Text 33: Thus the process of the exhaustion of the duration of life exists for every one of the living beings, including Lord Brahmā. One’s life endures for only one hundred years, in terms of the times in the different planets.
Text 34: The one hundred years of Brahmā’s life are divided into two parts, the first half and the second half. The first half of the duration of Brahmā’s life is already over, and the second half is now current.
Text 35: In the beginning of the first half of Brahmā’s life, there was a millennium called Brāhma-kalpa, wherein Lord Brahmā appeared. The birth of the Vedas was simultaneous with Brahmā’s birth.
Text 36: The millennium which followed the first Brāhma millennium is known as the Pādma-kalpa because in that millennium the universal lotus flower grew out of the navel reservoir of water of the Personality of Godhead, Hari.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
He says the same. Yad iti. || 33 || ** Of the previous parārdha, in the beginning - this is just a statement of facts in three verses. || 34 || ** The reason for being called Pādma. Yad iti. || 35 || ** But this is described as being at the beginning of the second. || 36 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
He restates the numbers from the beginning for knowledge of the mostly passed parārdha from another text: "One, ten, hundred, and thousand, then ayuta, lakṣa, niyuta, koṭi, arbuda, vṛnda, kharva, nikharva, śaṅkha, padma, sāgara, antya, madhya, parārdha - increasing tenfold in order." Thus in the Gaṇitaratnākara. The other, second, in this present kalpa. || 33 || Just a statement about the object, the kalpa. With the thirty kalpas ending with Pitṛkalpa like Śvetavarāha etc. mentioned in the Prabhāsakhaṇḍa, the thirty days from śukla pratipadā to amāvāsyā, by their repetition like the lunar days etc. of those very kalpas, months, and with twelve months a year. With fifty years one parārdha, in the beginning of the first, the previous one - thus Śvetavarāha is called Brāhma as it is Brahmā's birth date. That date which is called by the word brāhma should be understood as Caitra śukla pratipadā as stated in astrology. "The lords of the lunar days are Vahni, Gaurī" etc. describes the deities of the lunar days, not that whichever deity was born on a particular day is the lord of that day - there is no such rule prescribed here, as it is not seen that way. The birth dates of the deities are described differently in astrology. There Brahmā's birth date is stated as Caitra śukla pratipadā. But the statements are not written here in detail due to fear of prolixity. In which Brāhma kalpa. Whom Brahmā - Śabdabrahman, the manifester of words, Vedic words - Brahmā who is Śabdabrahman, that will be stated later as "Of Śabdabrahman, O dear one" etc. in the Twelfth Canto. || 34 || ** Of that very Brāhma kalpa, the kalpa, the Pitṛkalpa, the last Pitṛkalpa of that kalpa itself is the reason for being called Pādma, yad iti. Therefore it should be understood that in all kalpas the cosmic lotus does not occur, but only in some. || 35 || ** But this means the first day of the fifty-first year of the second parārdha which is currently ongoing. Here in the Pādma kalpa story beginning with "Now hear about the Pādma kalpa" and "The universe was submerged" etc., as only one lotus is heard of in the primordial waters, as only one Brahmā arises there, as it is said "Seeing nothing else there" etc., as the long-lived Sanaka and others are not found there. Some say that at the end of the first parārdha, even though Mahar, Jana, Tapas and Satya which last beyond the second parārdha are not destroyed, there is submergence in water, and all the kalpa-lived beings there enter into Śrī Nārāyaṇa along with Brahmā, and at the end of the first parārdha, they call the first of the second parārdha, Śvetavarāha itself, as Pādma. And in the Twelfth Canto it will state that Sanaka, Marīci and others manifest from Brahmā just as in the Brāhma kalpa. And that should be understood as just the story of the Brāhma kalpa there, as the Pādma kalpa story has been introduced. Therefore in "at its end" the meaning of "end" is completion, conclusion. Ayaṃ tu - tu means "indeed", this very Pādma is known as Vārāha, the reason for that is yatrāsīd iti. By saying "of the second also" with api, they explain that the first kalpa of the first parārdha, Brāhma, is also called Pādma. || 36 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
That very mostly passed, today, in this kalpa. || 33 || * With three verses, just a statement of three facts - the Brāhma kalpa characterized by the birth date equivalent to śukla pratipadā according to astrology, the Pādma kalpa characterized by the last day of the fiftieth year, and the Śvetavarāha kalpa characterized by the first day of the fifty-first year at the beginning of the second parārdha - not an enumeration in order of the kalpas. || 34 || ** Of that very previous parārdha, because, in which kalpa. || 35 || ** Just as the Brāhma kalpa was at the beginning of the previous parārdha, similarly this present kalpa is described as being at the beginning of the second parārdha. He states its name. The reason for being called Vārāha is yatra. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
