Shiva Purana (Books 1 & 7)

वेदांते परमं गुह्यं पुराकल्पप्रचोदितम् ब्रह्मणो वदनाल्लब्धं मयेदं भाग्यगौरवात्

This supreme secret of the Vedānta, taught in ancient times, I have received from the mouth of Brahmā, by the greatness of my fortune.

नाप्रशांताय दातव्यमेतज्ज्ञानमनुत्तमम् न पुत्रायाशुवृत्ताय नाशिष्याय च सर्वथा

This unsurpassed knowledge should not be given to one who is not peaceful, nor to a son of bad conduct, nor ever to an unworthy disciple.

यस्य देवे पराभक्तिर्यथा देवे तथा गुरौ तस्यैते कथिताह्यर्थाः प्रकाशंते महात्मनः

For one who has supreme devotion to God, and just as to God, so to the teacher, to that great soul these meanings become manifest.

अतश्च संक्षेपमिदं शृणुध्वं शिवः परस्तात्प्रकृतेश्च पुंसः स सर्गकाले च करोति सर्वं संहारकाले पुनराददाति

Therefore, hear this summary: Śiva is beyond both nature and soul; at the time of creation he does all, and at the time of dissolution he withdraws all again.

कालादुत्पद्यते सर्वं कालदेव विपद्यते न कालनिरपेक्षं हि क्वचित्किंचन विद्यते

From time everything arises, and by time, O god, everything perishes; for nothing exists anywhere independent of time.

यदास्यांतर्गतं विश्वं शश्वत्संसारमण्डलम् सर्गसंहृतिमुद्राभ्यां चक्रवत्परिवर्तते

When the universe, the eternal cycle of transmigration, is contained within him, by the gestures of creation and dissolution, it revolves like a wheel.

ब्रह्मा हरिश्च रुद्रश्च तथान्ये च सुरासुराः यत्कृतां नियतिं प्राप्य प्रभवो नातिवर्तितुम्

Brahmā, Hari, Rudra, and other gods and demons, having attained the destiny set by him, cannot go beyond their origin.

भूतभव्यभविष्याद्यैर्विभज्य जरयन् प्रजाः अतिप्रभुरिति स्वैरं वर्तते ऽतिभयंकरः

Dividing beings by past, present, and future, he ages the creatures; he is supremely powerful, acts freely, and is exceedingly terrifying.

क एष भगवान् कालः कस्य वा वशवर्त्ययम् क एवास्य वशे न स्यात्कथयैतद्विचक्षण

Who is this blessed Time? Over whom does he rule? And who is not under his control? Tell me this, O wise one.

कालकाष्ठानिमेषादिकलाकलितविग्रहम् कालात्मेति समाख्यातं तेजो माहेश्वरं परम्

He whose form is measured by divisions of time—kāṣṭhā, nimeṣa, and so on—is called Time, the supreme, the radiant power of Maheśvara.

यदलंघ्यमशेषस्य स्थावरस्य चरस्य च नियोगरूपमीशस्य बलं विश्वनियामकम्

That irresistible power of the Lord, which is the form of command, governs all that moves and does not move, and is the force that controls the universe.

तस्यांशांशमयी मुक्तिः कालात्मनि महात्मनि ततो निष्क्रम्य संक्रांता विसृष्टाग्रेरिवायसी

Liberation, composed of portions of that (Supreme), emerges from the great soul who is Time itself, just as a spark flies forth from a blazing fire.

तस्मात्कालवशे विश्वं न स विश्ववशे स्थितः शिवस्य तु वशे कालो न कालस्य वशे शिवः

Therefore, the universe is subject to the power of Time; it does not hold sway over Time. Time is under the control of Shiva, but Shiva is not under the control of Time.

यतो ऽप्रतिहतं शार्वं तेजः काले प्रतिष्ठितम् महती तेन कालस्य मर्यादा हि दुरत्यया

Because the unimpeded energy of Shiva is established in Time, the boundary of Time is indeed difficult to cross.

