Shloka 41
नारदस्य विष्णूपदेशवर्णनम् — Nārada and Viṣṇu: Instruction after Delusion
इत्थं स्वचरितं लोके प्रकटीकृतवान् स्वयम् । मृत्युंजयः कालकालो भक्तोद्धारपरायणः
itthaṃ svacaritaṃ loke prakaṭīkṛtavān svayam | mṛtyuṃjayaḥ kālakālo bhaktoddhāraparāyaṇaḥ
Thus, the Lord Himself made His own divine deeds manifest in the world—He who is Mṛtyuñjaya, the conqueror of death; the very death of Time; and the One wholly devoted to rescuing His devotees.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Kālāntaka
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: Śiva is praised as Kālakāla/Mṛtyuñjaya—Time’s transcender. This epithet resonates with the Mahākāla-kṣetra idea where Śiva stands as the Lord of Time, granting fearlessness from death to devotees.
Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for protection from untimely death, relief from fear of Yama/Time, and assurance of Śiva’s saving grace (anugraha) toward bhaktas.
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Role: liberating
FAQs
It declares Shiva as self-revealing (He manifests His līlā by His own will) and as Mṛtyuñjaya—showing that devotion to Pati (Shiva) uplifts the bound soul (paśu) beyond fear of death and toward liberation.
By praising Shiva’s manifest deeds and compassionate protection, it supports Saguna worship—approaching Shiva through His revealed forms and actions (including Linga worship) as the accessible means by which devotees receive grace and deliverance.
Meditate on Shiva as Mṛtyuñjaya (e.g., japa of the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra and/or pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with bhakti, seeking upliftment and fearlessness through His grace.