Sri Ramana Maharshi on Relativity of Time

[Guest guest]

Sri Ramana Maharshi on Relativity of Time

 

Does the experience of time differ from one jeeva to another?

 

Here is a revealing excerpt from “Talks With Ramana Maharshi” recording a

conversation that took place on Oct 1, 1936 in regards to a question about

reincarnation:

“Reincarnation of Shanti Devi tallies with human standards of time. The latest

case reported of a boy of seven is different however. He recalls his past

births. Inquiries go to show that the previous body was given up ten months

ago.

The question arises how the matter stood for six years and two months previous

to the death of the former body. Did the soul occupy two bodies at the same

time?

Sri Bhagavan pointed out that seven years is according to the boy; ten months is

according to the observer. The difference is due to the upadhis. The boy’s

experience, extending to seven years, has been calculated by the observer to

cover only ten months of his own time.

(Sri Bhagavan again referred to Lila’s story in Yoga Vasishta)”

 

This observation by the Sage Sri Ramana, which I came across last week, lends

credibility to a central result proved in a paper that I brought to the

attention of this Advaitin group some two or three weeks ago. Using a geometric

representation of advaitic concepts, it is shown in that paper that experienced

time contracts with the spiritual detachment of a jeeva following a mathematical

relationship that is remarkably alike in form and content to the well known

result in Special Relativity Theory. The paper has been revised to include the

above reference to Sri Ramana’s remarks as well as in some other minor respects

and can be found in the following new link:

 

http://sunyaprajna.com/Advaita/Advaita_Math.pdf

 

Hari Om!

 

- Raju Chidambaram