कालं प्रज्ञाविशेषेण को ऽतिवर्तितुमर्हति कालेन तु कृतं कर्म न कश्चिदतिवर्तते

Who, by any special wisdom, is able to transcend Time? No one can surpass the actions performed by Time.

एकच्छत्रां महीं कृत्स्नां ये पराक्रम्य शासति ते ऽपि नैवातिवर्तंते कालवेलामिवाब्धयः

Even those who, having conquered, rule the entire earth under one umbrella, do not cross the limit of Time, just as the oceans do not cross their shores.

ये निगृह्येंद्रियग्रामं जयंति सकलं जगत् न जयंत्यपि ते कालं कालो जयति तानपि

Those who subdue the group of senses and conquer the whole world, even they do not conquer Time; rather, Time conquers them.

आयुर्वेदविदो वैद्यास्त्वनुष्ठितरसायनाः न मृत्युमतिवर्तंते कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः

Physicians who know the science of life and have practiced rejuvenating treatments do not overcome death, for Time is insurmountable.

श्रिया रूपेण शीलेन बलेन च कुलेन च अन्यच्चिंतयते जंतुः कालो ऽन्यत्कुरुते बलात्

A being may think of prosperity, beauty, character, strength, or noble lineage, but Time, by its own power, brings about something else.

अप्रियैश्च प्रियैश्चैव ह्यचिंतितगमागमैः संयोजयति भूतानि वियोजयति चेश्वरः

The Lord unites and separates beings through both pleasant and unpleasant, expected and unexpected events.

यदैव दुःखितः कश्चित्तदैव सुखितः परः दुर्विज्ञेयस्वभावस्य कालास्याहो विचित्रता

At the very moment one person is suffering, another is happy; behold the wonder of Time, whose nature is hard to comprehend.

यो युवा स भवेद्वृद्धो यो बलीयान्स दुर्बलः यः श्रीमान्सो ऽपि निःश्रीकः कालश्चित्रगतिर्द्विजा

He who is young becomes old, the strong become weak, the prosperous become destitute—O twice-born, Time moves in strange ways.

नाभिजात्यं न वै शीलं न बलं न च नैपुणम् भवेत्कार्याय पर्याप्तं कालश्च ह्यनिरोधकः

Neither noble birth, nor character, nor strength, nor skill is sufficient for accomplishment, for Time cannot be obstructed.

ये सनाथाश्च दातारो गीतवाद्यैरुपस्थिताः ये चानाथाः परान्नादाः कालस्तेषु समक्रियः

Those who are supported and generous, surrounded by music and song, and those who are destitute, living on others' food—Time acts equally among them.

फलंत्यकाले न रसायनानि सम्यक्प्रयुक्तान्यपि चौषधानि तान्येव कालेन समाहृतानि सिद्धिं प्रयांत्याशु सुखं दिशंति

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.

नाकालतो ऽयं म्रियते जायते वा नाकालतः पुष्टिमग्र्यामुपैति नाकालतः सुखितं दुःखितं वा नाकालिकं वस्तु समस्ति किंचित्

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.

कालेन शीतः प्रतिवाति वातःकालेन वृष्टिर्जलदानुपैति कालेन चोष्मा प्रशमं प्रयाति कालेन सर्वं सफलत्वमेति

By Time, the wind blows cold; by Time, rain falls from the clouds; by Time, heat subsides; by Time, everything attains fruition.

कालश्च सर्वस्य भवस्य हेतुः कालेन सस्यानि भवंति नित्यम् कालेन सस्यानि लयं प्रयांति कालेन संजीवति जीवलोकः

Time is the cause of all existence; by Time, crops always grow; by Time, crops perish; by Time, the world of living beings is revived.

इत्थं कालात्मनस्तत्त्वं यो विजानाति तत्त्वतः कालात्मानमतिक्रम्य कालातीतं स पश्यति

Thus, whoever truly understands the reality of the Self as Time, transcending the self of Time, sees that which is beyond Time.