Shloka 20

Śālagrāma–Sudarśana-Vyūha Nirūpaṇa, Tīrtha-Saṅgraha, Samvatsara-Nāma, and Mantra-Rakṣā

Devanagari script

कलालिङ्गा च या तिष्ठेत्पञ्चमस्तस्य वै मृतिः / कला तिथिस्तथा वारो नक्षत्रं मासमेव च

Transliteration

kalāliṅgā ca yā tiṣṭhetpañcamastasya vai mṛtiḥ / kalā tithistathā vāro nakṣatraṃ māsameva ca

Translation

Si prevalece la combinación infausta llamada Kalāliṅgā, la muerte llega en verdad en la quinta (etapa) para esa persona. Por ello deben considerarse también la kalā, la tithi (día lunar), el vāra (día de la semana), el nakṣatra (constelación) y el māsa (mes).

Word by Word

• कलालिङ्गा: marked by/characterized by kalā
• कलालिङ्गा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक) + लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (कला-लिङ्गा: 'having kalā as sign/mark'); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• या: which (she/that)
• या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• तिष्ठेत्: should remain/stand
• तिष्ठेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपदम्

• पञ्चमः: the fifth
• पञ्चमः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• मृतिः: death
• मृतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• कला: kalā (digit/part)
• कला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तिथिः: lunar day (tithi)
• तिथिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: and likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• वारः: weekday
• वारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• नक्षत्रम्: lunar mansion (nakṣatra)
• नक्षत्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• मासम्: month
• मासम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (particle: 'only/indeed')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue with Garuḍa/Vinatā-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time-combinations (yogas) act as instruments through which karma ripens; careful assessment of temporal factors is urged.

Vedantic Theme: Karma-phala unfolding through kāla and nimitta; prudence within dharma while accepting īśvara’s governance.

Application: When an inauspicious yoga is indicated, intensify protective observances (mantra, charity, restraint) and verify calendrical factors (tithi/vara/nakshatra/māsa) before major undertakings.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.66.18–19 (time divisions); Garuda Purana 1.66.21–22 (mantra/bīja as protective measures)

FAQs

What is the importance of Kalāliṅgā in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats Kalāliṅgā as an inauspicious time-combination whose occurrence is said to indicate death on the “fifth” (a fifth day/period) for the concerned person.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it focuses on fore-signs and calendrical/astral factors around death rather than describing the post-death journey; it frames death as occurring within discernible cosmic timings (tithi, vāra, nakṣatra, māsa).

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages careful attention to traditional time-reckoning (pañcāṅga: tithi–vāra–nakṣatra–māsa, etc.) when assessing omens and planning rites, while emphasizing preparedness and dhārmic living rather than fear.