Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 26
कालमान-निर्णयः
Determination of the Measures of Time
तस्मिन्साक्षाच्छिवेनैष कालात्मा सम्प्रवर्तते । यत्तत्सृष्टेस्समाख्यातं कालान्तरमिह द्विजाः । एतत्कालान्तरं ज्ञेयमहर्वै पारमेश्वरम् । रात्रिश्च तावती ज्ञेया परमेशस्य कृत्स्नशः । अहस्तस्य तु या सृष्टी रात्रिश्च प्रलयः स्मृतः
tasminsākṣācchivenaiṣa kālātmā sampravartate | yattatsṛṣṭessamākhyātaṃ kālāntaramiha dvijāḥ | etatkālāntaraṃ jñeyamaharvai pārameśvaram | rātriśca tāvatī jñeyā parameśasya kṛtsnaśaḥ | ahastasya tu yā sṛṣṭī rātriśca pralayaḥ smṛtaḥ
En ce Seigneur Suprême, ce principe même du Temps opère directement par Śiva. Ô sages deux fois nés, l’intervalle de temps dont il est ici question au sujet de la création doit être compris comme le “Jour” du Parameśvara. Et une durée égale doit être connue comme Sa “Nuit”, dans sa plénitude. Son Jour est dit être le déploiement de la création, et Sa Nuit est rappelée comme la dissolution (pralaya).
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Mahādeva
Role: creative
Cosmic Event: day-night of Parameśvara equated with sṛṣṭi and pralaya (cosmic cycles)
FAQs
It teaches that Kāla (Time) is not independent—Time functions under Śiva, the Supreme Lord (Pati). Seeing creation and dissolution as His day and night helps the seeker detach from fear of change and rest in Śiva as the unchanging ground beyond cosmic cycles.
The Liṅga represents Śiva as the eternal reality in which the universe appears and disappears. Worshiping Saguna Śiva through the Liṅga aligns the devotee with the Lord who governs Kāla, recognizing that all manifested forms arise during His ‘day’ and return during His ‘night.’
A practical takeaway is daily meditation on Śiva as Kāla-niyantā (controller of time), paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” contemplating sṛṣṭi and pralaya as passing waves while Śiva remains ever-present.