Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 24

वीरभद्रस्य गमनप्रस्थानम् — Vīrabhadra’s Departure for Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

कालश्च कालकश्चैव महाकालस्तथैव च । कोटीनां शतकेनैव दक्षयज्ञं ययौ प्रति

Transliteration

kālaśca kālakaścaiva mahākālastathaiva ca | koṭīnāṃ śatakenaiva dakṣayajñaṃ yayau prati

Translation

迦罗、迦罗迦，以及摩诃迦罗——鲁陀罗那可怖的伽那——并率百俱胝，向达克沙之祭祀进发。此行象征湿婆对时间与宇宙秩序之不可抗御的统御：当神圣尊严遭亵渎，护法之力便藉鲁陀罗伽那而动，以复归平衡。

Word by Word

• kālaḥ: Kāla (Time/Death personified)
• kālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• kālakaḥ: Kālaka (a form/name of Kāla)
• kālakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• mahākālaḥ: Mahākāla (Great Time/Death)
• mahākālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक/समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• koṭīnām: of crores
• koṭīnām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), बहुवचन (Plural)

• śatakena: by/with a hundred
• śatakena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śataka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• dakṣayajñam: Dakṣa’s sacrifice
• dakṣayajñam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + yajña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धाातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• prati: towards
• prati: Adhikarana/Dik (अधिकरण/दिक्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (preposition: towards)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla as the Lord of Time who grants liberation from fear of death; in Purāṇic memory, the Ujjayinī liṅga is famed as a self-manifesting presence where Śiva reigns as Kāla’s master.

Significance: Darśana/abhisheka is held to loosen the grip of kāla (time/death) and pāśa (bondage), strengthening vairāgya and devotion; famed for early-morning worship traditions.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Mahakala
• Daksha

FAQs

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

It highlights that when adharma arises through ego and disrespect toward Śiva, the divine power that governs time and consequence (Kāla/Mahākāla) moves through Rudra’s hosts to restore cosmic balance.

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

Mahākāla points to Saguna Śiva as the Lord who rules time and dissolution; devotion to the Liṅga trains the devotee to revere that supreme authority, avoiding Dakṣa-like pride and cultivating surrender (śaraṇāgati).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Śiva as Mahākāla while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and, if following Purāṇic practice, wear Rudrākṣa and apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as reminders of time’s impermanence and Śiva’s supremacy.