Shloka 1

Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body

Devanagari script

देव्युवाच । कथितं तु त्वया देव कालज्ञानं यथार्थतः । कालस्य वंचनं ब्रूहि यथा तत्त्वेन योगिनः

Transliteration

devyuvāca | kathitaṃ tu tvayā deva kālajñānaṃ yathārthataḥ | kālasya vaṃcanaṃ brūhi yathā tattvena yoginaḥ

Translation

Wika ng Diyosa: “O Deva, tunay na naipaliwanag mo ang wastong kaalaman tungkol sa Panahon ayon sa katotohanan. Ngayon ay sabihin mo sa akin—paano nilalampasan at nahihigitan ng mga yogin na nakatatag sa Tattva (Katotohanan) ang Panahon.”

Word by Word

• devī: the Goddess
• devī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (देवी-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• kathitam: has been told
• kathitam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kath (कथ् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; impersonal/passive sense

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (तु अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), adversative/emphatic

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (युष्मद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• deva: O God
• deva: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• kālajñānam: knowledge of time
• kālajñānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (काल) + jñāna (ज्ञान)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1/2), Singular; तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी): kālasya jñānam

• yathā-arthataḥ: truly/as it really is
• yathā-arthataḥ: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (यथा अव्यय) + arthatas (अर्थतः अव्यय)
• Form: Adverbial indeclinables (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय-द्वय)

• kālasya: of time
• kālasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (काल-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vaṃcanam: deception/overcoming (trick)
• vaṃcanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaṃcana (वञ्चन-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• brūhi: tell (me)
• brūhi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √brū (ब्रू धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular, Parasmaipada

• yathā: so that/as
• yathā: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (यथा अव्यय)
• Form: Conj./adverb (सम्बन्धबोधक/क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय) introducing manner

• tattvena: in truth/essentially
• tattvena: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (तत्त्व-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; adverbial use ‘in truth’

• yoginaḥ: of the yogin
• yoginaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (योगिन्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (also possible Nom. Pl. by form; here Gen. Sg. fits: ‘of the yogin’)

Speaker

Parvati (Uma/Devi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Question of kāla-vañcana (surpassing time) via tattva-sthiti (abidance in Reality)

Characters & Entities

• Parvati
• Shiva
• Yogins
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

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

Devi asks Shiva for the practical secret of liberation: not merely understanding Time (kāla) intellectually, but the yogic means by which a seeker established in tattva rises beyond Time’s binding power—pointing to moksha through Shiva-centered realization.

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

In Shaiva thought, Time is part of the binding order (pāśa). Worship of Saguna Shiva—especially through Linga-upāsanā with devotion and inner concentration—purifies the pashu (individual soul) and turns awareness toward Pati (Shiva), through whom Time is ultimately transcended.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse cues a yogic discipline aimed at surpassing kāla: steady meditation on Shiva (often supported by japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with Shaiva observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to steadfastness and detachment.