The great diplomat Chanakya Pandita pointed out that one moment of time is more valuable than wealth equivalent to millions of gold coins. Why? Because wealth, if lost, can be regained, whereas time, is lost, can never be regained.It is irrecoverably gone.
Time is not only irrecoverable, but also unstorable. We can choose whether to spend our wealth or not; but we cannot choose whether to spend our time; with the passing of each moment, it is automatically, unavoidably spent. All that we can choose about time is how to spend it.
The Bhagavad-gita points to this inexorable nature of time. It states (10.30) that time is the greatest of all subduers and is, in fact, a manifestation of Krishna in the realm of subduers.
To avoid being subdued by time, we need to utilize our time for rendering devotional service to Krishna. Then we will be able to gradually realize our spiritual nature as souls and revive our pure love for Krishna. Eventually, we will be able to return to the spiritual world that is forever beyond the destructive power of time.
Still, as long as we are in the material world, time always remains irrecoverable and unstorable. That’s why we need to be extremely meticulous in investing our time properly. And our greatest time-waster is our own mind.
When the mind prompts us to take up any activity, one way to ensure a wise choice is to ask this self-probing question: “If someone would ask me to spend money on this, would I be persuaded to do so? If not, then should I be persuaded by my mind to spend something even more valuable than money on this activity?”
By thus guarding and investing our time, we can safely attain life’s supreme destination in the least possible time.
Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10 Text 30
“Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada, among subduers I am time, among beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda.”
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