1–çré-çuka uväca
kälas te paramäëv-ädir
dvi-parärdhävadhir nåpa
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kathito yuga-mänaà ca
çåëu kalpa-layäv api
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: My dear King, I have already described to you the
measurements of time, beginning from the smallest fraction measured by the
movement of a single atom up to the total life span of Lord Brahmä. I have also
discussed the measurement of the different millennia of universal history. Now
hear about the time of Brahmä’s day and the process of annihilation.
2–catur-yuga-sahasraà tu
brahmaëo dinam ucyate
sa kalpo yatra manavaç
caturdaça viçäm-pate
One thousand cycles of four ages constitute a single day of Brahmä, known
as a kalpa. In that period, O King, fourteen Manus come and go.
3–tad-ante pralayas tävän
brähmé rätrir udähåtä
trayo lokä ime tatra
kalpante pralayäya hi
After one day of Brahmä, annihilation occurs during his night, which is of
the same duration. At that time all the three planetary systems are subject to
destruction.
4–eña naimittikaù proktaù
pralayo yatra viçva-såk
çete ‘nantäsano viçvam
ätmasät-kåtya cätma-bhüù
This is called the naimittika, or occasional, annihilation, during which the
original creator, Lord Näräyaëa, lies down upon the bed of Ananta Çeña and
absorbs the entire universe within Himself while Lord Brahmä sleeps.
5–dvi-parärdhe tv atikränte
brahmaëaù parameñöhinaù
tadä prakåtayaù sapta
kalpante pralayäya vai
When the two halves of the lifetime of Lord Brahmä, the most elevated
created being, are complete, the seven basic elements of creation are
annihilated.
6–eña präkåtiko räjan
pralayo yatra léyate
aëòa-koñas tu saìghäto
vighäöa upasädite
O King, upon the annihilation of the material elements, the universal egg,
comprising the elemental amalgamation of creation, is confronted with
destruction.
7–parjanyaù çata-varñäëi
bhümau räjan na varñati
tadä niranne hy anyonyaà
bhakñyamäëäù kñudhärditäù
kñayaà yäsyanti çanakaiù
kälenopadrutäù prajäù
As annihilation approaches, O King, there will be no rain upon the earth for
one hundred years. Drought will lead to famine, and the starving populace will
literally consume one another. The inhabitants of the earth, bewildered by the
force of time, will gradually be destroyed.
8–sämudraà daihikaà bhaumaà
rasaà säàvartako raviù
raçmibhiù pibate ghoraiù
sarvaà naiva vimuïcati
The sun in its annihilating form will drink up with its terrible rays all the
water of the ocean, of living bodies and of the earth itself. But the devastating
sun will not give any rain in return.
9–tataù saàvartako vahniù
saìkarñaëa-mukhotthitaù
dahaty anila-vegotthaù
çünyän bhü-vivarän atha
Next the great fire of annihilation will flare up from the mouth of Lord
Saìkarñaëa. Carried by the mighty force of the wind, this fire will burn
throughout the universe, scorching the lifeless cosmic shell.
10–upary adhaù samantäc ca
çikhäbhir vahni-süryayoù
dahyamänaà vibhäty aëòaà
dagdha-gomaya-piëòa-vat
Burned from all sides—from above by the blazing sun and from below by the
fire of Lord Saìkarñaëa—the universal sphere will glow like a burning ball of
cow dung.
11–tataù pracaëòa-pavano
varñäëäm adhikaà çatam
paraù säàvartako väti
dhümraà khaà rajasävåtam
A great and terrible wind of destruction will begin to blow for more than one
hundred years, and the sky, covered with dust, will turn gray
12–tato megha-kuläny aìga
citra varëäny anekaçaù
çataà varñäëi varñanti
nadanti rabhasa-svanaiù
After that, O King, groups of multicolored clouds will gather, roaring
terribly with thunder, and will pour down floods of rain for one hundred years.
13–tata ekodakaà viçvaà
brahmäëòa-vivaräntaram
At that time, the shell of the universe will fill up with water, forming a
single cosmic ocean.
14–tadä bhümer gandha-guëaà
grasanty äpa uda-plave
grasta-gandhä tu påthivé
pralayatväya kalpate
As the entire universe is flooded, the water will rob the earth of its unique
quality of fragrance, and the element earth, deprived of its distinguishing
quality, will be dissolved.
15/16/17/18/19–apäà rasam atho tejas
tä léyante ‘tha nérasäù
grasate tejaso rüpaà
väyus tad-rahitaà tadä
léyate cänile tejo
väyoù khaà grasate guëam
sa vai viçati khaà räjaàs
tataç ca nabhaso guëam
çabdaà grasati bhütädir
nabhas tam anu léyate
taijasaç cendriyäëy aìga
devän vaikäriko guëaiù
mahän grasaty ahaìkäraà
guëäù sattvädayaç ca tam
grasate ‘vyäkåtaà räjan
guëän kälena coditam
na tasya kälävayavaiù
pariëämädayo guëäù
anädy anantam avyaktaà
nityaà käraëam avyayam
The element fire then seizes the taste from the element water, which,
deprived of its unique quality, taste, merges into fire. Air seizes the form
inherent in fire, and then fire, deprived of form, merges into air. The element
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ether seizes the quality of air, namely touch, and that air enters into ether.
