Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 1
कालतत्त्वनिर्णयः / Doctrine of Kāla (Time) and Its Subordination to Śiva
मुनय ऊचुः । कालादुत्पद्यते सर्वं कालदेव विपद्यते । न कालनिरपेक्षं हि क्वचित्किंचन विद्यते
munaya ūcuḥ | kālādutpadyate sarvaṃ kāladeva vipadyate | na kālanirapekṣaṃ hi kvacitkiṃcana vidyate
เหล่ามุนีกล่าวว่า “สรรพสิ่งทั้งปวงบังเกิดจากกาล (กาละ) และดับไปด้วยกาลเท่านั้น แท้จริงแล้วไม่มีสิ่งใด ณ ที่ใด ที่เป็นอิสระจากกาลได้”
The sages (Munis) at Naimisharanya
Tattva Level: pasha
Shiva Form: Mahākāla
Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara
Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time: the jyotirliṅga is revered as the one before whom kāla itself is subordinated; devotees seek protection from untimely death and fear of time’s decay.
Significance: Darśana is sought for mastery over fear of death/time, purification of karmic bondage, and steadiness in dharma amid impermanence.
Type: mahamrityunjaya
Shakti Form: Kālī
Role: destructive
Cosmic Event: kāla as universal regulator (implied); dissolution of all conditioned things
FAQs
It establishes impermanence: all conditioned existence arises and dissolves within Kāla. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this supports vairagya and the search for Pati (Shiva), who alone grants liberation beyond worldly change.
The Linga signifies Shiva as the stable Reality amidst time-bound creation. Worship of Saguna Shiva (with form) trains the mind to move from the transient (under Kāla) toward the timeless Lord indicated by the Linga.
Contemplate impermanence while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), offering water and bilva to the Linga as a daily discipline to loosen attachment and orient the mind toward Shiva, the liberator from time-bound limitation.