Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

कालतत्त्वनिर्णयः / Doctrine of Kāla (Time) and Its Subordination to Śiva

Devanagari script

आयुर्वेदविदो वैद्यास्त्वनुष्ठितरसायनाः । न मृत्युमतिवर्तंते कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः

Transliteration

āyurvedavido vaidyāstvanuṣṭhitarasāyanāḥ | na mṛtyumativartaṃte kālo hi duratikramaḥ

Translation

即使精通阿育吠陀的医者，勤修回春养生之法（rasāyana），也不能越过死亡——因为迦罗（Kāla，时）确实难以超越。

Word by Word

• आयुर्वेदविदः: knowers of Ayurveda
• आयुर्वेदविदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: आयुर्वेदस्य विदः (knowers of Ayurveda)

• वैद्याः: physicians
• वैद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• अनुष्ठितरसायनाः: those who have practiced rejuvenation-therapy
• अनुष्ठितरसायनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनुष्ठित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; अनु + स्था धातु, क्त) + रसायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: अनुष्ठितं रसायनं येषां ते (those who have practiced rasāyana)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मृत्युम्: death
• मृत्युम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अतिवर्तन्ते: surpass/cross over
• अतिवर्तन्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति + वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; उपसर्गः अति-

• कालः: time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थे अव्यय (for/indeed)

• दुरतिक्रमः: hard to overcome
• दुरतिक्रमः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः: दुरः (दुष्करः) अतिक्रमः यस्य/दुरतिक्रमः (hard to cross)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Vaidyanātha

Sthala Purana: Vaidyanātha is famed as the ‘Divine Physician’ who heals the deepest disease—saṃsāra—whereas worldly medicine (even rasāyana) cannot cross death; the verse contrasts human āyurveda with the Lord’s ultimate mastery over mṛtyu through grace.

Significance: Pilgrims seek relief from illness and, more pointedly, the curing of bhava-roga; the teaching redirects reliance from therapies to Śiva’s anugraha.

Mantra Metadata

Type: mahamrityunjaya

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)
• Mṛtyu (Death)

FAQs

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

It teaches that worldly means—even the highest life-extending knowledge—cannot conquer Kāla; lasting freedom is sought through turning to Pati (Shiva) rather than relying solely on bodily preservation.

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

By highlighting the limits of human effort against Time, it redirects the seeker toward Saguna Shiva worship (including Linga devotion) as a saving refuge that leads beyond fear of death and toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate dispassion and steadiness in practice—supporting Shiva-upāsanā such as japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and meditative remembrance of Shiva as the Lord of Time (Kāla).