Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2
Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas
Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework
Devanagari script
स होवाच यथा कुलालचक्रेण भ्रमता सह भ्रमतां तदाश्रयाणां पिपीलिकादीनां गतिरन्यैव प्रदेशान्तरेष्वप्युपलभ्यमानत्वादेवं नक्षत्रराशिभिरुपलक्षितेन कालचक्रेण ध्रुवं मेरुं च प्रदक्षिणेन परिधावता सह परिधावमानानां तदाश्रयाणां सूर्यादीनां ग्रहाणां गतिरन्यैव नक्षत्रान्तरे राश्यन्तरे चोपलभ्यमानत्वात् ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
sa hovāca yathā kulāla-cakreṇa bhramatā saha bhramatāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ pipīlikādīnāṁ gatir anyaiva pradeśāntareṣv apy upalabhyamānatvād evaṁ nakṣatra-rāśibhir upalakṣitena kāla-cakreṇa dhruvaṁ meruṁ ca pradakṣiṇena paridhāvatā saha paridhāvamānānāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ sūryādīnāṁ grahāṇāṁ gatir anyaiva nakṣatrāntare rāśy-antare copalabhyamānatvāt.
Translation
シュリー・シュカデーヴァ・ゴースヴァーミーは明確に答えた。陶工の輪が回転し、その大きな輪の上にいる小さな蟻も共に回るが、蟻は時に輪のこの部分に、時に別の部分に現れるため、その動きは輪そのものの動きとは異なるように見える。同様に、星宿と黄道によって示される時の輪は、須弥山とドゥルヴァローカを右にして周回し、太陽をはじめ諸惑星もそれと共に周回する。だが太陽と惑星は、時により異なる星座・星宿に見える。ゆえに、彼らの運行は黄道と時の輪そのものの運行とは別であることが示される。
Synonyms
सःhe
सः:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
हindeed
ह:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootha (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle, emphasis)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
Formलिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)
यथाjust as
यथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (comparative conjunction)
कुलालचक्रेणby the potter’s wheel
कुलालचक्रेण:
Karana (करण/instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootkulāla (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कुलालस्य चक्रम्’ (potter’s wheel)
भ्रमताwhile revolving
भ्रमता:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/absolute construction)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhram (धातु) → bhramat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय PAP)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); शतृ (PAP) used as instrumental absolute: ‘while (it) is revolving’
सहtogether with
सह:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsaha (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (preposition) governing instrumental/with-phrase
भ्रमताम्of those that are revolving
भ्रमताम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhram (धातु) → bhramat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय PAP)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); शतृ (PAP) used as genitive plural: ‘of those revolving’
तदाश्रयाणाम्of those dependent on it
तदाश्रयाणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘तद्-आश्रय’ (dependent on that)
पिपीलिकादीनाम्of ants and the like
पिपीलिकादीनाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootpipīlikā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘पिपीलिका-आदि’ (ants and the like)
गतिःmovement
गतिः:
Karta (कर्ता/topic/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootgati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
अन्याdifferent
अन्या:
Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘गतिः’
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (emphatic particle)
प्रदेशान्तरेषुin other regions
प्रदेशान्तरेषु:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
TypeNoun
Rootpradeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘प्रदेश-अन्तर’ (other places/regions)
अपिalso
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (particle ‘also/even’)
उपलभ्यमानत्वात्because it is perceived (as such)
उपलभ्यमानत्वात्:
Hetu (हेतु/cause)
TypeNoun
Rootupa-labh (धातु) → upalabhyamāna (कृदन्त, शानच्-प्रत्यय passive present participle) + -tva (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्यय)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक (abstract noun) ‘because of being perceived/available’
एवम्thus
एवम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootevam (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb)
नक्षत्रराशिभिःby stars and zodiac-signs
नक्षत्रराशिभिः:
Karana (करण/instrument/means)
TypeNoun
Rootnakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + rāśi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ‘नक्षत्रैः च राशिभिः च’
उपलक्षितेनmarked/characterized
उपलक्षितेन:
Karana (करण/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootupa-lakṣ (धातु) → upalakṣita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय PPP)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); क्त (PPP) qualifying ‘कालचक्रेण’
कालचक्रेणby the wheel of time
कालचक्रेण:
Karana (करण/instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootkāla (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘कालस्य चक्रम्’ (wheel of time)
ध्रुवम्Dhruva
ध्रुवम्:
Karma (कर्म/object of paridhāvatā)
TypeNoun
Rootdhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
मेरुम्Meru
मेरुम्:
Karma (कर्म/object of paridhāvatā)
TypeNoun
Rootmeru (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
प्रदक्षिणेनclockwise
प्रदक्षिणेन:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्ययभावे तृतीया (instrumental used adverbially)
परिधावताwhile running around
परिधावता:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/absolute construction)
TypeAdjective
Rootpari-dhāv (धातु) → paridhāvat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय PAP)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); शतृ (PAP) instrumental absolute: ‘while (it) runs around’
सहtogether with
सह:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsaha (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (preposition)
परिधावमानानाम्of those that are running around
परिधावमानानाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeAdjective
Rootpari-dhāv (धातु) → paridhāvamāna (कृदन्त, शानच्-प्रत्यय present middle participle)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); शानच् (PMP) ‘of those running around’
तदाश्रयाणाम्of those dependent on it
तदाश्रयाणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
सूर्यादीनाम्of the Sun and others
सूर्यादीनाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootsūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘सूर्य-आदि’ (Sun and others)
ग्रहाणाम्of the planets
ग्रहाणाम्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootgraha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)
गतिःmovement
गतिः:
Karta (कर्ता/topic/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootgati (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
अन्याdifferent
अन्या:
Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)
एवindeed
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (emphasis)
नक्षत्रान्तरेin another constellation
नक्षत्रान्तरे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
TypeNoun
Rootnakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘नक्षत्र-अन्तर’ (in another constellation)
राश्यन्तरेin another zodiac sign
राश्यन्तरे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
TypeNoun
Rootrāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘राशि-अन्तर’ (in another sign)
चand
च:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
उपलभ्यमानत्वात्because it is perceived (so)
उपलभ्यमानत्वात्:
Hetu (हेतु/cause)
TypeNoun
Rootupa-labh (धातु) → upalabhyamāna (कृदन्त, शानच् passive present participle) + -tva
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); कारणार्थ (ablative of cause)
Characters & Entities
D
DhruvaM
MeruS
Sūrya (Sun)FAQs
This verse describes kāla-cakra as a cosmic “wheel” marked by nakṣatras and rāśis, revolving around Dhruva and Meru, by which the planets’ motions are perceived as they pass through different constellations and zodiac signs.
He uses it to illustrate relative perception: a small being resting on a rotating system appears to move differently depending on viewpoint—similarly, planetary motion is perceived in relation to the larger rotating framework of time and celestial markers.
It encourages humility about perception: what we “see” can depend on the larger framework we stand on—so one should seek the Bhagavatam’s higher, time-transcending perspective and anchor the mind in devotion rather than shifting appearances.