Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 47

Prāyaścitta, the ‘Elephant Bath’ Problem, and the Opening of Ajāmila-Upākhyāna

Devanagari script

वर्तमानोऽन्ययो: कालो गुणाभिज्ञापको यथा । एवं जन्मान्ययोरेतद्धर्माधर्मनिदर्शनम् ॥ ४७ ॥

Transliteration

vartamāno ’nyayoḥ kālo guṇābhijñāpako yathā evaṁ janmānyayor etad dharmādharma-nidarśanam

Translation

Như mùa xuân hiện tại gợi rõ bản tính của mùa xuân quá khứ và tương lai, cũng vậy đời sống này—vui, khổ hay pha trộn—là bằng chứng về các hành vi dharma và adharma của những đời trước và những đời sau.

Synonyms

• vartamānaḥ: present, existing
• vartamānaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vṛt (धातु) + māna (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; विशेषण (काले)

• anyayoḥ: of the two others
• anyayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive); द्विवचन

• kālaḥ: time
• kālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन

• guṇa-abhijñāpakaḥ: that which makes the qualities known/manifest
• guṇa-abhijñāpakaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + abhijñāpaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गुणानाम् अभिज्ञापकः); विशेषण (काले)

• yathā: as
• yathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान-निर्देशक (as)

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)

• janma: birth
• janma: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (समासपूर्वपद/समुच्चयार्थे)

• anyayoḥ: of the two others
• anyayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी-विभक्ति; द्विवचन

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• dharma-adharma-nidarśanam: the indicator/sign of dharma and adharma
• dharma-adharma-nidarśanam: Pratipādya (प्रतिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + adharma (प्रातिपदिक) + nidarśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (धर्मश्च अधर्मश्च) + तत्पुरुषः (तयोः निदर्शनम्)

Purport

Our past and future are not very difficult to understand, for time is under the contamination of the three modes of material nature. As soon as spring arrives, the usual exhibition of various types of fruits and flowers automatically becomes manifest, and therefore we may conclude that spring in the past was adorned with similar fruits and flowers and will be so adorned in the future also. Our repetition of birth and death is taking place within time, and according to the influence of the modes of nature, we are receiving various types of bodies and being subjected to various conditions.

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how present life reflects past karma?

This verse says the present—like the present moment of time—reveals the qualities of what came before; similarly, one’s current birth shows the indications of prior dharma and adharma.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī explain kāla (time) while narrating the Ajamila story?

He uses time as an analogy to clarify karma: just as the present makes past and future intelligible, a person’s present condition reveals the moral causes (piety and sin) from previous actions.

Practical application of karma and dharma from Bhagavatam 6.1.47 in modern life?

Treat your current circumstances as feedback from past choices, and consciously build dharma now—through right conduct and devotion—so the future is shaped toward clarity and liberation.