Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

वायुरुवाच । कालकाष्ठानिमेषादिकलाकलितविग्रहम् । कालात्मेति समाख्यातं तेजो माहेश्वरं परम्

Transliteration

vāyuruvāca | kālakāṣṭhānimeṣādikalākalitavigraham | kālātmeti samākhyātaṃ tejo māheśvaraṃ param

Translation

வாயு கூறினார்—காலம், காஷ்டா, நிமேஷம் முதலிய கால அளவுகளால் உருவான வெளிப்படையான வடிவமுடைய அந்தப் பரம மாஹேஸ்வர ஒளியே ‘காலாத்மன்’ எனப் புகழப்படுகிறது—காலத்தின் ஆத்மசொரூபம்.

Word by Word

• vāyuḥ: Vāyu
• vāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular; parasmaipada

• kāla-kāṣṭhā-nimeṣa-ādi-kalā-kalita-vigraham: whose form is constituted by time-units like kāla, kāṣṭhā, nimeṣa, etc.
• kāla-kāṣṭhā-nimeṣa-ādi-kalā-kalita-vigraham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + kāṣṭhā (प्रातिपदिक) + nimeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + kalā (प्रातिपदिक) + kalita (कृदन्त, क्त from √kal/कल् ‘to count/compute’) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘having a form constituted/measured by (kalita) the kalās such as time, kāṣṭhā, nimeṣa etc.’

• kāla-ātmā: Time-souled; having time as its essence
• kāla-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष ‘whose essence is time / time as self’

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थ-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotative particle (इति)

• samākhyātam: is called; is designated
• samākhyātam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-√khyā (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle; Napumsaka, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; predicative ‘is called/declared’

• tejaḥ: splendor; energy
• tejaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• māheśvaram: belonging to Maheśvara; Maheśvara’s
• māheśvaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māheśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective of tejaḥ

• param: supreme
• param: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective of tejaḥ

Speaker

Vayu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies Śiva (Mahā-īśvara) as the supreme Radiance that underlies and governs time itself—teaching that all temporal change is encompassed by the Lord, while His essence remains transcendent.

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

The Liṅga is revered as the sign of the timeless Reality; this verse supports Saguna contemplation by presenting a knowable aspect of Śiva—Kālātman—through which devotees meditate on His lordship over all moments and measures of time.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Kālātman while repeating the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), observing the flow of breaths and the passing of moments (nimeṣa) as offerings into His all-pervading Light.