SB 2.8.12

SB 2.8.12

Devanagari

यावान् कल्पोविकल्पो वा यथा कालोऽनुमीयते । भूतभव्यभवच्छब्द आयुर्मानं च यत् सत: ॥ १२ ॥

Verse text

yāvān kalpo vikalpo vā yathā kālo ’numīyate bhūta-bhavya-bhavac-chabda āyur-mānaṁ ca yat sataḥ

Synonyms

yāvān as it is ; kalpaḥ the duration of time between creation and annihilation ; vikalpaḥ subsidiary creation and annihilation ; either ; yathā as also ; kālaḥ the time ; anumīyate is measured ; bhūta past ; bhavya future ; bhavat present ; śabdaḥ sound ; āyuḥ duration of life ; mānam measurement ; ca also ; yat which ; sataḥ of all living beings in all planets .

Translation

Also please explain the duration of time between creation and annihilation, and that of other subsidiary creations, as well as the nature of time, indicated by the sound of past, present and future. Also, please explain the duration and measurement of life of the different living beings known as the demigods, the human beings, etc., in different planets of the universe.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Speak of the kalpas and their subdivisions, how time is perceived in the past present and future and about the life spans of the humans, devatās and Pitṛs.

Purport

Past, present and future are different features of time to indicate the duration of life for the universe and all its paraphernalia, including the different living beings in different planets.

Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Speak also about the great time spans (kalpaḥ) and their divisions (vikalpaḥ), how time in past, future and present is perceived, and the life spans of the humans, Pitṛs and devatās, who think they are their bodies (sataḥ)