time is not just an abstract concept, but a manifestation of Krishna's divine energy, through which He governs and controls the material creation, sustenance, and annihilation.
1. Explanation from the Bhagavad Gita
Lord Krishna directly identifies Himself with time in the Bhagavad Gita, particularly in Chapter 11, Verse 32, where He reveals His universal form (virat-rupa) to Arjuna:
- Bhagavad Gita 11.32:
"kālo 'smi loka-kṣhaya-kṛit pravṛiddho"
Translation: "I am time, the great destroyer of the worlds, and I have come here to annihilate all people."
In this verse, Krishna declares that time is an aspect of His divine power and that He operates as the ultimate force in the universe, ensuring the inevitable process of creation, preservation, and destruction. As time, Krishna facilitates the cyclical transformations of the material world: the birth, growth, decay, and annihilation of all beings. Time spares no one—whether demigods, humans, or demons—making it a neutral but unstoppable force emanating from Krishna's will.
2. Explanation from the Srimad Bhagavatam (ŚB 3.26.17)
The Bhagavatam expands on the Bhagavad Gita’s teaching about time. In ŚB 3.26.17, time is described as a direct representation of Krishna and as the agent that agitates the otherwise inert state of material nature (prakṛti). The verse explicitly mentions that:
"The time factor... is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from whom the creation begins as a result of the agitation of the neutral, unmanifested material nature."
Key points highlighted in this verse are:
- Material Nature and Time: Material nature (prakṛti) remains inert and non-functional in its dormant state (called pradhāna or the unmanifested state). It starts to act only when impelled by time, which is a manifestation of Krishna.
- Time as Krishna's Energy: Time performs the essential task of initializing creation by disturbing the equilibrium of the modes of nature (guṇa-sāmya). It is, therefore, inseparably linked with Krishna's will and presence.
- Supreme Cause: Time emphasizes the dependence of material nature on Krishna’s divine influence. Without Krishna's involvement as time, material nature cannot produce any variety or activity.
3. Krishna as the Controller of Time
Time itself is a manifestation of Krishna's supremacy as the master controller (ishvara). Key points from both scriptures reaffirm this:
- Eternal and Infinite Nature of Time:
- Just like Krishna, time is eternal (it has no beginning or end). It operates independently of all beings and events in creation, yet it is fully subordinate to Krishna’s will.
- Time Governs the Material World:
- Time influences everything in the material world. Everything is bound by time—the lifecycle of beings, changes in seasons, celestial cycles, and even the rise and fall of civilizations. However, Krishna, as the controller of time, remains transcendental and unaffected by it.
- Krishna Beyond Time:
- Although Krishna manifests as time, He also exists beyond it. The material energy, including time, is under His control, but He Himself is eternal and operates from a position beyond time’s influence in the spiritual realm.
4. Analogies from Srimad Bhagavatam’s Purport (ŚB 3.26.17)
The purport explains certain analogies that clarify how Krishna, as time, interacts with material nature:
- Analogy of Impregnation:
- Material nature is likened to a woman who cannot produce offspring unless impregnated by a man. Similarly, material nature cannot manifest universe(s) unless "impregnated" by Krishna in the form of time.
- Example of the Goat's Nipples:
- Material nature can appear independently active to a material scientist, much like the nipples on a goat’s neck might seem functional, but without Krishna’s energy (as time), material nature cannot manifest or create.
5. Essence of Time as Krishna:
- Causality: Krishna, as time, is the root cause of all changes and transformations in the universe.
- Neutrality: Time is impartial, transcendent to concepts of good or evil. When Krishna manifests as time, He acts as an equal agent of creation and destruction, without personal bias.
- Supremacy: Time demonstrates Krishna's supreme control, as no one can escape its influence.
6. Concluding Understanding
From both the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavatam, it is clear that time is Krishna because:
- Time is eternal, infinite, and impartial, reflecting Krishna’s nature.
- Time initiates creation, controls the universe, and ensures the inevitable dissolution, just as Krishna oversees and maintains the cosmic order.
- Time is both Krishna’s energy in the material world and a direct representation of Him, highlighting His supreme authority over all phenomena.
Thus, understanding time as Krishna allows one to see His presence in all aspects of existence and to comprehend His transcendental role as the ultimate controller of material and spiritual realities.