Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

सन्ध्यासन्ध्यांशयोरन्तर्य: काल: शतसंख्ययो: । तमेवाहुर्युगं तज्ज्ञा यत्र धर्मो विधीयते ॥ २० ॥

Transliteration

sandhyā-sandhyāṁśayor antar yaḥ kālaḥ śata-saṅkhyayoḥ tam evāhur yugaṁ taj-jñā yatra dharmo vidhīyate

Translation

ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ଯୁଗର ପୂର୍ବ ଓ ପର ସନ୍ଧିକାଳ—ଉପରେ କୁହାଯାଇଥିବା ପରି କିଛି ଶତ ବର୍ଷ—ତଜ୍ଜ୍ଞ ଖଗୋଳବିଦମାନେ ‘ଯୁଗସନ୍ଧ୍ୟା’ ବୋଲି କହନ୍ତି। ସେହି ସମୟରେ ନାନା ଧର୍ମକର୍ମ ହୁଏ।

Synonyms

• सन्ध्या-सन्ध्यांशयोः: of the twilight and the twilight-portions
• सन्ध्या-सन्ध्यांशयोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + सन्ध्या-अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; समासः इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (सन्ध्या च सन्ध्यांशः च)

• अन्तः: within/between
• अन्तः: देशाधिकरण-निर्देशक (Locative indicator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb/preposition-like), ‘within/between’

• यः: which
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• कालः: time/period
• कालः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• शत-संख्ययोः: of the (two) hundred-counts
• शत-संख्ययोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (शतस्य संख्या = number of hundreds)

• तम्: that (period)
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/आह् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• युगम्: a yuga
• युगम्: कर्म (Karma/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• तत्-ज्ञाः: those who know that (i.e., experts)
• तत्-ज्ञाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (तत् जानन्ति = those who know that)

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Where)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (relative adverb), देश/अवसरवाचक

• धर्मः: dharma/righteousness
• धर्मः: कर्मणि-कर्ता/विषय (Subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विधीयते: is established/ordained
• विधीयते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about sandhyā (twilight) and yuga time calculation?

In Canto 3, Chapter 11, this verse explains that the interval between sandhyā and its fractional portion (sandhyā-aṁśa) is counted in hundreds of units, and learned authorities designate such measured spans as part of yuga-based time reckoning.

Why is a yuga connected with dharma in this verse?

The verse defines yuga not only as a time-measure but as an age in which dharma is arranged and manifested in a particular way—implying that moral and spiritual order is understood in relation to cosmic time cycles.

Practical application of yuga-based thinking in modern life?

It encourages aligning one’s daily discipline (dharma) with regular “junctions” and rhythms—using transitions (like dawn/dusk) for prayer, reflection, and recommitment to spiritual practice.