Gita 8.17
Aksara Brahma Yoga
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तमहर्यद्ब्रह्मणो विदुः । रात्रिं युगसहस्रान्तां तेऽहोरात्रविदो जनाः ॥
sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ rātriṁ yuga-sahasrāntāṁ te 'ho-rātra-vido janāḥ
In essence: Those who understand that Brahma's single day spans a thousand ages, and his night another thousand - only they truly comprehend cosmic time.
A conversation between a seeker and guide to help you feel this verse deeply
Sadhak-Guru Dialogue
Sadhak: "A thousand yugas for one day? That's 4.32 billion years\! How can I relate to such incomprehensible time?"
Guru: "You cannot relate to it - that is precisely the point. Your inability to grasp it reveals the limitation of your time-bound thinking."
Sadhak: "But what's the practical use of knowing Brahma's schedule?"
Guru: "Tell me - when you were five years old, what was your greatest worry?"
Sadhak: "I don't even remember. Something trivial probably."
Guru: "Exactly. From your current perspective, those worries seem laughable. Now imagine looking at your current worries from the perspective of cosmic time."
Sadhak: "They would seem equally trivial?"
Guru: "Not trivial - they would be seen for what they are: temporary waves in an infinite ocean. This seeing does not diminish your life but liberates it."
Sadhak: "But doesn't this make human effort meaningless?"
Guru: "Does knowing that your body will die make your current breath meaningless? This moment is no less precious for being brief. In fact, it becomes infinitely precious."
Sadhak: "So the teaching is about perspective?"
Guru: "The teaching is about freedom. Those trapped in human time are like prisoners who think their cell is the whole world. Learning of cosmic time opens a window."
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🌅 Daily Practice
Before starting your day, spend one minute contemplating cosmic time. Visualize that Brahma's single breath contains your entire lifetime. Notice how this shifts your relationship to the day's tasks - they become no less important, but the anxious urgency dissolves.
When stress arises from deadlines or time pressure, pause and silently ask: "How does this look from Brahma's perspective?" This is not escapism but gaining perspective. Then return to the task with renewed focus but without panic.
Before sleep, reflect: "This day was a flash in cosmic time, yet it was complete in itself." Feel both the brevity and the fullness. Let this paradox relax you into sleep without unfinished-business anxiety.