Kakabhushandi: The Time Travelling Crow

We often marvel at concepts like the multiverse and time travel, exploring them through quantum physics and science fiction. Yet, Indian mythology presents us with characters who embody these ideas in their narratives. One such character is Kakabhushandi.

Kakabhushundi’s tale is found in the Ramcharitmanas, the epic composed by Goswami Tulsidas. He is depicted as an ardent devotee of Lord Rama who narrates the Ramayana to Garuda. He is said to have witnessed many cycles of creation and destruction, observing the Ramayana play out in many variations.

Kakabhushundi was originally a devotee of Shiva. Once, he was so immersed in the worship of Shiva that he didn't pay his respects to his Guru who entered the temple. Shiva cursed him to be a snake for a thousand births. When his Guru intervened, Shiva moderated the curse and stated that after his thousand births, he would become a devotee of Rama.

Accordingly, he was reborn as a Brahmin, eventually becoming a sage and devotee of Lord Rama. He refused to accept the merits of nirguna worship during a discourse given by sage Lomasha. As a result, he was cursed to become a crow.

From then on, every Treta yuga, he went to Ayodhya to watch Lord Rama’s childhood as a crow and stayed there for five years. Once, he saw a vision in Rama's mouth - millions of suns and moons within, and he saw himself within each celestial object. He resided within each of these realms for centuries and, upon returning from Rama's mouth, found himself back at the exact moment he had left. He begged Lord Rama for salvation and the Lord blessed him.

Time travel in mythology often takes the form of sages or divine beings experiencing or revisiting different timelines. Kakabhushundi's life defies the linear perception of time. He has seen the universe's beginning, its countless destructions, and rebirths, embodying the cyclical nature of time central to Hindu philosophy.

Reading about Kakabhushundi can change one’s perspective on Indian mythology. To read them solely for their teachings would be to overlook the richness of imagination that brings these stories to life. These stories are not merely a source of moral and philosophical lessons but also have remarkable storytelling that pushes the limits of human creativity.

Whether we read these stories for life lessons or to appreciate them as imaginative masterpieces, it is important to read and share them to keep them alive for future generations to benefit from.