He states how much of the lifespan of the imperishable Hari, the Ultimate Reality, has passed and how much remains. Yad iti. Half of his lifespan of one hundred years by that measure of Brahmā is called a parārdha. Of that lifespan consisting of two parārdhas, the first parārdha has passed away. The other, latter parārdha is ongoing now. || 33 || Refuting the doubt whether the kalpas of each day are different or not in the previous and latter parārdhas, he states the meaningful names of the kalpas at the beginning and end of the previous parārdha and of the present kalpa of the latter parārdha, due to the multiplicity of kalpas, in the next three verses starting with pūrvasya. At the beginning of the previous parārdha was the Brāhma mahākalpa named Brāhma. Stating the meaningfulness of the name and its greatness, he says - in which first kalpa of the previous parārdha Brahmā came into being - this itself is the basis for the meaningfulness of the name. Who is that Brahmā due to whose connection the kalpa is called Brāhma? To this he says - whom they know as Śabdabrahman, i.e. consisting of the Vedas. This indeed is the basis for its greatness - where the Veda-consisting Brahmā, who reveals the means of worship and propitiation of the Supreme Brahman, was born. || 34 || ** And at the end of that very previous parārdha, which kalpa the wise call Brāhma, that kalpa occurred. He states the reason for it being called Pādma. Yat - in which kalpa, from the navel of Lord Hari Aniruddha which was like a lake, the cosmic lotus containing the worlds arose. || 35 || ** This kalpa is also described as being of the second, i.e. the second parārdha. Which one is that? To this he says - known as Vārāha. He states the reason for the meaningfulness of the name. Yatra - in which kalpa Hari took the form of a boar. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
To indicate that Brahmā's lifespan is now half over, it divides that lifespan in yad ardham [in half]. || 33 ||
Where, in which kalpa, that Brahmā first came into being. In the Padma and other kalpas, after the origin of the lotus etc., after the origin of Brahmā, the knowers know him as Brāhma or Brahmā or śabdabrahma (the Vedic word-Brahman) to be known through the Vedas - this is the remainder. || 34 ||
It states the kalpa at the end of the first half. Tasyaiva [Of that very]. In which kalpa. || 35 ||
It states the first kalpa of the second half. Atham [Now]. This first kalpa of the second half is known as Vārāha. || 36 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Yad ardham [Half] means today, in this. || 34-37 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
It states that lifespan divided in two. Yad [Which]. || 33 ||
Pūrvvasya [Of the previous]. As stated in the Prabhāsa-khaṇḍa: With Śvetavārāha etc., the pitṛ-kalpas, with those thirty kalpas, from the bright first day to the new moon day, thirty days, by the repetition of those very kalpas again and again, months, with twelve months a year, with fifty years one parārdha. There, at the beginning of the first, previous one, brāhma means Śvetavārāha itself is called by the word brāhma because it is the birth-day of Brahmā. And that date should be known as the bright first day of Caitra according to jyotiḥśāstra. || 34 ||
Kalpaḥ [Kalpa] means pitṛ-kalpa which they call the very last pitṛ-kalpa of the parārdha Pādma. The reason for it being Pādma: Yad [Which]. Therefore, the cosmic lotus does not occur in all kalpas, but only somewhere sometimes - this is the meaning. || 35 ||
Ayam tu [This however] means the first day of the fifty-first year of the second parārdha that is currently ongoing. Here, in the story of the Pādma kalpa beginning with "hearing the flooded universe" etc., because of hearing of only one lotus in the single ocean of water, because of the origination of only one Brahmā there, because of the statement "seeing that, he saw nothing else" etc., because of the non-perception there of Sanaka and others who live for a great kalpa, some say that at the end of the first parārdha, Mahar, Jana, Tapas, Satya which remain until the end of the second parārdha, though not destroyed, are submerged in water, and that all the kalpa-lived beings there, together with Brahmā, enter into Śrī Nārāyaṇa, and at the completion of the first parārdha, they call the first Śvetavārāha of the second parārdha Pādma. And in the twelfth chapter, the manifestation of Sanaka etc. and Marīci etc. from Brahmā alone, just as in the Brāhma kalpa, will be stated. And it should not be said that this is just the story of the Brāhma kalpa, because in the story of the Pādma kalpa, in "at the end of that very one", "end" means "at the conclusion, at the completion" - this is the meaning. Ayam tu [This however] - tu means "indeed" - this very Pādma is known as Vārāha. The reason for this is yatra āsīd [where it was]. By the word api [also] in dvitīyasyāpi [of the second also], they explain that the first Brāhma kalpa of the first parārdha is also called Pādma. || 36 ||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Which they call Pādma and at the end of that previous parārdha, by the repetition of two kalpas, a kalpa occurred. || 35 ||
