Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 36

Kāla-vibhāga: The Divisions of Time from Atom to Brahmā, and the Lord Beyond Time

Devanagari script

तस्यैव चान्ते कल्पोऽभूद् यं पाद्ममभिचक्षते । यद्धरेर्नाभिसरस आसील्लोकसरोरुहम् ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

tasyaiva cānte kalpo ’bhūd yaṁ pādmam abhicakṣate yad dharer nābhi-sarasa āsīl loka-saroruham

Translation

Am Ende jener Brāhma-kalpa entstand die Pādma-kalpa. In diesem Kalpa wuchs aus dem Wasserreservoir am Nabel Haris der kosmische Lotus, das lokapadma, hervor.

Synonyms

• तस्य: of that (half/period)
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (emphatic particle: just/indeed)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: and)

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• कल्पः: a kalpa
• कल्पः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अभूत्: was/came to be
• अभूत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यम्: which
• यम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• पाद्मम्: Padma (lotus) kalpa
• पाद्मम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धित (पद्मसम्बन्धी: ‘lotus-born/lotus-related’)

• अभिचक्षते: they call/describe
• अभिचक्षते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• यत्: which
• यत्: सम्बन्ध (Relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धे—‘which’

• हरेः: of Hari
• हरेः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• नाभिसरसः: of the navel-lake
• नाभिसरसः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक) + सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘नाभेः सरः’ (the lake of the navel)

• आसीत्: was
• आसीत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• लोकसरोरुहम्: the lotus of the worlds
• लोकसरोरुहम्: कर्ता/कर्म (Subject/Complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + सरोरुह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘लोकानां सरोरुहम्’ (lotus of the worlds)

Purport

The millennium following the Brāhma-kalpa is known as the Pādma-kalpa because the universal lotus grows in that millennium. The Pādma-kalpa is also called the Pitṛ-kalpa in certain Purāṇas.

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Brahma

FAQs

What is the Pādma Kalpa in the Srimad Bhagavatam?

Bhagavatam 3.11.36 states that a kalpa is called “Pādma” because the cosmic lotus (the source of universal manifestation and Brahmā’s appearance) arises from Lord Hari’s navel-lake.

Why does the Bhagavatam describe creation as coming from Lord Vishnu’s navel-lotus?

This verse highlights that the universe’s origin is rooted in the Supreme Lord (Hari): the lotus of the worlds manifests from His navel-lake, emphasizing divine, purposeful creation rather than random emergence.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Remembering that existence has a sacred source encourages humility and devotion—seeing life, time, and the cosmos as connected to the Supreme fosters steadiness, gratitude, and a bhakti-centered worldview.