Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 33
शिवदूतस्य शङ्खचूडकुलप्रवेशः — The Śiva-Envoy’s Entry into Śaṅkhacūḍa’s City
कालाधीनं जगत्सर्वं विज्ञेयं सचराचरम् । कालाद्भवति सर्वं हि विनश्यति च कालतः
kālādhīnaṃ jagatsarvaṃ vijñeyaṃ sacarācaram | kālādbhavati sarvaṃ hi vinaśyati ca kālataḥ
Know that this entire universe—moving and unmoving—is under the governance of Time (Kāla). From Time all things arise, and by Time they perish as well.
Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya, within the Rudra Saṃhitā narrative frame)
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time who subdues death and governs dissolution; the jyotirliṅga tradition associates Him with the supremacy of Kāla over all beings, yet Kāla itself is under Śiva.
Significance: Worship of Mahākāla is sought for fearlessness before death/time, removal of karmic afflictions, and steadiness in dharma.
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: Kāla as the universal principle of origination and dissolution (cosmic temporality underlying yugas/kalpas).
FAQs
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.
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.
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.