FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.29.2b

श्लोक २ब अद‍ृष्टं द‍ृष्टवन्नङ्‌क्षेद्भूतं स्वप्नवदन्यथा । भूतं भवद्भविष्यच्च सुप्तं सर्वरहोरह: ॥ २ब ॥
adṛṣṭaṁ dṛṣṭavan naṅkṣed
[adrishtam drishtavan nankshed]
bhūtaṁ svapnavad anyathā
[bhootam svapnavad anyathaa]
bhūtaṁ bhavad bhaviṣyac ca
[bhootam bhavad bhavishyach cha]
suptaṁ sarva-raho-rahaḥ
[suptam sarva-raho-rahah]
adṛṣṭam — future happiness dṛṣṭa-vat — like direct experience naṅkṣet — becomes vanquished bhūtam — the material existence svapnavat — like a dream anyathā — otherwise bhūtam — which happened in the past bhavat — present bhaviṣyat — future ca — also suptam — a dream sarva — of all rahaḥ-rahaḥ — the secret conclusion.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
adṛṣṭaṁ dṛṣṭavan naṅkṣed
adṛṣṭam
future happiness
dṛṣṭa-vat
like direct experience
naṅkṣet
becomes vanquished
bhūtaṁ svapnavad anyathā
bhūtam
the material existence
svapnavat
like a dream
anyathā
otherwise
bhūtaṁ bhavad bhaviṣyac ca
bhūtam
which happened in the past
bhavat
present
bhaviṣyat
future
ca
also
suptaṁ sarva-raho-rahaḥ
suptam
a dream
sarva
of all
rahaḥ-rahaḥ
the secret conclusion.
Everything happening within time, which consists of past, present and future, is merely a dream. That is the secret understanding in all Vedic literature.

Factually all of material existence is only a dream. Thus there is no question of past, present or future. Persons who are addicted to karma-kāṇḍa-vicāra, which means “working for future happiness through fruitive activities,” are also dreaming. Similarly, past happiness and present happiness are merely dreams. The actual reality is Kṛṣṇa and service to Kṛṣṇa, which can save us from the clutches of māyā, for the Lord says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.14) , mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: “Those who surrender unto Me can easily cross beyond My illusory energy.”

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Talks Between Nārada and King Prācīnabarhi.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Past, present and future within time are merely a dream — the secret of all Vedic literature. The temporal frame itself is dream-grade; nothing within it is finally real.
Reflection Questions
  • Where would treating today as 'dream-time' change how seriously I take it?
  • What is real that isn't bound by past-present-future?
📝 My note

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