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Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 1

Brahmā’s Creation: The Kumāras, Rudra, the Prajāpatis, and the Manifestation of Vedic Sound

Devanagari script

मैत्रेय उवाच इति ते वर्णित: क्षत्त: कालाख्य: परमात्मन: । महिमा वेदगर्भोऽथ यथास्राक्षीन्निबोध मे ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

maitreya uvāca iti te varṇitaḥ kṣattaḥ kālākhyaḥ paramātmanaḥ mahimā veda-garbho ’tha yathāsrākṣīn nibodha me

Translation

Śrī Maitreya sprach: O gelehrter Vidura, bis hierher habe ich dir die Herrlichkeiten des Paramātmā in Seinem Aspekt als kāla, der Zeit, beschrieben. Nun höre von mir, wie Er Brahmā erschuf, das Gefäß allen vedischen Wissens.

Synonyms
maitreyaḥMaitreya
maitreyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormLiṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada
itithus
iti:
Vākyārtha-sūcaka (वाक्यार्थसूचक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)
teto you
te:
Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Roottvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormDvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया) or Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana (एकवचन); enclitic pronoun; here: 'to you' (caturthī)
varṇitaḥhas been described
varṇitaḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvarṇita (कृदन्त; √varṇ)
FormKta (क्त) past passive participle; Puṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with kāla-ākhyaḥ; passive sense 'has been described'
kṣattaḥO Vidura (kṣattā)
kṣattaḥ:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootkṣattar (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Sambodhana (8th/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana (एकवचन)
kāla-ākhyaḥnamed Time
kāla-ākhyaḥ:
Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
TypeAdjective
Rootkāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: kāla iti ākhyaḥ (named 'Time')
paramātmanaḥof the Supreme Self
paramātmanaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootparamātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Ṣaṣṭhī, Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: paramaḥ ātmā
mahimāthe glory
mahimā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmahimā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
veda-garbhaḥVeda-garbha (Brahmā)
veda-garbhaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootveda (प्रातिपदिक) + garbha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa: vedānāṁ garbhaḥ / veda-garbha (Brahmā)
athathen
atha:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; conjunction/particle (समुच्चय/अनन्तरार्थक)
yathāas; how
yathā:
Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya; adverb (प्रकारवाचक)
asrākṣītcreated
asrākṣīt:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsṛj (धातु)
FormLuṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; augment a-; form: asrākṣīt
nibodhaunderstand; learn
nibodha:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootbudh (धातु)
FormLoṭ (लोट्, imperative), Madhyama-puruṣa (2nd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ni- prefix
mefrom me / my
me:
Apādāna/Source (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormṢaṣṭhī (6th/षष्ठी) or Dvitīyā (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; enclitic; here: 'from me' sense intended as speaker-reference (genitive: 'my')
Characters & Entities
M
Maitreya
V
Vidura
P
Paramatma
B
Brahma (Vedagarbha)

FAQs

This verse summarizes that the Supreme Soul’s greatness is also revealed as Kāla—Time—who governs change and the unfolding of creation.

After explaining the Lord’s power as Time, Maitreya transitions the discussion for Vidura to the next topic: how Brahmā, empowered by the Supreme, proceeds with secondary creation.

Remembering the Lord as Time helps one prioritize dharma and devotion, reduce attachment to temporary gains, and live with urgency for spiritual practice.

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