Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2

Kāla-cakra and the Motions of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Grahas

Bhāgavata Jyotiṣa Framework

Devanagari script

स होवाच यथा कुलालचक्रेण भ्रमता सह भ्रमतां तदाश्रयाणां पिपीलिकादीनां गतिरन्यैव प्रदेशान्तरेष्वप्युपलभ्यमानत्वादेवं नक्षत्रराशिभिरुपलक्षितेन कालचक्रेण ध्रुवं मेरुं च प्रदक्षिणेन परिधावता सह परिधावमानानां तदाश्रयाणां सूर्यादीनां ग्रहाणां गतिरन्यैव नक्षत्रान्तरे राश्यन्तरे चोपलभ्यमानत्वात् ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

sa hovāca yathā kulāla-cakreṇa bhramatā saha bhramatāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ pipīlikādīnāṁ gatir anyaiva pradeśāntareṣv apy upalabhyamānatvād evaṁ nakṣatra-rāśibhir upalakṣitena kāla-cakreṇa dhruvaṁ meruṁ ca pradakṣiṇena paridhāvatā saha paridhāvamānānāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ sūryādīnāṁ grahāṇāṁ gatir anyaiva nakṣatrāntare rāśy-antare copalabhyamānatvāt.

Translation

圣者舒迦提婆·瞿斯瓦弥清楚答道：如同陶工之轮转动时，轮上的小蚂蚁也随之转动；然而人们见它们时而在此处、时而在彼处，便觉其运动与轮的运动不同。同样，带有星宿与黄道标记的“时间之轮”在须弥山与持明界（Dhruvaloka）位于右侧的状态下旋行，太阳等诸行星也随之旋行；但太阳与诸行星在不同时间显现于不同的星宿与黄道宫位，这表明它们的运动不同于黄道与时间之轮本身的运动。

Synonyms

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• ह: indeed
• ह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle, emphasis)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/comparative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (comparative conjunction)

• कुलालचक्रेण: by the potter’s wheel
• कुलालचक्रेण: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kulāla (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कुलालस्य चक्रम्’ (potter’s wheel)

• भ्रमता: while revolving
• भ्रमता: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/absolute construction)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhram (धातु) → bhramat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय PAP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); शतृ (PAP) used as instrumental absolute: ‘while (it) is revolving’

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition) governing instrumental/with-phrase

• भ्रमताम्: of those that are revolving
• भ्रमताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhram (धातु) → bhramat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय PAP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); शतृ (PAP) used as genitive plural: ‘of those revolving’

• तदाश्रयाणाम्: of those dependent on it
• तदाश्रयाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘तद्-आश्रय’ (dependent on that)

• पिपीलिकादीनाम्: of ants and the like
• पिपीलिकादीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pipīlikā (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘पिपीलिका-आदि’ (ants and the like)

• गतिः: movement
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता/topic/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्या: different
• अन्या: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘गतिः’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• प्रदेशान्तरेषु: in other regions
• प्रदेशान्तरेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradeśa (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘प्रदेश-अन्तर’ (other places/regions)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle ‘also/even’)

• उपलभ्यमानत्वात्: because it is perceived (as such)
• उपलभ्यमानत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upa-labh (धातु) → upalabhyamāna (कृदन्त, शानच्-प्रत्यय passive present participle) + -tva (प्रातिपदिक-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); भाववाचक (abstract noun) ‘because of being perceived/available’

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• नक्षत्रराशिभिः: by stars and zodiac-signs
• नक्षत्रराशिभिः: Karana (करण/instrument/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + rāśi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ‘नक्षत्रैः च राशिभिः च’

• उपलक्षितेन: marked/characterized
• उपलक्षितेन: Karana (करण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-lakṣ (धातु) → upalakṣita (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); क्त (PPP) qualifying ‘कालचक्रेण’

• कालचक्रेण: by the wheel of time
• कालचक्रेण: Karana (करण/instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘कालस्य चक्रम्’ (wheel of time)

• ध्रुवम्: Dhruva
• ध्रुवम्: Karma (कर्म/object of paridhāvatā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मेरुम्: Meru
• मेरुम्: Karma (कर्म/object of paridhāvatā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: meru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रदक्षिणेन: clockwise
• प्रदक्षिणेन: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pradakṣiṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययभावे तृतीया (instrumental used adverbially)

• परिधावता: while running around
• परिधावता: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/absolute construction)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-dhāv (धातु) → paridhāvat (कृदन्त, शतृ-प्रत्यय PAP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); शतृ (PAP) instrumental absolute: ‘while (it) runs around’

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition)

• परिधावमानानाम्: of those that are running around
• परिधावमानानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-dhāv (धातु) → paridhāvamāna (कृदन्त, शानच्-प्रत्यय present middle participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); शानच् (PMP) ‘of those running around’

• तदाश्रयाणाम्: of those dependent on it
• तदाश्रयाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + āśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सूर्यादीनाम्: of the Sun and others
• सूर्यादीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘सूर्य-आदि’ (Sun and others)

• ग्रहाणाम्: of the planets
• ग्रहाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: graha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural)

• गतिः: movement
• गतिः: Karta (कर्ता/topic/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अन्या: different
• अन्या: Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphasis)

• नक्षत्रान्तरे: in another constellation
• नक्षत्रान्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nakṣatra (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘नक्षत्र-अन्तर’ (in another constellation)

• राश्यन्तरे: in another zodiac sign
• राश्यन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘राशि-अन्तर’ (in another sign)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction)

• उपलभ्यमानत्वात्: because it is perceived (so)
• उपलभ्यमानत्वात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upa-labh (धातु) → upalabhyamāna (कृदन्त, शानच् passive present participle) + -tva
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular); कारणार्थ (ablative of cause)

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Meru
• Sūrya (Sun)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the wheel of time (kāla-cakra)?

This verse describes kāla-cakra as a cosmic “wheel” marked by nakṣatras and rāśis, revolving around Dhruva and Meru, by which the planets’ motions are perceived as they pass through different constellations and zodiac signs.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī use the example of an ant on a potter’s wheel?

He uses it to illustrate relative perception: a small being resting on a rotating system appears to move differently depending on viewpoint—similarly, planetary motion is perceived in relation to the larger rotating framework of time and celestial markers.

How can this Bhagavatam teaching be applied in modern life?

It encourages humility about perception: what we “see” can depend on the larger framework we stand on—so one should seek the Bhagavatam’s higher, time-transcending perspective and anchor the mind in devotion rather than shifting appearances.