Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

य: सृज्यशक्तिमुरुधोच्छ्‌वसयन् स्वशक्त्या पुंसोऽभ्रमाय दिवि धावति भूतभेद: । कालाख्यया गुणमयं क्रतुभिर्वितन्वं- स्तस्मै बलिं हरत वत्सरपञ्चकाय ॥ १५ ॥

Transliteration

yaḥ sṛjya-śaktim urudhocchvasayan sva-śaktyā puṁso ’bhramāya divi dhāvati bhūta-bhedaḥ kālākhyayā guṇamayaṁ kratubhir vitanvaṁs tasmai baliṁ harata vatsara-pañcakāya

Translation

ହେ ବିଦୁର! ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ନିଜ ଶକ୍ତିରେ ସମସ୍ତ ଜୀବଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରାଣଶକ୍ତି ଦାନ କରି ସଜୀବ କରନ୍ତି। ଭୌତିକ ଆସକ୍ତିର ମୋହରୁ ମୁକ୍ତ କରିବା ପାଇଁ ସେ ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କ ଆୟୁକୁ କ୍ଷୟ କରନ୍ତି ଏବଂ ଯଜ୍ଞାଦି କ୍ରିୟାଦ୍ୱାରା ସ୍ୱର୍ଗାରୋହଣର ପଥକୁ ବିସ୍ତାର କରନ୍ତି। ତେଣୁ ଆକାଶରେ ମହାବେଗେ ଗତି କରୁଥିବା ସେହି କାଳରୂପ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରତି ପାଞ୍ଚ ବର୍ଷରେ ଥରେ ସମସ୍ତ ପୂଜାସାମଗ୍ରୀ ସହ ଅର୍ଘ୍ୟ-ବଳି ଅର୍ପଣ କର।

Synonyms

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular

• sṛjya-śaktim: the creative power
• sṛjya-śaktim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sṛjya+śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (sṛjya = ‘to be created/creation-related’ as qualifier); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• urudhā: greatly/abundantly
• urudhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: urudhā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘abundantly, greatly’)

• ucchvasayan: causing to breathe/expanding
• ucchvasayan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud+√śvas + ṇic + śatṛ (धातु+कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; present active participle

• sva-śaktyā: by his own power
• sva-śaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva+śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (स्वा शक्तिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• puṁsaḥ: of the person (Puruṣa)
• puṁsaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pumān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; genitive singular

• abhramāya: for (his) non-delusion/clarity
• abhramāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abhrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular

• divi: in heaven/in the sky
• divi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; locative singular

• dhāvati: runs/moves swiftly
• dhāvati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhāv (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; parasmaipada

• bhūta-bhedaḥ: the differentiator of beings/elements
• bhūta-bhedaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta+bheda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (bhūtānāṁ bhedaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; nominative singular (apposition to yaḥ)

• kāla-ākhyayā: by the designation ‘time’
• kāla-ākhyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla+ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (kālasya ākhyā = ‘named as time’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; instrumental singular

• guṇa-mayam: made of the guṇas
• guṇa-mayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa+maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (guṇaiḥ mayam = ‘consisting of qualities’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular qualifying implied object (e.g., jagat/karma)

• kratubhiḥ: by sacrifices/rituals
• kratubhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kratu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; instrumental plural

• vitanvan: spreading/expanding
• vitanvan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi+√tan + śatṛ (धातु+कृत्)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; present active participle

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; dative singular

• balim: offering/tribute
• balim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bali (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular

• harata: offer/bring
• harata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √hṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• vatsara-pañcakāya: to the five-year cycle (of years)
• vatsara-pañcakāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vatsara+pañcaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (pañcaka of vatsaras = five-year cycle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; dative singular

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kāla (Time) in Canto 3?

This verse describes Time as the Lord’s own potency that drives creation and manifests the guṇa-based material world, moving beings through cosmic order while bewildering the conditioned soul.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī speak about Time and sacrifices to Mahārāja Parīkṣit?

In Canto 3, Chapter 11, Śukadeva explains the structure of time to show how the universe runs under divine control; he links it with sacrifice because ritual action operates within the guṇas and time’s divisions.

How can a devotee apply the teaching of this verse in modern life?

Recognize time as God’s governing energy, become less illusioned by constant change, and align one’s actions with devotion rather than mere guṇa-driven achievement.