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Shloka 11

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

मैत्रेय उवाच गुणव्यतिकराकारो निर्विशेषोऽप्रतिष्ठित: । पुरुषस्तदुपादानमात्मानं लीलयासृजत् ॥ ११ ॥

maitreya uvāca guṇa-vyatikarākāro nirviśeṣo ’pratiṣṭhitaḥ puruṣas tad-upādānam ātmānaṁ līlayāsṛjat

Sinabi ni Maitreya: “Ang Panahon (Kāla) ang anyo ng ugnayan ng tatlong guna; ito’y di-nagbabago, walang hanggan, at walang pinanghahawakan. Ito ang kasangkapan ng Bhagavan sa Kanyang lila ng paglikha, upang maisakatuparan ng Puruṣa ang paglikha sa daigdig na materyal.”

maitreyaḥMaitreya
maitreyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
FormLiṭ (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada
guṇa-vyatikara-ākāraḥthe form of the intermixture of guṇas
guṇa-vyatikara-ākāraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vyatikara (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa chain: 'guṇas' + 'intermixture' + 'form'; Pumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate noun describing puruṣaḥ
nirviśeṣaḥundifferentiated
nirviśeṣaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootnir-viśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate adjective
apratiṣṭhitaḥunestablished/unsupported
apratiṣṭhitaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-pratiṣṭhita (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
FormPumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana; predicate adjective
puruṣaḥthe Puruṣa (Supreme Person)
puruṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPumliṅga, Prathamā (1st), Ekavacana
tat-upādānamthat material cause
tat-upādānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + upādāna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa: 'that' + 'material cause'; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana
ātmānamhimself
ātmānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPumliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; reflexive object
līlayāby (his) play
līlayā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootlīlā (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; instrumental
asṛjathe created
asṛjat:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā√sṛj (धातु)
FormLaṅ (imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, Parasmaipada

The impersonal time factor is the background of the material manifestation as the instrument of the Supreme Lord. It is the ingredient of assistance offered to material nature. No one knows where time began and where it ends, and it is time only which can keep a record of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the material manifestation. This time factor is the material cause of creation and is therefore a self-expansion of the Personality of Godhead. Time is considered the impersonal feature of the Lord.

M
Maitreya
P
Puruṣa (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

This verse says the pre-creation condition was an indistinct, unsupported state arising from the intermixture of the three guṇas, before distinct forms and order became manifest.

Because the Supreme Person manifests the cosmos from Himself effortlessly and freely—creation is not forced by need, but proceeds from His independent, playful will.

Recognize how mixed modes influence perception and behavior, and cultivate sattva (clarity, goodness) through devotion, discipline, and remembrance of the Supreme Person who stands beyond the guṇas.