The beginning of the second parārdha is said to be known by the other name Vārāha, but in reality it is the Brahma-kalpa. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
Now, to describe the gross kalpas in that lifespan, it states the division of that lifespan - yad ardham āyuṣas tasya [which half of his lifespan]. That which is half of that lifespan of Brahmā, that is called a parārdha. Because Brahmā's lifespan is denoted by the word para, it is ardham [half] of para. To indicate the beginning and end of the first parārdha there, it states the completion of the first - pūrvaḥ parārdho 'pakrānta [the previous parārdha has passed]. Now the other is proceeding - thus. Indicating that even Brahmā's lifespan is mostly gone. Detachment is instructed, because of the identification with the senses of ordinary people. || 33 ||
Among the main kalpas there, it states that the first is the Brāhma kalpa - pūrvasya [of the first]. It explains the brāhma-ness of that kalpa. But that was a great kalpa, consisting of a year, not a daily one. In which kalpa Brahmā himself came into being, that is, was born. In that kalpa the Lord himself was Brahmā, considering his commonality in all kalpas, it states the form of Brahmā that causes the kalpa - śabdabrahma iti yaṁ viduḥ [which they know as the word-Brahman]. In that kalpa, everything originated from the word-Brahman alone. The nature of that word-Brahman will be stated later in the chapter on intellect. || 34 ||
It states the last year-kalpa of that - tasyaiva cānta [and at the end of that very one] iti yaṁ pādmam abhicakṣata [which they call Pādma] - that Padma kalpa was mentioned before. It states the reason for its being called Padma kalpa - yad dharer nābhisarasa [which from the lake of Hari's navel]. By the derivation "it is named by the lotus", to establish its being the Padma kalpa, the origin of the lotus alone should be stated, for that purpose - nābhisaroruham [lotus from the navel-lake] is said. || 35 ||
It states the first year-kalpa of the second parārdha - ayaṁ tu kathitaḥ kalpa [this kalpa however is said]. The word tu excludes the daily one. Vārāha - the first of the first is the Brāhma consisting of the Vedas, the first of the second is known in the world as Vārāha consisting of word and meaning. It explains its being Vārāha - yatrāsīd [where it was]. Vārāha means boar. Hari - the removal of sorrow of Brahmā etc. is thus the reason for the incarnation. There, Ādivarāha kalpa is the first, Vārāha is the second, Śvetavārāha is the third. This is the current one. || 36 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
He explains the meaning indicated by the word 'iva' - yadi. That which is the purpose of Brahma's life is called parārdha. There, of the life consisting of two parārdhas, the first parārdha has passed away, departed, and the second, the latter parārdha, indeed proceeds today - this is the construction. || 33 ||
Within Brahma's life, kalpas occur daily. It is impossible to describe all of them, so he describes some - pūrvasyeti with three verses. At the beginning of the first parārdha, there was a great kalpa named brāhma - this is the construction. Showing the reason for its being a great kalpa and having the name brāhma, he says - yatra. The one whom they know as the verbal Brahman, consisting of the Vedas, that Brahma was born in this kalpa - this is the meaning. || 34 ||
At the end of that same first parārdha, the kalpa which the wise call pādma occurred. He states the reason for its name pādma - yad. Because in this kalpa, from the navel of Hari, the Lord Nārāyaṇa, which became a lake, arose the world-lotus comprising the three worlds - this is the meaning. || 35 ||
O Bhārata, this kalpa is said to be at the beginning of even the second parārdha. In anticipation of the question "Which is that?", he says - vārāha, famous, well-known. He states the reason for its having this name - yatra. In this kalpa, Hari himself became a boar. || 36 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
Half of Brahma's lifespan is called a parārdha. The first parārdha has already passed, and the second is ongoing. || 33 || At the beginning of the first parārdha, there was a great kalpa called brāhma. In it, Brahma was born. The learned call him the verbal Brahman. || 34 || At the end of that same parārdha, the kalpa that occurred is called pādma kalpa. In this, the all-world-encompassing lotus appeared from the Lord's navel-lake. || 35 || Vidura! The kalpa that is currently ongoing is said to be the beginning of the second parārdha. This is famous by the name vārāha kalpa, in which the Lord took the form of a boar. || 36 ||
SB 3.11.33-36
