LIMITATIONS OF TIME
Taittiriya Upanishad Verse 2.143 Book 2 - Brahma Valli
नाभूत्सृष्टिरभूतत्वादभूतं कालहेतुतः ।
न भविष्यत्यभाव्यत्वादभाव्यं चाक्रियोत्थितेः ॥ १४३ ॥
Nābhūt sṛṣṭir abhūtatvā dabhūtaṃ kāla hetutaḥ |
na bhaviṣyat ya bhāvyatvā dabhāvyaṃ cākriyotthiteḥ || 143 ||
It cannot be said that there was creation (by Brahman) because Brahman is
not of the past; and Brahman is not of the past, because it is the cause of
time. Nor can it be said that there will be creation (by Brahman), because
Brahman is not of the future; and Brahman is not of the future, because it
is not an effect.
Notes: If it be said that Brahman is the cause of the creation of the
world, it is necessary to explain the occurrence of creation in respect of
time: that is to say, it must be stated whether the creation of the world
by Brahman took place in the past, or whether it will take place in the
future, or whether it takes place now. But none of these alternatives is
acceptable. The untenability of the first two alternatives is shown in this
verse.
It cannot be said that Brahman created the world in the past. Two reasons
are given herein support of this contention. (I) Without assuming Brahman’s
relation with time, it cannot be said that Brahman created the world in the
past. But Brahman is unrelated (asaṅga) to anything whatsoever. So Brahman
is not of the past. (2) To say that something is of the past is to say that
it is limited by the temporal dimension called the past. Inasmuch as
Brahman is the cause of time, it cannot be said to be limited by time. And
so, Brahman is not of the past.
Though Brahman is said to be the cause of time, it has no real relation
with time. Its relation with time by virtue of its being the cause is due
to māyā (kāraṇatvena kālānvayasya māyātmakatvāt). By itself, Brahman is
neither a cause nor an effect. It is what transcends the
cause-effect-relation. If it comes to be looked upon as a cause, it is due
to its apparent association with māyā.
Similarly, it cannot be said that Brahman will create the world in the
future, because (1) it is not limited by the temporal dimension called the
future, and also because (2) it is not an effect, that is to say, no change
can ever arise in Brahman.
Verse 2.62
अतस्तत्प्रतिषेधार्थमनन्तमिति शब्द्यते ।
अन्तः सीमा तथेयत्ता तन्निधस्त्वनन्तता ॥ ६२ ॥
Atastat pratiṣe dhārtham Anantam iti śabdyate |
antaḥ sīmā tatheyattā tanniṣedha stvanantatā || 62 ||
So in order to deny that (objection), the word “infinite” is used. The word
antaḥ means limit, and also a fixed measure; and its opposite is infinitude.
Notes: The objection stated in the previous verse is now answered. The
cognition of an empirical object obtained through the modification of the
mental mode (antaḥkaraṇavṛtti) is finite. But Brahman which is of the
nature of knowledge is immutable (kūṭastha). It is not vṛtti-jñāna, but
svarūpa-jñāna. It is infinite (ananta) inasmuch as it transcends the
limitations of space, time, and object.
So Tiruvalluvar also said "காலம் கருதி இருப்பர் கலங்காது ஞாலம் கருது
பவர்" (குறள் எண்: 485)
உலகத்தையே வென்று ஆள நினைப்பவர்கள் (அல்லது ஒரு பெரிய வெற்றியை அடைய
விரும்புபவர்கள்), அதற்கான சரியான நேரம் வரும் வரை மனம் தளராமல், பொறுமையாகவும்
கவனமாகவும் காத்திருப்பார்கள்.
ஒரு செயலைச் செய்து முடிக்க நமக்கு எவ்வளவு ஆர்வம் அல்லது ஆற்றல்
இருந்தாலும், அதைச்
செயல்படுத்தும் நேரம் மிகவும் முக்கியமானது. வெற்றி பெறத் திட்டமிடுபவர்கள்
தங்கள் பொறுமையை இழக்காமல், காலம் கனிந்து வரும் தருணத்திற்காகக் காத்திருக்க
வேண்டும் என்பதை இக்குறள் அறிவுறுத்துகிறது
Kaalam Karudhi Iruppar Kalangaadhu
Gnaalam Karudhu Pavar
kālam karuti iruppar kalaṅkātu
ñālam karutu pavar. Those who hope for the world wait unperturbed
Hoping for the right moment.
ஹிந்தி (हिन्दी)
जिनको निश्चित रूप से, विश्व-विजय की चाह ।
उचित समय की ताक में, वें हैं बेपरवाह ॥ (४८५)
தெலுங்கு (తెలుగు)
వేళజూచు చుంద్రు వెక్కస పడకుండ
నేలదలచువారు నేల నెల్ల. (౪౮౫)
மலையாளம் (മലയാളം)
ലോകം വെല്ലാൻ കൊതിക്കുന്നോർ മനം കലങ്ങിപ്പോകാതെ തക്കകാലമടുക്കാനാ
കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നു മൗനമായ് (൪൱൮൰൫)
கன்னடம் (ಕನ್ನಡ)
ಲೋಕವನ್ನೇ ಜಯಿಸಲು ಇಚ್ಚಿಸುವವರು, ತಮ್ಮ ಮನಸ್ಸನ್ನು ಚಂಚಲ ಗೊಳಿಸದೆ, ತಕ್ಕ ವೇಳೆಯನ್ನು
ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಿಸುತ್ತ ಕಾಯುವರು. (೪೮೫)
சமஸ்கிருதம் (संस्कृतम्)
कृत्स्नस्य जगतो वाञ्छा यदि स्यात् किन्नु चिन्तया ।
युक्तकालं प्रतीक्षस्व निष्क्रियस्त्वं भज क्षमाम् ॥ (४८५)
Hence in duality waiting for the time means right time and action
cannot be delayed beyond a limitation as we are not GOD.
K Rajaram IRS 16526
On Sat, 16 May 2026 at 04:59, Jambunathan Iyer <[email protected]>
wrote:
> Change takes time... Be patient....
> New paths in the wilderness require us to walk them again and again before
> they are fully formed. Stumbling on rocks and falling is a common issue!
> Rest awhile, then get up, dust off and keep going
>
>
> *N Jambunathan , Chennai " What you get by achieving your goals is not as
> important as what you become by achieving your goals. If you want to live a
> happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things "*
>
>
>
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