Shloka 47

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

Devanagari script

जीवितं तु तदा तस्य त्रिमासं हि गतायुषः । षड्विंशद्दिनमानेन मासद्वयमुदाहृतम्

Transliteration

jīvitaṃ tu tadā tasya trimāsaṃ hi gatāyuṣaḥ | ṣaḍviṃśaddinamānena māsadvayamudāhṛtam

Translation

Da hieß es, das verbleibende Leben jenes, dessen zugemessene Lebensspanne bereits zur Neige ging, betrage nur drei Monate; und rechnet man einen Monat zu sechsundzwanzig Tagen, so wurde es als zwei Monate erklärt.

Word by Word

• जीवितम्: life/span of life
• जीवितम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव् (धातु) से जीवित (क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘life/lived state’ (context: subject)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Upapada (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adversative/emphatic particle

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• त्रि-मासम्: three months
• त्रि-मासम्: Pramāṇa/Parimāṇa (प्रमाण/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/प्रमाण), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘three months’ (measure)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Upapada (सम्बन्ध/उपपद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis/causal particle

• गत-आयुषः: of one whose lifespan is spent
• गत-आयुषः: Sambandha-viśeṣaṇa (सम्बन्धविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत (गम् धातु से क्त) + आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—गतं आयुः यस्य/स्य (one whose lifespan has gone); agrees with ‘तस्य’

• षट्-विṃशत्-दिन-मानॆन: by the measure of twenty-six days
• षट्-विṃशत्-दिन-मानॆन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् + विंशति + दिन + मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष—षड्विंशत् दिनानां मानम् (measure of 26 days)

• मास-द्वयम्: two months
• मास-द्वयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास + द्वि (संख्या) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास ‘two months’ (as stated/declared)

• उदाहृतम्: is declared
• उदाहृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-हृ (धातु) से क्त, उपसर्ग ‘उद्-’
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) used predicatively: ‘is stated/declared’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

FAQs

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

It highlights the Shaiva insight that embodied life is governed by Kāla (time) and karma; when life is uncertain and diminishing, the wise turn inward to Shiva-oriented sadhana, seeking Pati (Shiva) beyond the bonds (pāśa) that limit the pashu (individual soul).

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

By stressing the brevity of remaining time, it implicitly urges timely refuge in Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship—steady devotion, remembrance, and ritual discipline—so that the mind becomes fit to realize Shiva’s higher, liberating reality.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is urgency in daily Shiva-sadhana: japa of the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), Linga-abhiṣeka, and contemplative remembrance of Shiva as the Lord of Kāla—using limited days for purification and devotion.