FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.47

वर्तमानोऽन्ययो: कालो गुणाभिज्ञापको यथा । एवं जन्मान्ययोरेतद्धर्माधर्मनिदर्शनम् ॥ ४७ ॥
vartamāno ’nyayoḥ kālo
[vartamaano ’nyayoh kaalo]
guṇābhijñāpako yathā
[gunaabhijnaapako yathaa]
evaṁ janmānyayor etad
[evam janmaanyayor etad]
dharmādharma-nidarśanam
[dharmaadharma-nidarshanam]
Word-for-word
vartamānaḥ — the present anyayoḥ — of the past and future kālaḥ — time guṇa-abhijñāpakaḥ — making known the qualities yathā — just as evam — thus janma — birth anyayoḥ — of the past and future births etat — this dharma — religious principles adharma — irreligious principles nidarśanam — indicating.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vartamāno ’nyayoḥ kālo
vartamānaḥ
the present
guṇābhijñāpako yathā
evaṁ janmānyayor etad
anyayoḥ
of the past and future
kālaḥ
time
guṇa-abhijñāpakaḥ
making known the qualities
yathā
just as
evam
thus
janma
birth
dharmādharma-nidarśanam
anyayoḥ
of the past and future births
etat
this
dharma
religious principles
adharma
irreligious principles
nidarśanam
indicating.
Just as springtime in the present indicates the nature of springtimes in the past and future, so this life of happiness, distress or a mixture of both gives evidence concerning the religious and irreligious activities of one’s past and future lives.
Purport

Our past and future are not very difficult to understand, for time is under the contamination of the three modes of material nature. As soon as spring arrives, the usual exhibition of various types of fruits and flowers automatically becomes manifest, and therefore we may conclude that spring in the past was adorned with similar fruits and flowers and will be so adorned in the future also. Our repetition of birth and death is taking place within time, and according to the influence of the modes of nature, we are receiving various types of bodies and being subjected to various conditions.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Just as the qualities of the present make known the qualities of the past and the future, the qualities of dharma and adharma in this birth indicate those qualities in past and future lives. The present life gives understanding of the extent of dharma and adharma in the previous and next life. An example is given. The spring time of the present gives an understanding of the qualities of spring with its fruits and flowers--in the past and the spring in the future. Similarly this life shows the dharma and adharma of previous and past lives.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Just as today's spring tells us what past and future springs look like, this life of mixed happiness and distress testifies to past karma and predicts future life. The present is both witness and forecast.
Reflection Questions
  • If my current life is a 'spring' of my past acts, what was I likely doing before?
  • What kind of 'future spring' do I want, and what am I planting now to make it bloom?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 1