Shloka 12

Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species

Devanagari script

विश्वं वै ब्रह्मतन्मात्रं संस्थितं विष्णुमायया । ईश्वरेण परिच्छिन्नं कालेनाव्यक्तमूर्तिना ॥ १२ ॥

Transliteration

viśvaṁ vai brahma-tan-mātraṁ saṁsthitaṁ viṣṇu-māyayā īśvareṇa paricchinnaṁ kālenāvyakta-mūrtinā

Translation

यह समस्त जगत् ब्रह्म-तन्मात्र रूप है, जो विष्णु की माया से स्थित है। अव्यक्त-स्वरूप काल के द्वारा यह ईश्वर से पृथक्-सा प्रकट होता है।

Synonyms

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/indeed

• ब्रह्मतन्मात्रम्: consisting solely of Brahman/that alone
• ब्रह्मतन्मात्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of विश्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• संस्थितम्: situated/established
• संस्थितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Predicate adjective of विश्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थित/established’

• विष्णुमायया: by Vishnu’s māyā
• विष्णुमायया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विष्णोः माया); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ईश्वरेण: by the Lord
• ईश्वरेण: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परिच्छिन्नम्: delimited/defined
• परिच्छिन्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of विश्वम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परि-छिद् (धातु) → परिच्छिन्न (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘सीमित/defined’

• कालेन: by time
• कालेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अव्यक्तमूर्तिना: having an unmanifest form
• अव्यक्तमूर्तिना: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of कालेन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अव्यक्ता मूर्तिः यस्य/अव्यक्त-मूर्तिः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of काल)

Purport

As stated previously by Nārada before Vyāsadeva ( Bhāg. 1.5.20 ), idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ: this manifested world is the selfsame Personality of Godhead, but it appears to be something else beyond or besides the Lord. It appears so because of its being separated from the Lord by means of kāla. It is something like the tape-recorded voice of a person who is now separated from the voice. As the tape recording is situated on the tape, so the whole cosmic manifestation is situated on the material energy and appears separate by means of kāla. The material manifestation is therefore the objective manifestation of the Supreme Lord and exhibits His impersonal feature so much adored by impersonalist philosophers.

Characters & Entities

• Viṣṇu
• Īśvara
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Viṣṇu-māyā and the universe?

This verse says the universe is Brahman in essence, yet its manifested order and appearance are established through Viṣṇu’s māyā—His divine potency that makes creation perceivable and structured.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Time (Kāla) as 'avyakta-mūrti' (unmanifest form)?

He emphasizes that Time is not usually seen as a tangible entity, yet it powerfully measures, limits, and transforms all manifested things under the Lord’s control.

Practical application: how can this teaching help in modern life?

Seeing events as governed by the Lord’s order and by Time reduces anxiety and pride, encouraging steady devotion, humility, and wise use of one’s limited lifespan.