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Shloka 8

Īśvara-gītā: Brahman as All-Pervading—Kāla, Prakṛti–Puruṣa, Tattva-Evolution, and Mokṣa

प्रधानं पुरुषं चैव तत्त्वद्वयमुदाहृतम् / तयोरनादिरुद्दिष्टः कालः संयोजकः परः

pradhānaṃ puruṣaṃ caiva tattvadvayamudāhṛtam / tayoranādiruddiṣṭaḥ kālaḥ saṃyojakaḥ paraḥ

Pradhāna (die uranfängliche Natur) und Puruṣa (das bewusste Selbst) werden als die zwei Grundprinzipien verkündet. Von diesen beiden wird Kāla (die Zeit) als anfangslos und höchst gelehrt, als transzendenter Vermittler, der beide zur Verbindung bringt.

प्रधानम्Pradhāna / primordial matter
प्रधानम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; accusative singular neuter
पुरुषम्Puruṣa / spirit
पुरुषम्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; accusative singular masculine
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)
एवindeed/just
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)
तत्त्व-द्वयम्the pair of principles
तत्त्व-द्वयम्:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootतत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: तत्त्वानां द्वयम्)
उदाहृतम्is declared/said
उदाहृतम्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-आ-√हृ (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (भूतकर्मणि-प्रत्यय: क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle
तयोःof those two
तयोः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; genitive dual
अनादिःbeginningless
अनादिः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनादि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective used substantively
उद्दिष्टःis indicated/declared
उद्दिष्टः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootउद्-√दिश् (धातु)
Formकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; past passive participle
कालःTime
कालः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootकाल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; nominative singular masculine
संयोजकःthe joiner/connector
संयोजकः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसम्-√युज् (धातु) + ण्वुल् (प्रत्यय)
Formकृदन्त-नाम (कर्तृवाचक: संयोजक), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agent noun
परःsupreme/transcendent
परः:
Visheshana (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootपर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying कालः

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (as preserved in the Kurma Purana’s teaching dialogue)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

P
Pradhana
P
Purusha
K
Kala (Time)

FAQs

It distinguishes Puruṣa as the conscious principle from Pradhāna (material nature), and presents Kāla as a beginningless, superior principle that coordinates their interaction—implying that consciousness is distinct from matter, while cosmic governance operates through transcendent Time.

No specific technique is prescribed in this verse; it provides the metaphysical framework used by Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented teachings—discriminating Puruṣa from Pradhāna and contemplating Kāla as the regulating power behind worldly change, which supports viveka (discernment) and vairāgya (dispassion).

By teaching a shared metaphysical structure (Pradhāna–Puruṣa governed by Kāla), the Purana frames doctrine in a way usable by both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva paths—supporting the text’s synthesis where the supreme governance of the cosmos is presented in a non-sectarian, integrative manner.