Hinduism, Mimamsa-Vedanta

Among the six principal schools that developed in the Brahmanical traditions in India, Mimamsa and Vedanta form the most recent group, the others being Nyaya, Vaisesika, Samkhya, and Yoga systems. These two schools, that is, Mimamsa and Vedanta, are also known as Purva-Mimamsa and Uttar-Mimamsa. Founded by Maharshi Jaimini and Maharshi Samkara, respectively, these schools develop their theories of time in a unique way. Remaining faithful to the core thought of the Upanishads, namely the reality of the immutable Brahma, they explain the phenomena of change in diverse ways.

The Purva-Mimamsa school has two sects, one known as Bhatta or Kumarila Mimamsa, propounded by Kumarila Bhatta, and the other known as Prabhakara Mimamsa, established by Prabhakara Mishra. The two sects differ somewhat in their treatment of time.

In the Jaimini Sutra the concept of time is discussed in connection with action. Some element of time is associated with all actions. Action is in a way determined by time. The Mimamsa school bases its philosophy on the Vedic hymns. According to these, while interpreting Vedic hymns, if the hymns are correctly pronounced, they refer to the laws of time or life. But it is also said in the Jaimini Sutras that time is not the cause of the result of action. Result is due to the effort.

The Vedas never refer to time as the sole cause, for a result never comes simply due to the passage of time. But it is true that sometimes if after several sincere efforts, one fails to achieve results, one can attribute the failure to time. In ancient thought time is associated with decay, death, and failure. Time changes our position. But the Mimamsa text clearly points out that everything happens due to the impelling force, and time is not connected with it. The concept of change is associated with both nature and time. The concept of time is associated with any new being. But time itself is immeasurable as it is without beginning or end. It is through the instrument of intellect that we receive the idea of time. For the purpose of our understanding, the seers have divided time into yugas, manvantaras, and kalpa. These are nothing but the exercise of our mental faculties. When we analyze the etymological meanings of these terms, the point becomes clearer. The word yuga is derived from yuj, which means “to fix or concentrate the mind.” The word manvantara is derived from manu, which is the same as mind. Similarly, one of the meanings of kalpa is research or investigation. And the word kala for time is itself derived from kal, which means to perceive or consider. So, it might be said that the idea of time involves a series of functions of the intellect or the mind.

It is mainly the orderly arrangement of objects or the succession of events that gives us an idea of time. The appearance of a new object in nature reminds us about the role of time.

Though the Mimamsakas are known as theists and God plays a supreme role in their systems, still time cannot be personified as God, as God creates and sustains the universe. But time does not play the role of creator and sustainer, although sometimes it is treated as the greatest destructive force.

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