Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 36

पाशुपतज्ञानप्रश्नः — Inquiry into Pāśupata Knowledge

Paśu–Pāśa–Paśupati

Devanagari script

कालः पालयते विश्वं कालकालस्य शासनात् । त्रिभिरंशैर्जगद्बिभ्रत्तेजोभिर्वृष्टिमादिशन्

Transliteration

kālaḥ pālayate viśvaṃ kālakālasya śāsanāt | tribhiraṃśairjagadbibhrattejobhirvṛṣṭimādiśan

Translation

കാലത്തിന്റെയും അധിപനായ മഹേശ്വരന്റെ ആജ്ഞയാൽ കാലം വിശ്വത്തെ പാലിക്കുന്നു; തേജോമയമായ ത്രിഭാഗങ്ങളാൽ ലോകങ്ങളെ ധരിച്ചു മഴയെ വിധിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पालयते: protects/maintains
• पालयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पाल्/पालय् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कालकालस्य: of the Time of Time (supreme Time)
• कालकालस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कालस्य कालः)

• शासनात्: from/according to the command
• शासनात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शासन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन

• त्रिभिः: with three
• त्रिभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• अंशैः: by parts/portions
• अंशैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• बिभ्रत्: bearing/supporting
• बिभ्रत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भृ (धातु)
• Form: भृ धातोः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग

• तेजोभिः: with energies/splendors
• तेजोभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

• वृष्टिम्: rain
• वृष्टिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आदिशन्: commanding/ordaining
• आदिशन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-दिś् (धातु)
• Form: आदिś् धातोः शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as ‘kālakāla’ (controller of time/death) resonates with Ujjayinī’s Mahākāleśvara: Śiva manifests as the supreme Time who protects devotees and subdues death; the jyotirliṅga is famed as svayaṃbhū and as the lord of the city’s cosmic order.

Significance: Darśana/abhiṣeka is traditionally sought for protection from untimely death, fear of time, and for steadiness in dharma; contemplation of ‘kālakālasya śāsanāt’ frames Mahākāla as the transcendent governor of all temporal forces.

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Cosmic governance of rains (vṛṣṭi) as part of world-order; time as sustaining regulator under Mahākāla

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that Time is not ultimate; it functions under Mahākāla (Śiva). Real liberation in Shaiva thought comes from taking refuge in Pati (Śiva), who transcends and governs time-bound existence.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The Liṅga signifies Śiva as the timeless ground and ruler of cosmic law. Worship of Saguna Śiva as Mahākāla trains the mind to see all change as governed by His will, leading toward awareness of His transcendent (nirguṇa) reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Mahākāla while repeating the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and offer water (abhisheka) with the intent of aligning oneself with His cosmic order and inner purification.