Devi Bhagavatam — Skandha 9 - Devotion & Grace of the Goddess, Shloka 54

Preparation for War with Shankhachuda

Devanagari script

काले भवन्ति वृक्षाश्च स्कन्धवन्तश्च कालतः । क्रमेण पुष्पवन्तश्च फलवन्तश्च कालतः

Transliteration

kāle bhavanti vṛkṣāśca skandhavantaśca kālataḥ | krameṇa puṣpavantaśca phalavantaśca kālataḥ

Translation

« Les arbres poussent en temps voulu, ils développent des troncs en temps voulu. Graduellement, ils portent des fleurs et donnent des fruits en leur temps propre. »

Word by Word

• kāle: in time
• kāle: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla
• Form: Masculine Locative Singular

• bhavanti: exist
• bhavanti: Kriya
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū
• Form: Lat 3rd Person Plural

• vṛkṣāḥ: trees
• vṛkṣāḥ: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa
• Form: Masculine Nominative Plural

• skandhavantaḥ: having trunks
• skandhavantaḥ: Kartā-visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: skandhavat
• Form: Masculine Nominative Plural

• kālataḥ: from time
• kālataḥ: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla
• Form: Masculine Ablative Singular (tasil)

• krameṇa: in sequence
• krameṇa: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: krama
• Form: Masculine Instrumental Singular

• puṣpavantaḥ: having flowers
• puṣpavantaḥ: Kartā-visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṣpavat
• Form: Masculine Nominative Plural

• phalavantaḥ: having fruits
• phalavantaḥ: Kartā-visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: phalavat
• Form: Masculine Nominative Plural

Speaker

Shankhachuda

Shakti Theology

Devi Form: null

Mahavidya Connection: null

Shakti Manifestation: null

Tattva Discussed: null

Devi Narrative

Demon Antagonist: null

Devi Weapon Used: null

Narrative Source: null

Story Arc Position: setup

Tantra Dimension

Mantra Referenced: null

Yantra Referenced: null

Kundalini Element: null

Chakra Referenced: null

Tantric Practice Type: null

Bhakti & Stuti

Stuti Type: null

Recitation Occasion: null

Phala Shruti: null

Devotee Offering Stuti: null

Cosmic Feminine

Maya Aspect: null

Creation Role: null

Shakti Philosophy: null

Relation To Brahman: null

Vyasa-Janamejaya Dialogue

Narrator: Vyasa

Listener: Janamejaya

Dialogue Context: Shankhachuda explaining the nature of time through metaphors

Narrative Layer: embedded

Philosophical Significance

Text: Illustrates Kala as the natural, inescapable rhythm of the universe (Rta), governing biological and cosmic processes alike.

Characters & Entities

• Kala (Time)

FAQs

What analogy does Shankhachuda use to explain Time?

He uses the analogy of a tree, explaining that it grows, develops a trunk, flowers, and bears fruit only when the right time arrives.