Shloka 17

तुलसी-शङ्खचूडोपाख्यानम् — Viṣṇu’s Disguise and the Tulasī Episode

Prelude to Śaṅkhacūḍa’s Fall

Devanagari script

यस्यैकपलमात्रेण कोटिब्रह्मांडसंक्षयः । विष्णुब्रह्मादयोऽतीता बहवः क्षणमात्रतः

Transliteration

yasyaikapalamātreṇa koṭibrahmāṃḍasaṃkṣayaḥ | viṣṇubrahmādayo'tītā bahavaḥ kṣaṇamātrataḥ

Translation

By merely a single pala of His time, crores of cosmic eggs (universes) meet their dissolution. In but an instant, many Brahmās, Viṣṇus, and others have already passed away—surpassed by that immeasurable flow of time belonging to Him (Śiva), the supreme Lord.

Word by Word

• यस्य: of whom/whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• एक-पल-मात्रेण: by just one pala (a short measure of time)
• एक-पल-मात्रेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + पल (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (एकस्य पलस्य मात्रम्)

• कोटि-ब्रह्माण्ड-संक्षयः: destruction of crores of universes
• कोटि-ब्रह्माण्ड-संक्षयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (कोटीनां ब्रह्माण्डानां संक्षयः)

• विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदयः: Viṣṇu, Brahmā and others
• विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विष्णु-ब्रह्म-आदयः = ‘Viṣṇu, Brahmā and others’)

• अतीताः: have passed away/are transcended
• अतीताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अतीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णुब्रह्मादयः)

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• क्षण-मात्रतः: within a mere moment
• क्षण-मात्रतः: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्षण (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः/तद्धितान्त-अव्यय; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘in/within a mere moment’

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time: the jyotirliṅga tradition venerates Śiva as the one who overrules death/time; Purāṇic sthala narratives portray Him as granting protection and liberation by mastering kāla.

Significance: Darśana/abhisheka of Mahākāleśvara is sought for fearlessness before death, removal of kāla-doṣa, and deepened vairāgya through contemplation of cosmic dissolution.

Shakti Dimension

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: mahapralaya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vishnu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It establishes Śiva as Mahākāla—the supreme Lord who governs time itself—showing that even the highest cosmic offices (Brahmā and Viṣṇu) are transient within His timeless sovereignty, guiding the seeker toward surrender to Pati for liberation.

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

The Liṅga symbolizes the beginningless and endless reality of Śiva; worshipping the Saguna form through the Liṅga trains the mind to recognize the Nirguna truth hinted here—Śiva as the ground in which creation, maintenance, and dissolution occur.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Mahākāla while chanting the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), offering water and bhasma to the Liṅga, cultivating detachment from impermanent status and time-bound achievements.