FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.5.22

कालाद् गुणव्यतिकर: परिणाम: स्वभावत: । कर्मणो जन्म महत: पुरुषाधिष्ठितादभूत् ॥ २२ ॥
kālād guṇa-vyatikaraḥ
[kaalaad guna-vyatikarah]
pariṇāmaḥ svabhāvataḥ
[parinaamah svabhaavatah]
karmaṇo janma mahataḥ
[karmano janma mahatah]
puruṣādhiṣṭhitād abhūt
[purushaadhishthitaad abhoot]
kālāt — from eternal time guṇa-vyatikaraḥ — transformation of the modes by reaction pariṇāmaḥ — transformation svabhāvataḥ — from the nature karmaṇaḥ — of activities janma — creation mahataḥ — of the mahat-tattva puruṣa-adhiṣṭhitāt — because of the puruṣa incarnation of the Lord abhūt — it took place.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kālād guṇa-vyatikaraḥ
kālāt
from eternal time
guṇa-vyatikaraḥ
transformation of the modes by reaction
pariṇāmaḥ svabhāvataḥ
pariṇāmaḥ
transformation
svabhāvataḥ
from the nature
karmaṇo janma mahataḥ
karmaṇaḥ
of activities
janma
creation
mahataḥ
of the mahat-tattva
puruṣādhiṣṭhitād abhūt
puruṣa-adhiṣṭhitāt
because of the puruṣa incarnation of the Lord
abhūt
it took place.
After the incarnation of the first puruṣa [Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu], the mahat-tattva, or the principles of material creation, take place, and then time is manifested, and in course of time the three qualities appear. Nature means the three qualitative appearances. They transform into activities.

By the omnipotency of the Supreme Lord, the whole material creation evolves by the process of transformation and reactions one after another, and by the same omnipotency, they are wound up again one after another and conserved in the body of the Supreme. Kāla, or time, is the synonym of nature and is the transformed manifestation of the principles of material creation. As such, kāla may be taken as the first cause of all creation, and by transformation of nature different activities of the material world become visible. These activities may be taken up as the natural instinct of each and every living being, or even of the inert objects, and after the manifestation of activities there are varieties of products and by-products of the same nature. Originally these are all due to the Supreme Lord. The Vedānta-sūtras and the Bhāgavatam thus begin with the Absolute Truth as the beginning of all creations ( janmādy asya yataḥ ).

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The guṇas are agitated from a state of equilibrium by time. They are transformed into another form by svabhāva. The mahat-tattva appears by the karma of the jīvas. All this is under the direction of the Lord.
Commentary

The functions of time and other factors are discussed. Time is the agitator of the guṇas. This means giving up equilibrium. Pariṇāmaḥ means attaining another form. Mahataḥ is mahat-tattva. Puruṣādhiṣṭhitād modifies all the three items.

Time itself is a manifestation of the Lord's energy, not a neutral backdrop. Through time, nature's qualities unfold into activities. To respect time is to respect the Lord's quiet operation behind every change.
Reflection Questions
  • How do I treat time — as my possession, or as the Lord's medium of work?
  • What activity have I been treating as merely mine that is actually time doing its work?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 5