Mantra 1

Sukta 54

Sanskrit (Devanagari)

कालः। कालादापः समभवन् कालाद् ब्रह्म तपो दिशः । कालेनोदेति सूर्यः काले नि विशते पुनः

IAST Transliteration

kāláḥ | kālā́d ā́paḥ sám abhavan kālā́d bráhma tápo díśaḥ | kālé­nódeti sū́ryaḥ kālé ní viśate púnaḥ ||

English Translation (Griffith/Whitney)

Time: from Time the Waters came to be; from Time came Brahman, austere Heat, and the Quarters. By Time the Sun ariseth; in Time he entereth down again.

Translation

ਕਾਲ: ਕਾਲ ਤੋਂ ਹੀ ਆਪਃ (ਜਲ) ਉਤਪੰਨ ਹੋਏ; ਕਾਲ ਤੋਂ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ, ਤਪਸ੍ ਅਤੇ ਦਿਸ਼ਾਵਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਗਟ ਹੋਈਆਂ। ਕਾਲ ਨਾਲ ਸੂਰਜ ਉਗਦਾ ਹੈ; ਕਾਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਹੀ ਉਹ ਮੁੜ ਹੇਠਾਂ ਅਸਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

Word by Word

• कालः: Time (as the agent/subject)
• कालः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)

• कालात्: from Time
• कालात्: Apādāna
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)

• आपः: the waters
• आपः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्/आप् (प्रातिपदिक)

• सम्: together; completely (prefix)
• सम्: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम् (उपसर्ग)

• अभवन्: came into being; arose
• अभवन्: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)

• कालात्: from Time
• कालात्: Apādāna
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman; sacred power/holy utterance
• ब्रह्म: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)

• तपः: austerity; heat (tapas)
• तपः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)

• दिशः: the directions (quarters)
• दिशः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)

• कालेन: by/through Time
• कालेन: Karaṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)

• उदेति: rises; goes up
• उदेति: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + इ (धातु)

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Kartā
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)

• काले: in Time; at the (proper) time
• काले: Adhikaraṇa
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)

• नि: down; in (prefix)
• नि: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नि (उपसर्ग)

• विशते: enters; goes in
• विशते: —
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + शि/विश् (धातु)

• पुनः: again; back
• पुनः: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)

Attribution

Rishi: Late Atharvanic attribution; variable.

Devata: Kāla (with Sūrya/Āpas/Diś as subordinated manifestations).

Chandas: Anuṣṭubh.

Mantra Rasa

{"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"adbhuta","emotional_arc":"Naming origins → feeling oriented in space/time → quiet confidence.","listener_experience":"Groundedness, clarity, and trust in daily renewal.","intensity":3}