Shloka 4

Bhakti Yoga: The Three Modes of Devotion, Non-Envy, and Time as the Lord

Devanagari script

कालस्येश्वररूपस्य परेषां च परस्य ते । स्वरूपं बत कुर्वन्ति यद्धेतो: कुशलं जना: ॥ ४ ॥

Transliteration

kālasyeśvara-rūpasya pareṣāṁ ca parasya te svarūpaṁ bata kurvanti yad-dhetoḥ kuśalaṁ janāḥ

Translation

Ipaliwanag Mo rin sana ang walang hanggang Panahon, na siyang pagpapakita ng Iyong anyong Panginoon; sa impluwensiya nito, ang mga tao ay nahihikayat na magsagawa ng mga gawaing dharma at kabanalan.

Synonyms

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• ईश्वर-रूपस्य: of the Lord’s form
• ईश्वर-रूपस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘of the form of the Lord’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग (रूप-शब्दः नपुंसक), षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• परेषाम्: of others
• परेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘others/superiors’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• परस्य: of the Supreme
• परस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्वरूपम्: true nature; essential form
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• बत: indeed; alas
• बत: Nipata (निपात/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बत (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय—विस्मय/खेदसूचक निपात (particle of wonder/emphasis)

• कुर्वन्ति: they make; they construct
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• यत्-हेतोः: for which reason; because of which
• यत्-हेतोः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम) + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः—तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘for which reason’), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कुशलम्: welfare; auspicious good
• कुशलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Purport

However ignorant one may be regarding the path of good fortune and the path down to the darkest region of ignorance, everyone is aware of the influence of eternal time, which devours all the effects of our material activities. The body is born at a certain time, and immediately the influence of time acts upon it. From the date of the birth of the body, the influence of death is also acting; the advancement of age entails the influence of time on the body. If a man is thirty or fifty years old, then the influence of time has already devoured thirty or fifty years of the duration of his life.

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kapila

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Lord as Time (kāla)?

This verse states that the Supreme Lord can be understood as Time—the controlling power that governs change—yet He is also transcendental, beyond all cosmic rulers.

Why does Lord Kapila speak about defining the Lord’s svarūpa (true nature)?

Kapila emphasizes that sincere seekers pursue knowledge of the Lord’s real identity because such understanding is the root cause of genuine welfare (kuśala), not merely temporary benefit.

Practical application of seeing God as Time in modern life?

Remembering time as the Lord’s governing potency helps one prioritize lasting spiritual goals, reduce attachment to fleeting gains, and deepen urgency for bhakti.