Srimad Bhagavatam — Ekadasha Skandha, Shloka 19
Sāṅkhya of Creation and Annihilation
Sarga–Nirodha-viveka
प्रकृतिर्यस्योपादानमाधारः पुरुषः परः । सतोऽभिव्यञ्जकः कालो ब्रह्म तत्त्रितयं त्वहम् ॥ १९ ॥
prakṛtir yasyopādānam ādhāraḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ sato ’bhivyañjakaḥ kālo brahma tat tritayaṁ tv aham
The material cosmos is called real: its ingredient is prakṛti, its shelter is Mahā-Viṣṇu, and time (kāla) makes it manifest. Thus prakṛti, Viṣṇu, and time are not different from Me, the Supreme Absolute Truth.
Material nature is the energy of the Lord, Mahā-Viṣṇu is His plenary portion, and time represents the Lord’s activity. In this way, time and nature are always subservient to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who creates, maintains and annihilates all that exists through the agency of His potencies and plenary portions. In other words, Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth because He contains all existence within Himself.
FAQs
This verse teaches that prakṛti is the material ingredient, the Supreme Puruṣa is the sustaining support, and kāla (time) manifests the cosmos—yet all are ultimately non-different from Kṛṣṇa as Brahman.
In the Uddhava-gītā section, Kṛṣṇa gives Uddhava clear metaphysical understanding so his devotion becomes steady—seeing all causes (nature, support, and time) as resting in the Supreme.
When change, pressure, or loss appears as “time,” remember it is under the Lord’s control; relate the world (prakṛti) to Him as His energy, and take shelter of Him as the real support through bhakti.