Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 27

Aditi’s Payo-vrata and Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as Her Son

Prelude to Vāmana

Devanagari script

त्वमादिरन्तो भुवनस्य मध्य- मनन्तशक्तिं पुरुषं यमाहु: । कालो भवानाक्षिपतीश विश्वं स्रोतो यथान्त:पतितं गभीरम् ॥ २७ ॥

Transliteration

tvam ādir anto bhuvanasya madhyam ananta-śaktiṁ puruṣaṁ yam āhuḥ kālo bhavān ākṣipatīśa viśvaṁ sroto yathāntaḥ patitaṁ gabhīram

Translation

¡Oh Señor mío! Tú eres el comienzo, la manifestación en medio y la disolución final de los tres mundos; los Vedas te celebran como el Purusha Supremo, depósito de potencias ilimitadas. ¡Oh Natha! Así como la corriente en aguas profundas atrae ramas y hojas caídas, así Tú, como el Tiempo eterno, atraes hacia Ti todo lo que hay en este universo.

Synonyms

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), एकवचन, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative, Singular)

• आदिः: the beginning
• आदिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• अन्तः: the end
• अन्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• भुवनस्य: of the universe/world
• भुवनस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, षष्ठी (Genitive Singular)

• मध्यम्: the middle
• मध्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc. Singular; here predicate)

• अनन्त-शक्तिम्: (as) infinite in power
• अनन्त-शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular); कर्मधारय-समास (ananta-śakti = infinite power)

• पुरुषम्: the Person (Supreme Person)
• पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• आहुः: they call/say
• आहुः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural)

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• भवान्: you (honored one)
• भवान्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate-noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular); आदरार्थ-प्रयोग (honorific)

• आक्षिपति: draws in/throws down/carries away
• आक्षिपति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• ईश: O Lord
• ईश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन, सम्बोधन (Vocative Singular)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• स्रोतः: a stream/current
• स्रोतः: Upamāna (उपमान/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, प्रथमा (Nominative Singular)

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा/तुलना-वाचक (comparative particle: 'as/like')

• अन्तः: within
• अन्तः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपसर्ग/क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'within/inside')

• पतितम्: fallen
• पतितम्: Karma (कर्म/Object; of implied 'fallen')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular)

• गभीरम्: deep
• गभीरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गभीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, एकवचन, द्वितीया (Accusative Singular); 'स्रोतः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Purport

The time factor is sometimes described as kāla-srota, waves of time. Everything in this material world is within the time factor and is being carried away by waves of attraction, which represent the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Characters & Entities

• Aditi
• Lord Vishnu (Hari)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about God as Time (Kāla)?

This verse identifies the Lord Himself as Kāla, the force that draws the entire universe into dissolution—like a deep current that sweeps away all within it.

Why did Aditi describe Viṣṇu as the beginning, middle, and end of the universe?

In her prayer for divine protection and restoration of the devas’ fortune, Aditi glorifies Viṣṇu as the ultimate reality behind creation, maintenance, and dissolution—thereby affirming that only He can grant true refuge.

How can this teaching about Time help in modern life?

Remembering that time carries everything away encourages detachment from temporary gains, steadiness in loss, and deeper reliance on devotion to the eternal Lord.