Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33

शिवदूतस्य शङ्खचूडकुलप्रवेशः — The Śiva-Envoy’s Entry into Śaṅkhacūḍa’s City

Devanagari script

कालाधीनं जगत्सर्वं विज्ञेयं सचराचरम् । कालाद्भवति सर्वं हि विनश्यति च कालतः

Transliteration

kālādhīnaṃ jagatsarvaṃ vijñeyaṃ sacarācaram | kālādbhavati sarvaṃ hi vinaśyati ca kālataḥ

Translation

اعلمْ أن هذا الكونَ كلَّه—متحرّكَه وساكنَه—خاضعٌ لسلطانِ الزمان (كالا). فمن الزمان تنشأ الأشياءُ كلُّها، وبالزمان أيضًا تفنى.

Word by Word

• काल-अधीनम्: dependent on time
• काल-अधीनम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अधीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘कालस्य अधीनम्’

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन

• विज्ञेयम्: to be understood/known
• विज्ञेयम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु) → ज्ञेय (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-भावः (gerundive/भाव्य) ‘to be known’

• स-चर-अचरम्: with the moving and the unmoving
• स-चर-अचरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + चर (प्रातिपदिक) + अचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (itaretara-dvandva) ‘चर + अचर’ with सहार्थक ‘स’

• कालात्: from time
• कालात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/अपादान), एकवचन

• भवति: arises/comes to be
• भवति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ ‘indeed/for’

• विनश्यति: perishes
• विनश्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + नश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कालतः: from time/due to time
• कालतः: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case/अपादान), एकवचन; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverbial sense)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Rudra Saṃhitā narrative frame)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches vairāgya (dispassion) by showing that all conditioned existence is time-bound—arising and dissolving under Kāla—thereby directing the seeker toward Shiva (Pati), who grants liberation beyond worldly change.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga-worship anchors the mind in the timeless Lord: while the world is governed by Kāla, devotion to Saguna Shiva through the Linga leads the devotee toward realizing Shiva’s transcendence over time and dissolution.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on impermanence while japa-ing the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”); offer water and bilva to the Shiva-linga with the resolve to detach from the time-bound and seek Shiva’s grace for moksha.