Spacetime Concept – Science vs. Astrology: Aristotle’s Paradox on Time / Description of time in Hindu Scriptures / inference from Interstellar / The 4th Dimension’s (t = Time/Yuga) relation to Karma / Inference from Oppenheimer / spacetime remedy

I am sure everyone has at least heard of Einstein. Even if some Bihari mothers may not know what exactly Einstein did, they certainly use his name to abuse their children. It is common in Bihar! Anyway. Einstein introduced the concept of spacetime in his theories of general and special relativity. He proposed that time is a crucial dimension that plays a fundamental role in our existence in addition to the three dimensions of space. He meant, without time, the world as we know it would not exist, there would be no record of events, and nothing would make sense. The birth and death would not make sense; hence the human existence would not make sense too as there would not be any record. A dimension is a measurable extent of some kind, such as length, breadth, depth, or height, that helps define the position and properties of objects in space and time; however, Einstein said, time which appears abstract, is not really abstract. It is rather an important dimension, without which, other physical dimensions like length and height and events happening around them would not even make any sense. These theories explain that gravity is responsible for time dilation. Time dilation means that time can pass at different rates depending on the strength of the gravitational field or the relative velocity. For example, if you place a clock near an object with a stronger gravitational field than Earth's, the clock will tick more slowly compared to when it is on Earth. Therefore, time is both an abstract and a physical dimension, and it could potentially be perceived differently by higher beings (such as another intelligent alien and/or God) in the universe. This is exactly what Christopher Nolan's movie – Interstellar - demonstrates: with the help of time and gravity, events are recorded and, at least in theory, can be manipulated (the tesseract scene). And, this is exactly what astrology says. Astrology is a study of spacetime. Aristotle’s paradox on time: Aristotle argued that the past cannot be changed, the future cannot be accessed, and the present is the only moment we can experience. However, the present is only a “boundary” and as soon as we perceive the present, it has already become the past. Therefore, the present is just a thin, fleeting link between the past and the future. This is my understanding of Aristotle’s paradoxical theory on time. My comments: today, in practice, we cannot manipulate the past, as it is said to create “contradictions.” However, I believe that a few hundred years from now, we may reach a point where Einstein’s theories on time travel and its manipulation could become practically achievable. The position of the solar system in the universe and within the Milky Way is not the same as it was at the time of its creation—the spacetime has changed and continues to do so. We have advanced from the era of pyramids to the discovery of pulsars. It is possible that time travel may become a reality in the future. What does Vishnu Puran say about spacetime and its relation to the Vishnu: in the Bhagavata Purana, time is seen as a key part of the divine. It says that Parabrahman (the ultimate, beyond-all-forms reality) first appears as Purusha (the cosmic person). From this formless state called Avyakta (unmanifest), everything that we see in the world comes into being. This includes the Vyakt (manifest) forms and Mahadadi (greater manifestations of the divine). Time is considered the highest form or paramroop of the divine. It controls the process of creation, preservation, and destruction in the universe. Vishnu, who is seen as the embodiment of cosmic order and time, oversees this balance. So, time is not just a way to measure moments but a fundamental force that comes from Vishnu. The Purana explains that time existed even before the concepts of day, night, and other cosmic elements. It shows the immense scale of time with specific units: Nimesha (a very short moment), Kashtha (fifteen Nimeshas), Kala (thirty Kashthas), and Muhurat (thirty Kales). A day and night for humans add up to a month, and this is part of a larger time cycle. Time dilation: The Purana also describes Yugas, which are ages within a cycle called Chaturyuga. There are four Yugas: Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga. Each Yuga represents a phase where righteousness (Dharma) declines. A complete Chaturyuga lasts about 4.32 million years. Brahma’s day, or Kalpa, which is made up of 1,000 such Chaturyugas, shows just how huge cosmic time is. This concept highlights the repeating cycles of creation and destruction in the universe, as described in the Bhagavata Purana. Explanation in Bhagvat puran: the Decline of Righteousness Over Time: It is said that mankind was meant to explore all gunas (qualities) without committing bad karma. However, this seemed impossible, leading to the calculation that by the end of each yuga, sin and bad karma would increase. By the beginning of Kali Yuga, beings alive would experience only a fraction of the good karma and would be capable of only limited good actions, due to the accumulation of bad karma since the beginning of time. By the end of each Chaturyuga, righteousness is expected to decline to zero, leaving only sins. This theory is also linked to the Fibonacci Sequence. Vishnu and the concept of time are discussed in the movie Oppenheimer. There is a particular scene in the film that some Hindus have criticized. I would like to say to those critics—whether you like it or not—please try to gain some perspective. In the scene, Oppenheimer and Jean Tatlock are intimate, and she sees the Bhagavad Gita in his room. The Gita is a key text for understanding time and karma. Jean picks up the book while she is naked, which has led to some Hindu radicals expressing their displeasure with Nolan. Let me reassure you: Vishnu is not concerned with such matters. Vishnu's role is to record events, so whether Jean picks up the book dressed or naked makes no difference to him. What matters is how she interacts with the book in the context of spacetime. To explain this, I’d like to share two examples. First, my teacher advises all his students to chant the mantra “Hare Ram Hare Ram, Ram Ram Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare” while showering. No one is dressed in the shower, but the point is that Vishnu, representing time, observes and records our actions without being disturbed by our nakedness. What matters is our understanding of our true selves (our true nakedness). In another story, a man farted and said “Hey Ram” while farting. Hanuman, upon hearing this, became angry and slapped the man. Ram then appeared to Hanuman and said, “Hanuman, you have hurt me.” When Hanuman asked how, Ram explained that even though the man was in an inappropriate situation, he still called out Ram's name, and that mattered. Therefore, it is not the circumstances that matter, but the remembrance of the divine. These examples are meant to offer perspective to those who might not understand the true nature of Vishnu and time. It’s important to grasp the deeper meaning rather than focusing on superficial details. Understanding the concept of spacetime and its relation to time in both scientific and spiritual contexts provides a deeper perspective on our existence. Whether through Einstein’s theories or Hindu scriptures, time is shown to be a fundamental aspect of our universe. By exploring these ideas, we gain insight into the nature of reality and our place within it.