Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

एवं कालोऽप्यनुमित: सौक्ष्म्ये स्थौल्ये च सत्तम । संस्थानभुक्त्या भगवानव्यक्तो व्यक्तभुग्विभु: ॥ ३ ॥

Transliteration

evaṁ kālo ’py anumitaḥ saukṣmye sthaulye ca sattama saṁsthāna-bhuktyā bhagavān avyakto vyakta-bhug vibhuḥ

Translation

O best of the virtuous, time is inferred by measuring the motion of the subtle and gross combinations of bodies. That time is the potency of Bhagavān Hari: though unmanifest to material sight, He governs all movement and is the all-pervading Lord who enjoys the manifested world.

Synonyms

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: सम्बन्ध (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘thus/in this way’

• कालः: time
• कालः: कर्ता (प्रथमा/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘also/even’

• अनुमितः: inferred
• अनुमितः: विशेषण (to ‘कालः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुमित (कृदन्त, √मा धातु with अनु- उपसर्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) from √मा ‘to measure/know’ → ‘inferred’

• सौक्ष्म्ये: in subtlety
• सौक्ष्म्ये: अधिकरण (सप्तमी/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौक्ष्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative ‘in subtlety’

• स्थौल्ये: in grossness
• स्थौल्ये: अधिकरण (सप्तमी/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थौल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; locative ‘in grossness’

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

• सत्तम: O best one
• सत्तम: सम्बोधन (Vocative/आह्वान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; vocative ‘O best of the good’

• संस्थान-भुक्त्या: by experiencing forms/structures
• संस्थान-भुक्त्या: करण (तृतीया/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक) + भुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; समास: संस्थानस्य भुक्तिः (षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष) → ‘enjoyment/experience of forms/structures’; instrumental ‘by/through’

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (प्रथमा/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; honorific ‘the Lord’

• अव्यक्तः: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तः: विशेषण (to ‘भगवान्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; adjective ‘unmanifest’

• व्यक्त-भुक्: enjoyer of the manifest
• व्यक्त-भुक्: विशेषण (to ‘भगवान्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘भुक्’ = agent-noun (क्विप्/कृदन्त) from √भुज् ‘to enjoy’; समास: व्यक्तं भुङ्क्ते इति (कर्म/तत्पुरुष)

• विभुः: the all-pervading one
• विभुः: समानााधिकरण (Predicate/epithet of ‘भगवान्’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘all-pervading/mighty’

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavān

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about understanding time (kāla)?

This verse says time is known by inference—recognized through its observable effects in both subtle and gross states of matter and experience.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Bhagavān as unmanifest yet the experiencer of the manifest world?

He clarifies that the Lord is transcendental (avyakta) and not materially visible, yet He pervades everything and oversees the manifest cosmos as its ultimate controller and witness.

How can this teaching about time be applied in modern life?

By seeing change as the mark of time, one becomes less attached to temporary forms and more focused on the unchanging Supreme Lord behind all transformations.