Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.37
अयं तु कथित: कल्पो द्वितीयस्यापि भारत ।
वाराह इति विख्यातो यत्रासीच्छूकरो हरि: ॥ ३७ ॥
ayaṁ tu kathitaḥ kalpo
[ayam tu kathitah kalpo]
dvitīyasyāpi bhārata
[dviteeyasyaapi bhaarata]
vārāha iti vikhyāto
[vaaraaha iti vikhyaato]
yatrāsīc chūkaro hariḥ
[yatraaseech chookaro harih]
Word-for-word
ayam
—
this
tu
—
but
kathitaḥ
—
known as
kalpaḥ
—
the current millennium
dvitīyasya
—
of the second half
api
—
certainly
bhārata
—
O descendant of Bharata
vārāhaḥ
—
Vārāha
iti
—
thus
vikhyātaḥ
—
is celebrated
yatra
—
in which
āsīt
—
appeared
śūkaraḥ
—
hog shape
hariḥ
—
the Personality of Godhead.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ayaṁ tu kathitaḥ kalpo
ayam
this
tu
but
kathitaḥ
known as
kalpaḥ
the current millennium
dvitīyasyāpi bhārata
dvitīyasya
of the second half
api
certainly
bhārata
O descendant of Bharata
vārāha iti vikhyāto
vārāhaḥ
Vārāha
iti
thus
vikhyātaḥ
is celebrated
yatrāsīc chūkaro hariḥ
yatra
in which
āsīt
appeared
śūkaraḥ
hog shape
hariḥ
the Personality of Godhead.
O descendant of Bharata, the first millennium in the second half of the life of Brahmā is also known as the Vārāha millennium because the Personality of Godhead appeared in that millennium as the hog incarnation.
Purport
The different millenniums known as the Brāhma, Pādma and Vārāha kalpas appear a little puzzling for the layman. There are some scholars who think these kalpas to be one and the same. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the Brāhma-kalpa in the beginning of the first half appears to be the Pādma-kalpa. We can, however, simply abide by the text and understand that the present millennium is in the second half of the duration of the life of Brahmā.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O Vidura! The first day in the second half of Brahmā’s life is called Vārāha-kalpa, during which Varāha appeared.
This verse describes the first day in the fifty-first year of Brahmā, in the second half of his life. The Pādma-kalpa (the previous day) is described in verses such as pādmaṁ kalpam atho śṛṇu (SB 2.10.47) and the verses after udāplutaṁ viśvam idaṁ (SB 3.8.10), with a description of a lotus in one ocean of water. The appearance of one Brahmā with no one else present is described in vilokya tatrānyad apaśyamānaḥ (SB 2.9.7) Thus, Brahmā did not see Sanaka and the others who live for the whole of Brahmā’s life.
Because of these verses, some have another explanation for the Pādma-kalpa.
They say that Mahaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyloka, which remain without being destroyed until the end of the second half of his life, become covered with water at the end of the first half of Brahmā’s life (thus no planets or the great sages are not visible to Brahmā on the first day of his fifty-first year). Those who live till the end of Brahmā’s life on those planets enter into Nārāyaṇa along with Brahmā during the night at the end of the first half of Brahmā’s life. They say that the first day in the second half of Brahmā’s life (when he appears on a lotus and sees no planets and no sages) is called Śveta-vārāha or Pādma-kalpa. As well, in the next chapter it will be explained that Sanaka, Marīci and others appeared from Brahmā. This is similar to the Brahmā-kalpa. That day cannot be called Brāhma-kalpa since it comes after this description of the Pādma-kalpa.
In verse 36 of this chapter, describing Pādma-kalpa, the word ante can mean “at the end of the first day.” Thus the second day after Brahmā’s birth could be called the Pādma-kalpa. Ayam tu in this verse then means that the Pādma-kalpa is also a name for the Vārāha-kalpa, the first day in the second half of Brahmā’s life. It is called Vārāha-kalpa because Varāha avatāra appeared during that kalpa. The word api after dvitīyasya indicates that even the first kalpa of Brahmā’s life is called the Pādma-kalpa. This is the explanation of some persons. [Note: Thus Padma-kalpa can refer to the first or second day of Brahmā’s life, the last day of the fiftieth year of his life, or the first day of his fifty-first year.]
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse describes a universe that is not a random stage but an arrangement with a purpose. Our work is not to engineer that purpose but to find our seat within it.
Reflection Questions
- What would change in your prayer if you remembered how small your sphere actually is?
- Which 'cosmic' problem are you trying to solve when your actual task is just to play your small part well?
My note
Source: vedabase.io