Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.7
निमेषस्त्रिलवो ज्ञेय आम्नातस्ते त्रय: क्षण: ।
क्षणान् पञ्च विदु: काष्ठां लघु ता दश पञ्च च ॥ ७ ॥
nimeṣas tri-lavo jñeya
[nimeshas tri-lavo jneya]
āmnātas te trayaḥ kṣaṇaḥ
[aamnaatas te trayah kshanah]
kṣaṇān pañca viduḥ kāṣṭhāṁ
[kshanaan pancha viduh kaashthaam]
laghu tā daśa pañca ca
[laghu taa dasha pancha cha]
Word-for-word
nimeṣaḥ
—
the duration of time called a nimeṣa
tri-lavaḥ
—
the duration of three lavas
jñeyaḥ
—
is to be known
āmnātaḥ
—
it is so called
te
—
they
trayaḥ
—
three
kṣaṇaḥ
—
the duration of time called a kṣaṇa
kṣaṇān
—
such kṣaṇas
pañca
—
five
viduḥ
—
one should understand
kāṣṭhām
—
the duration of time called a kāṣṭhā
laghu
—
the duration of time called a laghu
tāḥ
—
those
daśa pañca
—
fifteen
ca
—
also.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nimeṣas tri-lavo jñeya
nimeṣaḥ
the duration of time called a nimeṣa
tri-lavaḥ
the duration of three lavas
jñeyaḥ
is to be known
āmnātas te trayaḥ kṣaṇaḥ
āmnātaḥ
it is so called
te
they
trayaḥ
three
kṣaṇaḥ
the duration of time called a kṣaṇa
kṣaṇān pañca viduḥ kāṣṭhāṁ
kṣaṇān
such kṣaṇas
pañca
five
viduḥ
one should understand
kāṣṭhām
the duration of time called a kāṣṭhā
laghu tā daśa pañca ca
laghu
the duration of time called a laghu
tāḥ
those
daśa pañca
fifteen
ca
also.
The duration of time of three lavas is equal to one nimeṣa, the combination of three nimeṣas makes one kṣaṇa, five kṣaṇas combined together make one kāṣṭhā, and fifteen kāṣṭhās make one laghu.
Purport
By calculation it is found that one laghu is equal to two minutes. The atomic calculation of time in terms of Vedic wisdom may be converted into present time with this understanding.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Three lavas make one nimeṣa. Three nimeṣas make one kṣaṇa. Fire kṣaṇas make one kāṣṭhā. Fifteen kāṣṭhās make one laghu.
Āmāntāḥ means “is called.” Tāh means kāsṭhāḥ.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Real knowledge in this verse is relational, not abstract — it grows by humility before a teacher and by service, not by argument.
Reflection Questions
- What truth do you already 'know' that has not yet changed how you live?
- What would it take for an insight from this verse to make it past your intellect into your routine?
My note
Source: vedabase.io