← Canto 3: The Status Quo

Chapter 11: Calculation of Time, from the Atom

Verse 16 of 42
SB 3.11.16

विदुर उवाच पितृदेवमनुष्याणामायुः परमिदं स्मृतम् परेषां गतिमाचक्ष्व ये स्युः कल्पाद्बहिर्विदः

vidura uvāca pitṛ-deva-manuṣyāṇām āyuḥ param idaṁ smṛtam pareṣāṁ gatim ācakṣva ye syuḥ kalpād bahir vidaḥ

Synonyms

viduraḥ uvācaVidura said; pitṛthe Pitā planets; devathe heavenly planets; manuṣyāṇāmand that of the human beings; āyuḥduration of life; paramfinal; idamin their own measurement; smṛtamcalculated; pareṣāmof the superior living entities; gatimduration of life; ācakṣvakindly calculate; yeall those who; syuḥare; kalpātfrom the millennium; bahiḥoutside; vidaḥgreatly learned..

Translation

Vidura said: I now understand the life durations of the residents of the Pitā planets and heavenly planets as well as that of the human beings. Now kindly inform me of the durations of life of those greatly learned living entities who are beyond the range of a kalpa.

Purport

The partial dissolution of the universe that takes place at the end of Brahmā's day does not affect all the planetary systems. The planets of highly learned living entities like the sages Sanaka, Bhṛgu, etc., are not affected by the dissolutions of the millenniums. All the planets are of different types, and each is controlled by a different kāla-cakra or schedule of eternal time. The time of the earth planet is not applicable to other, more elevated planets. Therefore, Vidura herein inquires about the duration of life on other planets.

Verse 16 of 42
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