Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1
ऋषय ऊचुः । केन मानेन कालेस्मिन्नायुस्संख्या प्रकल्प्यते । संख्यारूपस्य कालस्य कः पुनः परमो ऽवधिः
ṛṣaya ūcuḥ | kena mānena kālesminnāyussaṃkhyā prakalpyate | saṃkhyārūpasya kālasya kaḥ punaḥ paramo 'vadhiḥ
Les sages dirent : « Selon quelle mesure, en ce domaine du Temps, détermine-t-on la durée de la vie ? Et pour le Temps — dont la nature s’exprime par le nombre et le calcul — quelle est donc sa limite suprême ? »
Sages of Naimisharanya (ṛṣis) addressing Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pashu
FAQs
It frames a core Shaiva inquiry: Time governs embodied life through measurable cycles, yet the sages seek the ultimate boundary of Time—hinting toward Shiva (Pati) as the transcendent reality beyond temporal limitation.
By questioning the ‘limit of Time,’ the verse points to the need for an anchor beyond change; in practice, the Shiva-Linga is revered as the stable symbol of Shiva’s ever-present reality, supporting devotion to Saguna Shiva while directing the mind to the timeless Nirguna truth.
A practical takeaway is Kāla-vicāra (contemplation on impermanence) combined with steady japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to turn attention from time-bound lifespan toward Shiva, the liberator beyond Time.