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Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 32

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

लवाः काष्ठाः कलाश्चैव मुहूर्ता दिवसाः क्षपाः / अर्धमासाश्च मासाश्च अयनाब्दयुगादयः

lavāḥ kāṣṭhāḥ kalāścaiva muhūrtā divasāḥ kṣapāḥ / ardhamāsāśca māsāśca ayanābdayugādayaḥ

لَو، کاشٹھ، کَلا اور مُہورت؛ دن اور رات؛ نصف ماہ اور ماہ؛ نیز اَیَن، سال، یُگ وغیرہ—یہ زمانے کی پے در پے تقسیمات ہیں۔

लवाःinstants (lava units)
लवाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootलव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
काष्ठाःkāṣṭhā time-units
काष्ठाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootकाष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
कलाःkalā units/parts
कलाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootकला (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
एवindeed/also
एव:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
मुहूर्ताःmuhūrtas
मुहूर्ताः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
दिवसाःdays
दिवसाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootदिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
क्षपाःnights
क्षपाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootक्षपा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
अर्धमासाःhalf-months (fortnights)
अर्धमासाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअर्ध + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'मासस्य अर्धम्'
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
मासाःmonths
मासाः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमास (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
अयनsolstices/half-years (ayanas)
अयन:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअयन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural) (समाहार/गणनार्थे)
अब्दyears
अब्द:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootअब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
युगages/yugas
युग:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootयुग (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)
आदयःand so on/others
आदयः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootआदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural); 'आदि' = etc., and the rest

Sūta (narrating the teaching as part of the Purāṇic discourse on kāla)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

K
Kāla (Time)
Y
Yuga
A
Ayana

FAQs

Indirectly: by listing graded measures of time, it frames kāla as a measurable cosmic principle, while the Atman (and the Supreme Lord) is taught elsewhere in the Kurma tradition as the witness beyond such temporal divisions.

This verse itself lists time-units, but it supports Yoga-shāstra in practice: disciplined observances (niyama), vrata, japa, and meditation are traditionally scheduled by muhūrta, day/night, fortnight, and seasonal cycles to align sādhanā with dharma and cosmic order.

By emphasizing kāla as a universal ordering power, it aligns with the Purāṇic synthesis where the one Supreme (understood as Hari-Hara in many contexts) governs cosmic time and its cycles, even when teachings appear in Shaiva or Vaishnava idiom.