Shloka 88
Invocations, Definition and Authority of Purāṇa, Pulastya–Bhīṣma Frame, and the Creation–Dissolution Schema
तं गुह्यं परमं नित्यमजमक्षयमव्ययम् । तथा पुरुषरूपेण कालरूपेण संस्थितम्
taṃ guhyaṃ paramaṃ nityamajamakṣayamavyayam | tathā puruṣarūpeṇa kālarūpeṇa saṃsthitam
Dia yang rahsia, tertinggi, kekal, tidak lahir, tidak binasa, dan tidak berubah; demikian juga Dia bersemayam dalam rupa Puruṣa kosmik, dan dalam rupa Kāla, yakni Waktu.
Uncertain from single-verse context (likely within a narrator-led theological description in Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa)
Concept: The Supreme is secret, eternal, unborn, imperishable—yet also established as the Cosmic Person and as Time, bridging transcendence and governance of creation.
Application: Honor time: keep vrata timings, daily sādhana schedules, and ethical deadlines; see time not as an enemy but as a sacred teacher leading to detachment and devotion.
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Type: celestial_realm
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"The Supreme appears in a double revelation: on one side as the vast Puruṣa whose body contains galaxies, rivers, and continents; on the other as Kāla—an immense wheel with spokes of seasons and lunar days, turning silently behind all beings. The scene feels ‘guhya’—half-veiled by mist, inviting contemplation rather than full grasp.","primary_figures":["the Supreme (as Puruṣa)","Kāla (as cosmic wheel)","sages witnessing the revelation"],"setting":"Cosmic expanse with a visionary overlay—Puruṣa spanning the universe, Kāla-chakra rotating in the background.","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["cosmic black","star-silver","chakra-gold","deep sapphire","incense-smoke gray"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: monumental Viṣṇu-Puruṣa with gold-leaf halo, body filled with miniature worlds and rivers; behind him a large embossed Kāla-chakra with season and tithi motifs; rich crimson and emerald accents, gem-studded ornaments, ornate arch framing the revelation.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: ethereal Puruṣa spanning a night sky sprinkled with stars; a translucent golden time-wheel behind, marked with delicate floral symbols for seasons; sages in the foreground with folded hands; cool blues and silvers, fine brushwork, poetic mist.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: iconic Puruṣa figure with bold outlines, universe motifs within the torso; behind, a stylized golden wheel of time with clear segments; strong reds/yellows/greens, temple-wall symmetry, large expressive eyes on witnessing sages.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central cosmic lotus-disc containing the Puruṣa form; surrounding border becomes a Kāla-chakra with repeating seasonal flowers and lunar motifs; deep indigo cloth, gold and white detailing, intricate floral borders and lotus patterns emphasizing eternity."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell (opening)","deep temple bell","low drum pulse like a heartbeat","wind-like hush","tanpura drone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नित्यमजमक्षयमव्ययम् = नित्यम् + अजम् + अक्षयम् + अव्ययम् (म् + अ); संस्थितम् = सम् + स्थितम् (उपसर्ग); ‘तम् ... संस्थितम्’ इति विशेषण-समूहः।
FAQs
It presents the Supreme as both personal-cosmic presence (Puruṣa) and the governing principle of change and dissolution (Kāla), uniting transcendence with immanence.
It supports both: the divine is described with transcendent attributes (unborn, imperishable) while also taking intelligible forms—Puruṣa (personhood) and Kāla (time).
It encourages steadiness in practice: while worldly life moves under time, the seeker can orient to the unchanging reality that underlies and governs time itself.