By the power of their intense austerities and through the grace of the Divine, the great sages attained knowledge that surpassed the ordinary stages of life—a knowledge pure and capable of destroying all sin. This supreme secret of Vedānta, which was taught in ancient times, I myself received directly from the mouth of Brahmā, a blessing granted to me by my great fortune. Yet, this highest wisdom is not to be given to one who is restless, to a son of unrighteous conduct, or to an unworthy disciple. Only to that great soul who possesses supreme devotion to God, and who regards the teacher with the same reverence as God, do these profound meanings reveal themselves. Therefore, listen to this summary: Śiva is beyond both nature (prakṛti) and the soul (puruṣa); at the time of creation, He brings forth all things, and at the time of dissolution, He withdraws everything back into Himself. From Time, everything arises, and by Time, O divine one, everything perishes; for nothing exists anywhere that is independent of Time. When the universe—the endless cycle of birth and death—is contained within Him, it turns like a wheel by His gestures of creation and dissolution. Brahmā, Hari (Viṣṇu), Rudra, and all other gods and demons, having received the destinies assigned by Him, cannot transcend their own origins. Dividing beings by past, present, and future, He ages all creatures; supremely powerful and acting freely, He is exceedingly awe-inspiring. Who, truly, is this blessed Time? Over whom does He rule? And who is not under His sway? Tell me, O wise one. He whose form is measured by divisions of time—kāṣṭhā, nimeṣa, and so forth—is called Time, the Supreme, the radiant power of Maheśvara. This irresistible power of the Lord, which is the very form of command, governs all that moves and does not move; it is the force that controls the universe. Liberation itself, composed as a portion of that Supreme, emerges from the great soul who is Time, just as a spark leaps forth from a blazing fire. Thus, the universe is subject to the power of Time; it does not rule over Time. Time is under the control of Śiva, but Śiva is never under the control of Time. Because the unimpeded energy of Śiva is established within Time, the bounds of Time are indeed difficult to cross. Who, by any special wisdom, can transcend Time? No one can surpass the deeds accomplished by Time. Even those who conquer and rule the entire earth beneath one royal umbrella do not cross the limits set by Time, just as the oceans never cross their shores. Those who subdue their senses and conquer the world do not conquer Time; rather, Time conquers them. Physicians who know the science of life and have practiced rejuvenating treatments cannot overcome death, for Time is insurmountable. A being may desire prosperity, beauty, virtue, strength, or noble lineage, but Time, by its own power, brings about something else entirely. The Lord unites and separates beings through both pleasant and unpleasant, expected and unexpected events. At the very moment one person suffers, another rejoices—behold the wonder of Time, whose nature is so difficult to grasp. The young become old, the strong grow weak, the prosperous fall into poverty—O twice-born, Time moves in mysterious ways. Neither noble birth, nor virtue, nor strength, nor skill ensures success, for Time cannot be obstructed. Time acts equally among all: those who are supported and generous, surrounded by music and song, and those who are destitute, living on the charity of others. Medicines and elixirs, even when properly administered, do not yield results out of season; but when gathered at the right time, they quickly bring success and happiness. No one dies or is born before their time; no one attains full strength before their time; no one is happy or unhappy before their time—there is nothing at all that occurs untimely. By Time, the wind blows cold; by Time, rain falls from the clouds; by Time, heat subsides; by Time, everything comes to fruition. Time is the cause of all existence; by Time, crops grow; by Time, crops perish; by Time, the world of living beings is revived. Thus, whoever truly understands the reality of the Self as Time, transcending the self limited by Time, perceives that which is beyond Time. Homage to that Śiva, the Supreme Lord beyond all, who is untouched by time, bondage, or liberation, who is neither man, nor nature, nor the universe—whose forms are wondrous and diverse. Now, by what measure, in this time, is the span of life determined? And what, in turn, is the ultimate limit of Time, which itself is counted and measured? Here, the first unit of life is called a nimeṣa—the blink of an eye; the limit of Time, which is counted and measured, is said to reach up to the state beyond tranquility. A nimeṣa is defined as the closing of the eyelids; fifteen such nimeṣas make one kāṣṭhā. Thirty kāṣṭhās are called a kalā; thirty kalās make a muhūrta; and thirty muhūrtas, it is said, make a full day and night. A month, consisting of two fortnights, is made up of thirty such days and nights. One should know that the ancestral day and night is a month, composed of the dark and bright fortnights. Six of these months make a solstice; two solstices are considered a year, and by this worldly measure, the human year is remembered. This is the divine day and night, as established by scripture: the southern solstice is night, and the northern solstice is day. A divine month is reckoned as thirty such days and nights; likewise, a year of the gods is composed of twelve such months. Thus is the mystery of Time, its divisions, and its all-pervading power revealed.