Shloka 13
Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body
सनत्कुमार उवाच । एतच्छ्रुत्वा त्रिभुवनगुरोः प्राह गौरी विहस्य सत्यं त्वं मे वद कथमसौ हन्यते येन कालः । शम्भुस्तामाह सद्यो हि मकरवदने योगिनो ये क्षिपंति कालव्यालं सकलमनघास्तच्छृणुष्वैकचित्ता
sanatkumāra uvāca | etacchrutvā tribhuvanaguroḥ prāha gaurī vihasya satyaṃ tvaṃ me vada kathamasau hanyate yena kālaḥ | śambhustāmāha sadyo hi makaravadane yogino ye kṣipaṃti kālavyālaṃ sakalamanaghāstacchṛṇuṣvaikacittā
ਸਨਤਕੁਮਾਰ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—ਤ੍ਰਿਭੁਵਨ-ਗੁਰੂ ਦੇ ਬਚਨ ਸੁਣ ਕੇ ਗੌਰੀ ਹੱਸ ਕੇ ਬੋਲੀ, “ਸੱਚ ਦੱਸੋ—ਕਿਹੜੇ ਉਪਾਅ ਨਾਲ ਕਾਲ ਮਾਰਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ?” ਤਦ ਸ਼ੰਭੂ ਨੇ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਕਿਹਾ, “ਹੇ ਨਿਰਪਾਪੇ, ਇਕਾਗ੍ਰ ਚਿੱਤ ਹੋ ਕੇ ਸੁਣ; ਯੋਗੀ ਸਾਰੇ ਕਾਲ-ਰੂਪੀ ਸੱਪ ਨੂੰ ਛੇਤੀ ‘ਮਕਰ-ਮੁਖ’ (ਸਰਵਭੱਖੀ) ਅਵਸਥਾ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੁੱਟ ਦੇਂਦੇ ਹਨ।”
Sanatkumara
Tattva Level: pati
Shiva Form: Umāpati
Shakti Form: Gaurī
Role: teaching
Cosmic Event: Kāla is imaged as a ‘serpent’ (vyāla) to be cast into a ‘makara-faced’ devouring condition—symbolic of absorption/overmastery of temporal flow.
FAQs
It frames liberation as the conquest of Kāla (death/time) through yogic realization under Śiva’s guidance—pointing to transcending bondage (pāśa) by turning the mind one-pointed toward the Supreme Lord (Pati).
Śiva is addressed as the Guru of the three worlds, implying that devotion to Saguna Śiva (including Liṅga-upāsanā) matures into inner yogic steadiness; that steadiness is presented as the means by which Kāla is overcome.
The explicit instruction is ekacittatā—one-pointed concentration—characteristic of Shaiva yoga and japa/dhyāna on Śiva (commonly supported by practices like Panchakshara japa and disciplined meditation).