Was Time Travel Hidden in Hindu Mythology All Along? Ancient Texts Reveal Mind-Bending Clues

Ushnish Samadder | Freepik | May 29, 2025, 12:30 IST
Time Travel Hidden in Hindu Mythology
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Time travel—long the domain of science fiction and theoretical physics—might not be such a modern concept after all. While today’s scientists debate wormholes and quantum realms, some of the oldest spiritual texts in the world may have already explored the phenomenon in detail. Hindu mythology, with its vast cosmic timelines, mysterious avatars, and otherworldly journeys, offers astonishing parallels to what we now call time travel. Could ancient sages have possessed knowledge of temporal shifts long before Einstein?Let’s dive into the stories, scriptures, and symbols that suggest time travel might have been hiding in plain sight—in the sacred texts of Hinduism.

The Concept of Time in Hinduism: Beyond Human Comprehension

Before diving into specific examples, it's crucial to understand how Hindu philosophy views time. Unlike the linear, progressive view of time in Western traditions, Hinduism embraces cyclical time, where creation and destruction repeat in cosmic cycles called Yugas.

  • Satya Yuga (Golden Age)
  • Treta Yuga
  • Dvapara Yuga
  • Kali Yuga (Current Age)
Each cycle spans millions of years, and even one day in the life of Lord Brahma—the creator—is equivalent to 4.32 billion human years. Time is not fixed or uniform. It's fluid, relative, and vast—eerily similar to the theories of relativity in modern physics.
Each cycle spans millions of years, and even one day in the life of Lord Brahma—the creator—is equivalent to 4.32 billion human years. Time is not fixed or uniform. It's fluid, relative, and vast—eerily similar to the theories of relativity in modern physics.

King Kakudmi’s Journey to Brahma Loka: A Time Dilation Event?

One of the most striking references to time travel comes from the Srimad Bhagavatam (Canto 9, Chapter 3). King Kakudmi, seeking a suitable husband for his daughter Revati, traveled to Brahma Loka (the realm of the creator god Brahma) to seek divine guidance. The journey lasted only a short time in Brahma’s dimension, but when he returned to Earth, thousands of years had passed.

“Time has passed differently here, O King,” Brahma tells him. “Many ages have come and gone on Earth.”

This resembles Einstein’s theory of time dilation—where time slows down relative to a high-speed or high-gravity environment. It also aligns with the concept of multiple timelines, a key idea in modern physics.

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Hindu Mythology

The Mahabharata and the Mysterious Space-Time Warping Weapons

The Mahabharata, one of the two great Indian epics, is not just a war saga but a treasure trove of cosmic and metaphysical knowledge. Apart from the descriptions of divine aircraft (Vimanas) and nuclear-like weapons (Astras), it contains narratives that hint at altered perceptions of time.

In one episode, Arjuna, the great warrior, is taken to Swarga Loka (Heaven) by Indra, where he spends what seems like a few days. Upon returning, he discovers that many years have passed on Earth—a classic depiction of asynchronous time flow, akin to science fiction’s interstellar time jumps.

The Seven Sages and the Timeless Realms

The Saptarishis, or Seven Eternal Sages, are believed to transcend time and space. They are said to exist across multiple Yugas and are often associated with stars in the Ursa Major constellation. Their existence across vast timelines hints at beings who move through epochs as if skipping through time itself.

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Lord Hanuman
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Are they symbols of interdimensional travelers, moving through the fabric of space-time at will?

Lord Vishnu’s Avatars: Incarnations Across Time

The concept of avatars (divine incarnations) itself can be viewed as a form of cosmic time travel. Lord Vishnu, the preserver, incarnates whenever dharma (righteousness) declines. These incarnations appear in different eras, from the primitive Matsya (fish) in Satya Yuga to the warrior Kalki in the future end of Kali Yuga.

These aren't just symbolic of evolution—they reflect a divine consciousness that traverses epochs of human development, guiding humanity through time.

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Lord Vishnu
( Image credit : Unsplash )

The Ashta Siddhis: Mastery Over Space and Time

Yogic traditions speak of Ashta Siddhis—eight spiritual powers attained through intense meditation and discipline. Among them are:

  • Anima: Shrinking to subatomic size
  • Mahima: Expanding infinitely
  • Laghima: Becoming weightless or able to float
  • Prapti: Reaching anywhere instantly
  • Prakamya: Fulfilling any desire
  • Ishita: Control over natural forces
  • Vashita: Control over all beings
  • Kamavasayita: Dominating time and space
These siddhis essentially describe the bending of space-time, teleportation, and even time manipulation—well ahead of anything envisioned by modern science.


Ancient Wisdom or Advanced Science?

Skeptics may call these stories allegorical, but the parallels with contemporary physics are too profound to ignore. Concepts such as:

  • Relativity of time
  • Parallel universes and realms
  • Non-linear time perception
  • Multiverse theory
all echo what ancient Hindu texts have been conveying for millennia—albeit in poetic, symbolic, and mythological language.

A Timeless Legacy of Cosmic Understanding

Whether metaphor or mysticism, Hindu mythology holds a mirror to truths that science is only beginning to understand. The stories of time dilation, multiple dimensions, and spiritual mastery over time are more than religious tales—they could be glimpses of a higher cosmic understanding.

So, was time travel hidden in Hindu mythology all along?

Maybe it wasn’t hidden at all. Maybe we just needed the right lens—of science, spirituality, and open-mindedness—to finally see it.

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