Shloka 9

Devanagari script

कालः सूक्ष्मगतिर्नित्यं द्विविधश्चेह भाव्यते / स्थूलसंग्रहचारेण सूक्ष्मचारान्तरेण च

Transliteration

kālaḥ sūkṣmagatirnityaṃ dvividhaśceha bhāvyate / sthūlasaṃgrahacāreṇa sūkṣmacārāntareṇa ca

Translation

Die Zeit, deren Bewegung subtil und unaufhörlich ist, wird hier als zweifach verstanden: die eine schreitet auf grober Bahn fort, indem sie Ereignisse sammelt und ordnet; die andere bewegt sich in einer inneren, feinen Wirkweise.

Word by Word

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सूक्ष्मगतिः: subtle in movement
• सूक्ष्मगतिः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सूक्ष्मा गति: subtle movement)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (Adverb; accusative used adverbially)

• द्विविधः: twofold
• द्विविधः: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (Predicate adjective/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (twofold)

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

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (Adverb: here/in this world)

• भाव्यते: is regarded/is conceived
• भाव्यते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive: is considered/comes to be)

• स्थूलसंग्रहचारेण: by gross aggregative operation
• स्थूलसंग्रहचारेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थूल (प्रातिपदिक) + संग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + चार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (by the mode of gross collection/operation)

• सूक्ष्मचारान्तरेण: by another subtle mode of movement
• सूक्ष्मचारान्तरेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक) + चार (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (by another subtle course/mode)

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

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Kāla is nitya and sūkṣma-gati; it is apprehended in two ways—through gross sequential aggregation and through subtle inner operation.

Vedantic Theme: Distinction between vyāvahārika (empirical, measurable sequence) and sūkṣma/antar (inner transformation); encourages viveka regarding what is perceived vs what governs perception.

Application: Observe time both externally (schedules, aging, events) and internally (attention, mental change, samskāra shifts); use this to reduce reactivity and strengthen mindfulness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana: cosmological/time discussions adjacent to this passage on kāla and nīti

FAQs

What is the importance of Kāla (Time) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames time as an unceasing, subtle force with two modes—outer (gross, observable sequencing and aggregation of events) and inner (subtle, inward operation)—supporting Garuda Purana’s broader teaching that lived experience unfolds through both visible causation and unseen ordering.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By distinguishing gross and subtle operations of time, the verse implies that the jīva’s journey is shaped not only by outward events (rituals, actions, life circumstances) but also by subtle timing—inner maturation of karma and destiny that ripens beyond immediate perception.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Act with steadiness in dharma: do the visible duties (ethical conduct, rites, discipline) while accepting that results also mature through subtle timing—encouraging patience, accountability for karma, and reduced anxiety over immediate outcomes.