Then, O King, false ego in ignorance seizes sound, the quality of ether, after
which ether merges into false ego. False ego in the mode of passion takes hold of
the senses, and false ego in the mode of goodness absorbs the demigods. Then
the total mahat-tattva seizes false ego along with its various functions, and that
mahat is seized by the three basic modes of nature—goodness, passion and
ignorance. My dear King Parékñit, these modes are further overtaken by the
original unmanifest form of nature, impelled by time. That unmanifest nature is
not subject to the six kinds of transformation caused by the influence of time.
Rather, it has no beginning and no end. It is the unmanifest, eternal and
infallible cause of creation.
20/21–na yatra väco na mano na sattvaà
tamo rajo vä mahad-ädayo ‘mé
na präëa-buddhéndriya-devatä vä
na sanniveçaù khalu loka-kalpaù
na svapna-jägran na ca tat suñuptaà
na khaà jalaà bhür anilo ‘gnir arkaù
saàsupta-vac chünya-vad apratarkyaà
tan müla-bhütaà padam ämananti
In the unmanifest stage of material nature, called pradhäna, there is no
expression of words, no mind and no manifestation of the subtle elements
beginning from the mahat, nor are there the modes of goodness, passion and
ignorance. There is no life air or intelligence, nor any senses or demigods.
There is no definite arrangement of planetary systems, nor are there present the
different stages of consciousness—sleep, wakefulness and deep sleep. There is
no ether, water, earth, air, fire or sun. The situation is just like that of
complete sleep, or of voidness. Indeed, it is indescribable. Authorities in
spiritual science explain, however, that since pradhäna is the original substance,
it is the actual basis of material creation.
22–layaù präkåtiko hy eña
puruñävyaktayor yadä
çaktayaù sampraléyante
vivaçäù käla-vidrutäù
This is the annihilation called präkåtika, during which the energies belonging
to the Supreme Person and His unmanifest material nature, disassembled by the
force of time, are deprived of their potencies and merge together totally.
23–buddhéndriyärtha-rüpeëa
jïänaà bhäti tad-äçrayam
dåçyatvävyatirekäbhyäm
ädy-antavad avastu yat
It is the Absolute Truth alone who manifests in the forms of intelligence,
the senses and the objects of sense perception, and who is their ultimate basis.
Whatever has a beginning and an end is insubstantial because of being an object
perceived by limited senses and because of being nondifferent from its own
cause.
24–dépaç cakñuç ca rüpaà ca
jyotiño na påthag bhavet
evaà dhéù khäni mäträç ca
na syur anyatamäd åtät
A lamp, the eye that views by the light of that lamp, and the visible form
that is viewed are all basically nondifferent from the element fire. In the same
way, intelligence, the senses and sense perceptions have no existence separate from the supreme reality, although that Absolute Truth remains totally distinct from them.
25–buddher jägaraëaà svapnaù
suñuptir iti cocyate
mäyä-mätram idaà räjan
nänätvaà pratyag-ätmani
The three states of intelligence are called waking consciousness, sleep and
deep sleep. But, my dear King, the variegated experiences created for the pure
living entity by these different states are nothing more than illusion.
26–yathä jala-dharä vyomni
bhavanti na bhavanti ca
brahmaëédaà tathä viçvam
avayavy udayäpyayät
Just as clouds in the sky come into being and are then dispersed by the
amalgamation and dissolution of their constituent elements, this material
universe is created and destroyed within the Absolute Truth by the
amalgamation and dissolution of its elemental, constituent parts.
27–satyaà hy avayavaù proktaù
sarvävayavinäm iha
vinärthena pratéyeran
paöasyeväìga tantavaù
My dear King, it is stated [in the Vedänta-sütra] that the ingredient cause
that constitutes any manifested product in this universe can be perceived as a
separate reality, just as the threads that make up a cloth can be perceived
separately from their product.
28–yat sämänya-viçeñäbhyäm
upalabhyeta sa bhramaù
anyonyäpäçrayät sarvam
ädy-antavad avastu yat
Anything experienced in terms of general cause and specific effect must be
an illusion, because such causes and effects exist only relative to each other.
Indeed, whatever has a beginning and an end is unreal.
29–vikäraù khyäyamäno ‘pi
pratyag-ätmänam antarä
na nirüpyo ‘sty aëur api
syäc cec cit-sama ätma-vat
Although perceived, the transformation of even a single atom of material
nature has no ultimate definition without reference to the Supreme Soul. To be
accepted as factually existing, something must possess the same quality as pure
spirit—eternal, unchanging existence.
30–na hi satyasya nänätvam
avidvän yadi manyate
nänätvaà chidrayor yadvaj
jyotiñor vätayor iva
There is no material duality in the Absolute Truth. The duality perceived by
an ignorant person is like the difference between the sky contained in an empty
pot and the sky outside the pot, or the difference between the reflection of the
sun in water and the sun itself in the sky, or the difference between the vital
air within one living body and that within another body.
