Mantra 5

Sukta 53

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

कालोऽमूं दिवमजनयत् काल इमाः पृथिवीरुत। काले ह भूतं भव्यं चेषितं ह वि तिष्ठते

IAST Transliteration

kāló ’mū́ṃ dívaṃ ajanayat kālá imā́ḥ pṛthivī́r utá | kālé há bhūtáṃ bhávyam ceṣitáṃ há ví tíṣṭhate ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Time generated yonder heaven; Time also these broad earths. In Time, indeed, what hath been and what shall be, and what is set in motion—therein it standeth forth, distributed and established.

Translation

Le Temps engendra ce ciel là-bas; le Temps aussi ces vastes terres. Dans le Temps, en vérité, se tiennent le passé et l’avenir, et ce qui est mis en mouvement—là cela se manifeste, réparti et solidement établi.

Word by Word

कालःTime

अमूम्that (yonder)

दिवम्heaven, sky

अजनयत्generated, produced

कालःTime

इमाःthese

पृथिवीःearths; the earth(s)

उतand, also

कालेin Time

हindeed

भूतम्the past; what has been

भव्यम्the future; what will be

चand

ईषितम्the ordained/impelled (order, decree)

हindeed

विapart, distinctly (prefix)

तिष्ठतेstands; is established

Attribution

Rishi: Atharvanic seer-tradition (Kāla-sūkta)

Devata: Kāla

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh-like (with Atharvanic expansions)

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_arc":"From awe at Time’s generativity to calm acceptance of its ordering power.","listener_experience":"A sense of being ‘held’ by a larger rhythm; mental spaciousness and reduced urgency.","intensity":4}