Shloka 57

अर्जुनस्य अन्त्येष्टि, द्वारकाप्लावनम्, कलिप्रवेशः, कालोपदेशः

Devanagari script

सृष्टाः कालेन कालेन पुनर् यास्यन्ति संक्षयम् कालात्मकम् इदं सर्वं ज्ञात्वा शमम् अवाप्नुहि

Transliteration

sṛṣṭāḥ kālena kālena punar yāsyanti saṃkṣayam kālātmakam idaṃ sarvaṃ jñātvā śamam avāpnuhi

Translation

All beings that arise, time after time, return again to dissolution. Knowing that this whole universe is of the nature of Time itself, attain tranquility and abide in inner peace.

Word by Word

• सृष्टाः: created
• सृष्टाः: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying the previously listed entities)

• कालेन: by time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• कालेन: again and again (by time)
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-बोधक-अव्यय (adverb)

• यास्यन्ति: will go/attain
• यास्यन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• संक्षयम्: destruction, dissolution
• संक्षयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• कालात्मकम्: of the nature of time
• कालात्मकम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कालस्य आत्मा/स्वरूपम् इति); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of 'idam sarvam')

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र द्वितीया (as object of implied 'jñātvā')

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (Adjectival modifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of 'idam')

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund)

• शमम्: peace, tranquility
• शमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अवाप्नुहि: attain
• अवाप्नुहि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + आप् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Kalpa

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Because all created beings arise in time and return to dissolution, recognizing the universe as time-governed leads to inner calm (śama).

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Meditate on cyclic change to lessen anxiety; cultivate śama through disciplined attention and surrender of outcomes.

Vishishtadvaita: Peace is attained not by denying reality, but by knowing its dependence on the Lord’s time-power and resting in His order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Time (Kāla)

FAQs

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

Kāla is presented as the governing force that repeatedly carries created beings from manifestation to dissolution, highlighting the cyclical order of the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the right response to impermanence?

He advises Maitreya to recognize that everything is time-conditioned and, through that understanding, to cultivate śama—steadiness and inner peace rather than attachment.

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

Even when the verse foregrounds Time, the Vishnu Purana’s broader framework treats cosmic order and cycles as operating under the supreme reality—Vishnu—who is the sustaining ground beyond change.