Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 2.10.46

ayam tu brahmanah kalpah

savikalpa udahrtah

vidhih sadharano yatra

sargah prakrta-vaikrtah

SYNONYMS

ayam -- this process of creation and annihilation; tu -- but; brahmanah -- of Brahma; kalpah -- his one day; sa-vikalpah -- along with the duration of the universes; udahrtah -- exemplified; vidhih -- regulative principles; sadharanah -- in summary; yatra -- wherein; sargah -- creation; prakrta -- in the matter of material nature; vaikrtah -- disbursement.

TRANSLATION

This process of creation and annihilation described in summary herein is the regulative principle during the duration of Brahma's one day. It is also the regulative principle in the creation of mahat, in which the material nature is dispersed.

PURPORT

There are three different types of creation, called maha-kalpa, vikalpa and kalpa. In the maha-kalpa the Lord assumes the first purusa incarnation as Karanodakasayi Visnu with all the potencies of the mahat-tattva and the sixteen principles of creative matter and instruments. The creative instruments are eleven, the ingredients are five, and all of them are products of mahat, or materialistic ego. These creations by the Lord in His feature of Karanodakasayi Visnu are called maha-kalpa. The creation of Brahma and dispersion of the material ingredients are called vikalpa, and the creation by Brahma in each day of his life is called kalpa. Therefore each day of Brahma is called a kalpa, and there are thirty kalpas in terms of Brahma's days. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (8.17) as follows:

sahasra-yuga-paryantam

ahar yad brahmano viduh

ratim yuga-sahasrantam

te 'ho-ratra-vido janah

In the upper planetary system the duration of one complete day and night is equal to one complete year of this earth. This is accepted even by the modern scientist and attested by the astronauts. Similarly, in the region of still higher planetary systems the duration of day and night is still greater than in the heavenly planets. The four yugas are calculated in terms of the heavenly calendars and accordingly are twelve thousand years in terms of the heavenly planets. This is called a divya-yuga, and one thousand divya-yugas make one day of Brahma. The creation during the day of Brahma is called kalpa, and the creation of Brahma is called vikalpa. When vikalpas are made possible by the breathing of Maha-Visnu, this is called a maha-kalpa. There are regular and systematic cycles of these maha-kalpas, vikalpas and kalpas. In answer to Maharaja Pariksit's question about them, Sukadeva Gosvami answered in the Prabhasa-khanda of the Skanda Purana. They are as follows:

prathamah sveta-kalpas ca

dvitiyo nila-lohitah

vamadevas trtiyas tu

tato gathantaro 'parah

rauravah pancamah proktah

sasthah prana iti smrtah

saptamo 'tha brhat-kalpah

kandarpo 'stama ucyate

sadyotha navamah kalpa

isano dasamah smrtah

dhyana ekadasah proktas

tatha sarasvato 'parah

trayodasa udanas tu

garudo 'tha caturdasah

kaurmah pancadaso jneyah

paurnamasi prajapateh

sodaso narasimhas tu

samadhis tu tato 'parah

agneyo visnujah saurah

soma-kalpas tato 'parah

dvavimso bhavanah proktah

supuman iti caparah

vaikunthas carstisas tadvad

vali-kalpas tato 'parah

saptavimso 'tha vairajo

gauri-kalpas tathaparah

mahesvaras tatha proktas

tripuro yatra ghatitah

pitr-kalpas tatha cante

yah kuhur brahmanah smrta

Therefore the thirty kalpas of Brahma are: (1) Sveta-kalpa, (2) Nilalohita, (3) Vamadeva, (4) Gathantara, (5) Raurava, (6) Prana, (7) Brhat-kalpa, (8) Kandarpa, (9) Sadyotha, (10) Isana, (11) Dhyana, (12) Sarasvata, (13) Udana, (14) Garuda, (15) Kaurma, (16) Narasimha, (17) Samadhi, (18) Agneya, (19) Visnuja, (20) Saura, (21) Soma-kalpa, (22) Bhavana, (23) Supuma, (24) Vaikuntha, (25) Arcisa, (26) Vali-kalpa, (27) Vairaja, (28) Gauri-kalpa, (29) Mahesvara, (30) Paitr-kalpa.

These are Brahma's days only, and he has to live months and years up to one hundred, so we can just imagine how many creations there are in kalpas only. Then again there are vikalpas, which are generated by the breathing of Maha-Visnu, as stated in the Brahma-samhita (yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagadanda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]). The Brahmas live only during the breathing period of Maha-Visnu. So the exhaling and inhaling of Visnu are maha-kalpas, and all these are due to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for no one else is the master of all creations.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness