Shloka 25

Kālajñāna (Knowledge of Time) and Mṛtyu-cihna (Signs of Death): Śiva’s Instruction to Umā

Devanagari script

ऋषयस्स्वर्गपंथाश्च दृश्यंते नैव चाम्बरे । षण्मासायुर्विजनीयात्पुरुषैः कालवेदिभिः

Transliteration

ṛṣayassvargapaṃthāśca dṛśyaṃte naiva cāmbare | ṣaṇmāsāyurvijanīyātpuruṣaiḥ kālavedibhiḥ

Translation

Am Himmel sind weder die Ṛṣi noch der Weg zum Himmel je zu sehen. Darum sollen Männer, die die Zeit (Kāla) wahrhaft kennen, erkennen, dass das Leben nur noch sechs Monate währt.

Word by Word

• ऋषयः: sages
• ऋषयः: कर्ता/विषय (Karta/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• स्वर्गपन्थाः: paths to heaven
• स्वर्गपन्थाः: कर्ता/विषय (Karta/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग-पथिन्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—स्वर्गस्य पन्थाः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• दृश्यन्ते: are seen
• दृश्यन्ते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोगः (‘are seen’)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• एव: at all/indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• षण्मासायुः: six-month lifespan
• षण्मासायुः: कर्म (Karma/Object of knowing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्-मास-आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—षण्मासम् आयुः (आयुषः परिमाणवाचक-समास; बहुव्रीहिरपि सम्भवः)

• विजानीयात्: should know/ascertain
• विजानीयात्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः वि-

• पुरुषैः: by men
• पुरुषैः: कर्ता (Karta/Agent in optative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• कालवेदिभिः: by time-knowers/astrologers
• कालवेदिभिः: विशेषण (Qualifier of पुरुषैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल-वेधिन्/वेदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; समासः—कालं वेत्ति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-रूढि)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

FAQs

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

It teaches vairāgya (detachment): since neither heaven nor its route is visible to ordinary perception, a wise person should treat human life as extremely brief and use time for Shiva-centered sādhanā that leads to liberation.

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

Because the ‘path to heaven’ is not an object of sight, the Purana redirects the seeker to a sure means: visible, tangible Saguna worship—especially Linga-pūjā and devotion to Shiva as Pati—through which grace and true upliftment are attained.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with disciplined time-awareness, supported by Shiva worship such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as aids to steady remembrance.