FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.4

स काल: परमाणुर्वै यो भुङ्क्ते परमाणुताम् । सतोऽविशेषभुग्यस्तु स काल: परमो महान् ॥ ४ ॥
sa kālaḥ paramāṇur vai
[sa kaalah paramaanur vai]
yo bhuṅkte paramāṇutām
[yo bhunkte paramaanutaam]
sato ’viśeṣa-bhug yas tu
[sato ’vishesha-bhug yas tu]
sa kālaḥ paramo mahān
[sa kaalah paramo mahaan]
Word-for-word
saḥ — that kālaḥ — eternal time parama-aṇuḥ — atomic vai — certainly yaḥ — which bhuṅkte — passes through parama-aṇutām — the space of an atom sataḥ — of the entire aggregate aviśeṣa-bhuk — passing through the nondual exhibition yaḥ tu — which saḥ — that kālaḥ — time paramaḥ — the supreme mahān — the great.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa kālaḥ paramāṇur vai
saḥ
that
kālaḥ
eternal time
parama-aṇuḥ
atomic
vai
certainly
yo bhuṅkte paramāṇutām
sato ’viśeṣa-bhug yas tu
yaḥ
which
bhuṅkte
passes through
sa kālaḥ paramo mahān
parama-aṇutām
the space of an atom
sataḥ
of the entire aggregate
aviśeṣa-bhuk
passing through the nondual exhibition
yaḥ tu
which
saḥ
that
kālaḥ
time
paramaḥ
the supreme
mahān
the great.
Atomic time is measured according to its covering a particular atomic space. That time which covers the unmanifest aggregate of atoms is called the great time.
Purport

Time and space are two correlative terms. Time is measured in terms of its covering a certain space of atoms. Standard time is calculated in terms of the movement of the sun. The time covered by the sun in passing over an atom is calculated as atomic time. The greatest time of all covers the entire existence of the nondual manifestation. All the planets rotate and cover space, and space is calculated in terms of atoms. Each planet has its particular orbit for rotating, in which it moves without deviation, and similarly the sun has its orbit. The complete calculation of the time of creation, maintenance and dissolution, measured in terms of the circulation of the total planetary systems until the end of creation, is known as the supreme kāla.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The time expended for the sun to go distance of one paramāṇu is called a paramāṇu of time and the time expended from one dissolution to the next is called parama-mahān time. This verse explains the phrase “by pervading the smallest and largest elements (saṁsthāna-bhuktyā).” That time which elapses for the sun to pass over the form of the paramāṇu (paramāṇutām) is called the paramāṇu time. As will be understood from the explanation in relation to the planets and constellations in verse 13, whatever time it takes the sun to cross over a paramāṇu is called a paramāṇu of time, or the smallest division of time. That time which pervades the whole material realm without distinction (aviśeṣa-bhuk)--time in the form of the sun, by expenditure of years and yugas, starting with the creation and ending with dissolution of the universes--is called parama-mahān time. Since there is an equivalent name given to the divisions of time and the material particles of paramāṇu, anu and trasareṇu, there are also equivalent name given to the time and the material substance called parama-mahān. However there is difference in the terminologies and sizes of time and objects between these extremes.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Death and dissolution are not interruptions of life but its honest end — and the verse points at this so we begin to live as if we knew it.
Reflection Questions
  • Where are you behaving as though you, or someone you love, will not die?
  • Where could a small daily remembrance of death make today more honest?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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