31–yathä hiraëyaà bahudhä saméyate
nåbhiù kriyäbhir vyavahära-vartmasu
evaà vacobhir bhagavän adhokñajo
vyäkhyäyate laukika-vaidikair janaiù
According to their different purposes, men utilize gold in various ways, and
gold is therefore perceived in various forms. In the same way, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is inaccessible to material senses, is described in
various terms, both ordinary and Vedic, by different types of men.
32–yathä ghano ‘rka-prabhavo ‘rka-darçito
hy arkäàça-bhütasya ca cakñuñas tamaù
evaà tv ahaà brahma-guëas tad-ékñito
brahmäàçakasyätmana ätma-bandhanaù
Although a cloud is a product of the sun and is also made visible by the sun,
it nevertheless creates darkness for the viewing eye, which is another partial
expansion of the sun. Similarly, material false ego, a particular product of the
Absolute Truth made visible by the Absolute Truth, obstructs the individual
soul, another partial expansion of the Absolute Truth, from realizing the
Absolute Truth.
33–ghano yadärka-prabhavo vidéryate
cakñuù svarüpaà ravim ékñate tadä
yadä hy ahaìkära upädhir ätmano
jijïäsayä naçyati tarhy anusmaret
When the cloud originally produced from the sun is torn apart, the eye can
see the actual form of the sun. Similarly, when the spirit soul destroys his
material covering of false ego by inquiring into the transcendental science, he
regains his original spiritual awareness.
34–yadaivam etena viveka-hetinä
mäyä-mayähaìkaraëätma-bandhanam
chittväcyutätmänubhavo ‘vatiñöhate
tam ähur ätyantikam aìga samplavam
My dear Parékñit, when the illusory false ego that binds the soul has been cut
off with the sword of discriminating knowledge and one has developed
realization of Lord Acyuta, the Supreme Soul, this is called the ätyantika, or
ultimate, annihilation of material existence.
35–nityadä sarva-bhütänäà
brahmädénäà parantapa
utpatti-pralayäv eke
sükñma-jïäù sampracakñate
Experts in the subtle workings of nature, O subduer of the enemy, have
declared that there are continuous processes of creation and annihilation that all
created beings, beginning with Brahmä, constantly undergo.
36–käla-sroto-javenäçu
hriyamäëasya nityadä
pariëäminäà avasthäs tä
janma-pralaya-hetavaù
All material entities undergo transformation and are constantly and swiftly
eroded by the mighty currents of time. The various stages of existence that
material things exhibit are the perpetual causes of their generation and
annihilation.
37–anädy-antavatänena
käleneçvara-mürtinä
avasthä naiva dåçyante
viyati jyotiñäà iva
These stages of existence created by beginningless and endless time, the
impersonal representative of the Supreme Lord, are not visible, just as the
infinitesimal momentary changes of position of the planets in the sky cannot be
directly seen
38–nityo naimittikaç caiva
tathä präkåtiko layaù
ätyantikaç ca kathitaù
kälasya gatir édåçé
In this way the progress of time is described in terms of the four kinds of
annihilation—continuous, occasional, elemental and final.
39–etäù kuru-çreñöha jagad-vidhätur
näräyaëasyäkhila-sattva-dhämnaù
lélä-kathäs te kathitäù samäsataù
kärtsnyena näjo ‘py abhidhätum éçaù
O best of the Kurus, I have related to you these narrations of the pastimes of
Lord Näräyaëa, the creator of this world and the ultimate reservoir of all
existence, presenting them to you only in brief summary. Even Lord Brahmä
himself would be incapable of describing them entirely.
40–saàsära-sindhum ati-dustaram uttitérñor
nänyaù plavo bhagavataù puruñottamasya
lélä-kathä-rasa-niñevaëam antareëa
puàso bhaved vividha-duùkha-davärditasya
For a person who is suffering in the fire of countless miseries and who
desires to cross the insurmountable ocean of material existence, there is no
suitable boat except that of cultivating devotion to the transcendental taste for
the narrations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s pastimes.
41–puräëa-saàhitäm etäm
åñir näräyaëo ‘vyayaù
näradäya purä präha
kåñëa-dvaipäyanäya saù
Long ago this essential anthology of all the Puräëas was spoken by the
infallible Lord Nara-Näräyaëa Åñi to Närada, who then repeated it to Kåñëa
Dvaipäyana Vedavyäsa.
42–sa vai mahyaà mahä-räja
bhagavän bädaräyaëaù
imäà bhägavatéà prétaù
saàhitäà veda-sammitäm
My dear Mahäräja Parékñit, that great personality Çréla Vyäsadeva taught me
this same scripture, Çrémad-Bhägavatam, which is equal in stature to the four
Vedas.
43–imäà vakñyaty asau süta
åñibhyo naimiñälaye
dérgha-satre kuru-çreñöha
sampåñöaù çaunakädibhiù
O best of the Kurus, the same Süta Gosvämé who is sitting before us will
speak this Bhägavatam to the sages assembled in the great sacrifice at
Naimiñäraëya. This he will do when questioned by the members of the
assembly, headed by Çaunaka.
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