SB 11.28.18 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

ज्ञानं विवेको निगमस्तपश्च प्रत्यक्षमैतिह्यमथानुमानम् । आद्यन्तयोरस्य यदेव केवलं कालश्च हेतुश्च तदेव मध्ये ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

jṣānaṁ viveko nigamas tapaś ca pratyakṣam aitihyam athānumānam ādy-antayor asya yad eva kevalaṁ kālaś ca hetuś ca tad eva madhye

Synonyms

jṣānam — transcendental knowledge ; vivekaḥ — discrimination ; nigamaḥ — the scripture ; tapaḥ — austerity ; ca — and ; pratyakṣam — direct perception ; aitihyam — the historical accounts of the Purāṇas ; atha — and ; anumānam — logic ; ādi — in the beginning ; antayoḥ — and the end ; asya — of this creation ; yat — which ; eva — indeed ; kevalam — alone ; kālaḥ — the controlling factor of time ; ca — and ; hetuḥ — the ultimate cause ; ca — and ; tat — that ; eva — alone ; madhye — in the middle .

Translation

Real spiritual knowledge is based on the discrimination of spirit from matter, and it is cultivated by scriptural evidence, austerity, direct perception, reception of the Purāṇas’ historical narrations, and logical inference. The Absolute Truth, which alone was present before the creation of the universe and which alone will remain after its destruction, is also the time factor and the ultimate cause. Even in the middle stage of this creation’s existence, the Absolute Truth alone is the actual reality.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Jṣāna gives power of discrimination. It is produced by knowledge of the Vedas, by following one’s dharma, by personal realization, by instructions and by logical analysis. By this one realizes Brahman, the final cause, which reveals everything and which exists at the beginning and end of the universe, and during the interim as well. Jṣāna is discrimination. The factors in cultivation of jṣāna are described: the Vedas, following one’s dharma (tapaḥ), one’s realization (pratyakṣam), instructions (aitihyam), and reasoning (anumānam). The result is described. That which exists at the beginning and at the end of the universe and in the middle as well, is the cause, Brahman (kālaḥ), which reveals (kalayati) everything

Purport

Material scientists and philosophers are desperately searching for the ultimate material cause or principle, which is described here as kāla, the time factor. The material process of cause and effect takes place entirely within a sequence of time; in other words, the time factor is the motivating impetus for material cause and effect. This time factor is a manifestation of the Supersoul, the form of the Supreme Lord that pervades and supports the cosmic manifestation. The method for acquiring knowledge is scientifically described here, and those who are serious, reasonable scholars will take advantage of the transcendental epistemology revealed here by the Lord.