Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

आभ्यन्तरध्यान-तत्त्वगणना-चतुर्व्यूहयोगः

Adhyaya 28

Devanagari script

शैलादिरुवाच कालः करोति सकलं कालं कलयते सदा निष्कलं च मनः सर्वं मन्यते सो ऽपि निष्कलः

Transliteration

śailādiruvāca kālaḥ karoti sakalaṃ kālaṃ kalayate sadā niṣkalaṃ ca manaḥ sarvaṃ manyate so 'pi niṣkalaḥ

Translation

Sinabi ni Śailādi: Ang Panahon ang nagpapahayag at humuhubog sa lahat ng bagay, at lagi nitong sinusukat at pinapahinog ang panahon mismo. Gayunman, ang isipan, sa kabuuan nito, ay nakapag-iisip din ng walang anyo (niṣkala). Subalit Siya—ang Kataas-taasang Panginoon—ay tunay na walang anyo, lampas sa lahat ng hangganan at sukat.

Word by Word

• शैलादिः उवाच: Śailādi said

• कालः: time (kāla)

• करोति: makes, effects

• सकलं: with parts, manifest/formed (sakala)

• कालं: time (as the measurable flow)

• कलयते: measures, computes, brings to maturity

• सदा: always

• निष्कलं: without parts, formless (niṣkala)

• च: and

• मनः: mind

• सर्वं: wholly, entirely

• मन्यते: thinks, conceives, considers

• सः अपि: he also/indeed he

• निष्कलः: formless, partless (as the Supreme)

Speaker

Śailādi

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames the Linga as the meeting-point of sakala (manifest, measurable) and niṣkala (formless, beyond measure), guiding worship from external symbol to realization of the partless Pati (Śiva).

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

Śiva is presented as niṣkala—beyond the divisions that time imposes—while time governs all formed realities; thus Pati transcends kāla even while enabling the cosmos to appear within it.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A contemplative Pāśupata-oriented practice is implied: withdrawing the pashu (individual self) from mind’s time-bound constructions and meditating on the Niṣkala aspect of Śiva through the Linga.