Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

कालतत्त्वनिर्णयः / Doctrine of Kāla (Time) and Its Subordination to Śiva

Devanagari script

यतो ऽप्रतिहतं शार्वं तेजः काले प्रतिष्ठितम् । महती तेन कालस्य मर्यादा हि दुरत्यया

Transliteration

yato 'pratihataṃ śārvaṃ tejaḥ kāle pratiṣṭhitam | mahatī tena kālasya maryādā hi duratyayā

Translation

कारण अप्रतिहत शार्व (शिवमय) तेज काळातच प्रतिष्ठित आहे; म्हणून काळाची मर्यादा फार महान असून ती दुरत्यय आहे.

Word by Word

• yataḥ: because/from which
• yataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatas (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), सम्बन्धबोधक-निपातः/सम्बन्धाव्ययम्; अर्थे ‘यस्मात्/यतः’ (from which/because)

• apratihatam: unobstructed
• apratihatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-prati-hata (कृदन्त; √han धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त, past passive participle) ‘अप्रतिहत’ = not obstructed

• śārvaṃ: of Śiva (Śarva)
• śārvaṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śārva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘शर्व-सम्बन्धि’ (of Śarva/Śiva)

• tejaḥ: splendour/energy
• tejaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• kāle: in time / in Kāla
• kāle: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative)

• pratiṣṭhitam: established
• pratiṣṭhitam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prati-√sthā (स्था) (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘स्थित/प्रतिष्ठित’ = established

• mahatī: great
• mahatī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tena: by that/thereby
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental)

• kālasya: of time / of Kāla
• kālasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (genitive)

• maryādā: limit/boundary/ordinance
• maryādā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maryādā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपातः (emphatic/indeed)

• duratyayā: hard to transgress
• duratyayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur-ati-√i (इ) / duratyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘दुरत्यया’ = difficult to pass over

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla’s supremacy is expressed as Śaiva tejas pervading and grounding kāla; thus time’s ‘maryādā’ (law/boundary) is unbreakable because it is empowered by Śiva.

Significance: Reinforces the doctrine that time’s order is ultimately Śiva’s ordinance; pilgrims seek alignment with dharma and relief from disorder/inauspicious timing through Mahākāla worship.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

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

It teaches that Time (Kāla) is not independent; it operates by the established power of Śiva (Śārva tejas). Hence worldly change, destiny, and cosmic order are ultimately under Śiva’s sovereignty, and liberation requires alignment with Him rather than mere struggle against time-bound conditions.

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

The Liṅga symbolizes Śiva as the unconditioned Reality who nevertheless supports and governs conditioned existence like Time. Worship of Saguna Śiva through the Liṅga trains the mind to recognize that even Kāla is held within Śiva’s power, cultivating surrender (śaraṇāgati) and steadiness amid change.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Kāla as functioning within Śiva’s radiance while japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) is performed; this supports detachment from time-driven anxiety and strengthens devotion to Śiva as Pati, the Lord who alone enables crossing beyond limitation.