Shloka 20

Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body

Devanagari script

तस्माद्धि योगिना नित्यं स्वस्वकालेंऽशजा गुणाः । चिंतनीयाः प्रयत्नेन देवि कालजिगीषुणा

Transliteration

tasmāddhi yoginā nityaṃ svasvakāleṃ'śajā guṇāḥ | ciṃtanīyāḥ prayatnena devi kālajigīṣuṇā

Translation

Darum, o Devī, soll der Yogi, der die Zeit bezwingen will, täglich und mit ernsthaftem Bemühen die Eigenschaften betrachten, die aus den jeweiligen Anteilen der Zeit (und den Jahreszeiten) hervorgehen, und ihren Einfluss erkennen.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: हेतु (Hetu)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इत्यव्ययप्रयोग (ablatival sense: 'therefore/from that')

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/कारणार्थक

• योगिना: by the yogin
• योगिना: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-एकवचन-द्वितीया (adverbial accusative)

• स्वस्वकाले: in one’s own proper time
• स्वस्वकाले: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-स्व-काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: स्वः स्वः कालः (कर्मधारय/पुनरुक्त-समास); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अंशजाः: born of a portion; partial
• अंशजाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अंश-ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: अंशात् जायते इति (पञ्चमी/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भाव); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• गुणाः: qualities; guṇas
• गुणाः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• चिन्तनीयाः: to be contemplated; should be reflected upon
• चिन्तनीयाः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (अनीयर् = gerundive/ought-to), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative)

• प्रयत्नेन: with effort
• प्रयत्नेन: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रयत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवि: O देवी
• देवि: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• कालजिगीषुणा: by one wishing to conquer time
• कालजिगीषुणा: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल-जिगीषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: कालं जिगीषति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kāla-vibhāga (time portions/seasonal divisions) as a cosmological regulator of guṇas

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that a yogin gains mastery over Kāla (Time) by steady daily discernment—observing how changing periods condition the mind through shifting qualities—thus loosening bondage (pāśa) and moving toward Shiva’s liberating grace.

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

By recognizing time-driven mental changes, the devotee stabilizes attention and can sustain focused Saguna worship (such as Linga-pūjā) without being swept away by mood and circumstance, gradually ripening toward deeper realization of Shiva as the Lord beyond Time.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily self-observation (svādhyāya) and meditation: note how time/season affects desire, restlessness, clarity, and devotion, then re-center with Shiva-japa (e.g., the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to remain steady.