Shloka 6

कालनिर्णयः (युग-मन्वन्तर-कल्पप्रमाणम्) — Measures of Time and Cosmic Cycles

Devanagari script

कालस्वरूपं विष्णोश् च यन् मयोक्तं तवानघ तेन तस्य निबोध त्वं परिमाणोपपादनम्

Transliteration

kālasvarūpaṃ viṣṇoś ca yan mayoktaṃ tavānagha tena tasya nibodha tvaṃ parimāṇopapādanam

Translation

O sinless one, by the very teaching I have given you on Time as it pertains to Lord Viṣṇu, now understand how its measures and determinations are to be established.

Word by Word

• kāla-svarūpam: the nature/form of time
• kāla-svarūpam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + svarūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (kālasya svarūpam)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• yat: which
• yat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• uktam: said/declared
• uktam: Predicate qualifier (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘said’

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• anagha: O sinless one
• anagha: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anagha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• tena: therefore/with that
• tena: Karana/Hetu (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; निर्देशार्थ (therefore/with that)

• tasya: of that (time)
• tasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• nibodha: understand/learn
• nibodha: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: budh (धातु) + ni- (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• parimāṇa-upapādanam: the establishment/exposition of the measure
• parimāṇa-upapādanam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parimāṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + upapādana (प्रातिपदिक; उप-√pad/√pād + ल्युट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (parimāṇasya upapādanam)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Kāla (Time) as Viṣṇu’s form and the establishment of its measures (parimāṇa)

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time is taught as a form/attribute of Viṣṇu, and its quantitative measures are to be understood as part of cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate disciplined time-awareness (daily duties, worship times) as participation in divine order rather than mere chronology.

Vishishtadvaita: Viṣṇu is the transcendent ground who also orders immanent temporality through determinate measures.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Kāla (Time)
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāla (Time) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames Time as something to be understood through its relationship to Viṣṇu, preparing the reader for the Purāṇa’s structured measurements of cosmic cycles.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the measurement of Time to Maitreya?

He signals a method: having defined Time’s nature in connection with Viṣṇu, he proceeds to establish its quantifiable measures (parimāṇa) used for yugas, manvantaras, and larger cycles.

What is the theological importance of Lord Viṣṇu in this context?

Viṣṇu is presented as the supreme ground through which Time is intelligible and ordered—supporting a Vaishnava view where cosmic law and chronology depend upon the Lord’s sovereignty.