Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

लघूनि वै समाम्नाता दश पञ्च च नाडिका । ते द्वे मुहूर्त: प्रहर: षड्याम: सप्त नृणाम् ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

laghūni vai samāmnātā daśa pañca ca nāḍikā te dve muhūrtaḥ praharaḥ ṣaḍ yāmaḥ sapta vā nṛṇām

Translation

Quinze laghus font une nāḍikā (daṇḍa). Deux daṇḍas constituent un muhūrta; et, selon le calcul humain, six ou sept daṇḍas font un prahara (yāma).

Synonyms

• लघूनि: laghus (units)
• लघूनि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• समाम्नाताः: are stated (in tradition)
• समाम्नाताः: Vidhāna (विधान/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-√म्ना (धातु) → समाम्नात (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, ‘traditionally enumerated’

• दश: ten
• दश: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश (संख्या/अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक अव्यय (indeclinable numeral)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या/अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक अव्यय (indeclinable numeral)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• नाडिका: a nāḍikā (unit)
• नाडिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाडिका/नाडिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ते: those (nāḍikās)
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to nāḍikās)

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण

• मुहूर्तः: a muhūrta
• मुहूर्तः: Vidhāna (विधान/Predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्रहरः: a watch (prahara)
• प्रहरः: Vidhāna (विधान/Predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्या/अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक अव्यय (indeclinable numeral)

• यामः: a yāma
• यामः: Vidhāna (विधान/Predicative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सप्त: seven
• सप्त: Saṅkhyā (संख्या/Numeral qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या/अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक अव्यय (indeclinable numeral)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: ‘or/indeed as an alternative’)

• नृणाम्: of humans
• नृणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Vedic units of time like muhūrta and prahara?

This verse defines a sequence of human time units—15 laghus = 1 nāḍikā, 2 nāḍikās = 1 muhūrta, and 2 muhūrtas = 1 prahara—building up to the day and week.

Why is Śukadeva Gosvāmī describing time calculation to King Parīkṣit in Canto 3?

In Canto 3 Chapter 11, Śukadeva explains how time is measured from subtle to gross scales to show time’s role as the Lord’s regulating potency within creation.

Practical application of Bhagavatam’s time teachings in modern life?

By seeing time as sacred and structured, one can plan sādhana (japa, study, worship) in disciplined cycles (like muhūrtas), reducing distraction and increasing remembrance of the Lord.