Shloka 95

Devanagari script

सारः सारप्रियः सौरः कालहन्तृनिकृन्तनः(५८०) / अगस्त्यो देवलश्चैव नारदो नारदप्रियः

Transliteration

sāraḥ sārapriyaḥ sauraḥ kālahantṛnikṛntanaḥ(580) / agastyo devalaścaiva nārado nāradapriyaḥ

Translation

Baginda ialah Hakikat itu sendiri dan pencinta akan yang hakiki; Baginda bersinar laksana Surya; Baginda membunuh dan memancung si pembunuh bernama Kāla (Waktu). Baginda juga dipuji sebagai Agastya dan Devala, sebagai Nārada dan yang dikasihi Nārada.

Word by Word

• सारः: essence
• सारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सारप्रियः: lover of essence; fond of what is essential
• सारप्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सारं प्रियं यस्य / सारस्य प्रियः)

• सौरः: solar; related to the Sun
• सौरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कालहन्तृनिकृन्तनः: destroyer/cutter-down of Time
• कालहन्तृनिकृन्तनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + हन्तृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √हन्) + निकृन्तन (प्रातिपदिक; √कृत्/√कृन्त् 'to cut' से)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य हन्ता; निकृन्तनः = छेदक/विध्वंसक)

• अगस्त्यः: Agastya
• अगस्त्यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अगस्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवलः: Devala
• देवलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis)

• नारदः: Nārada
• नारदः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नारदप्रियः: dear to Nārada; lover of Nārada
• नारदप्रियः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारद (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (नारदस्य प्रियः / नारदं प्रियं यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (as the subject of the hymn; traditionally recited in the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue context in Garuda Purana)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Supreme is the ‘sāra’ (essential reality) beyond time; sages and their wisdom are manifestations of that one reality.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman/Īśvara as kāla-atīta (beyond time) and as the ground of all names and forms; unity of seer and seen in the highest sense.

Application: Practice viveka (essence-discrimination): prioritize what is lasting (dharma, knowledge, devotion) over time-bound anxieties; keep satsanga with saintly teachings (Nārada/ṛṣi ideal).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.15 (progression from heroic epithets to metaphysical identifications)

Characters & Entities

• Agastya
• Devala
• Narada
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

What is the importance of calling Vishnu 'Kālahantṛ' in the Garuda Purana?

It affirms Vishnu as the one who transcends and overcomes Kāla (Time)—the force behind decay and death—granting refuge beyond mortality to the devotee.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

By presenting Vishnu as the destroyer of Time, the verse points to liberation as moving beyond time-bound existence through remembrance and surrender to the Supreme.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Prioritize the 'essence' (sāra)—truth, dharma, and devotion—over distractions, and cultivate steady remembrance of Vishnu to reduce fear of change, loss, and death.