Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2

Devanagari script

वायुरुवाच । कालसंख्याविवृत्तस्य परार्धो ब्रह्मणस्स्मृतः । तावांश्चैवास्य कालोन्यस्तस्यांते प्रतिसृज्यते

Transliteration

vāyuruvāca | kālasaṃkhyāvivṛttasya parārdho brahmaṇassmṛtaḥ | tāvāṃścaivāsya kālonyastasyāṃte pratisṛjyate

Translation

Vāyu sprach: „In der Zeitrechnung gilt das ‘Parārdha’ als das Maß Brahmās. Und es wird auch eine weitere, ihm gleiche Zeitspanne genannt; an ihrem Ende wird die Schöpfung erneut hervorgebracht.“

Word by Word

• वायुः: Vāyu
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• काल-संख्यā-विवृत्तस्य: of (that) whose time-count has elapsed/turned
• काल-संख्यā-विवृत्तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + विवृत्त (कृदन्त; वृत्/वृत्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (कालस्य संख्यायाः विवृत्तः इति)

• परार्धः: a parārdha (half of the supreme measure; a vast period)
• परार्धः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परार्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā/Brahman
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• स्मृतः: is remembered/considered
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तावान्: so much; of that extent
• तावान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक (quantitative)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अस्य: of this/of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• कालः: time/period
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अन्यः: another
• अन्यः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• प्रतिसृज्यते: is created again/is re-emitted
• प्रतिसृज्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रतिसृज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (passive/impersonal sense)

Speaker

Vayu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Brahmā’s parārdha time-measure; at the end of an equal span, pratisarga (re-projection) occurs

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames worldly existence as cyclical—time unfolds in vast measures, and at their completion creation reappears. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, this highlights the impermanence of manifested worlds and points the seeker toward Pati (Shiva) who transcends time (kāla) as the stable refuge for liberation.

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

By emphasizing recurring creation, the verse underlines why devotees take shelter in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga anchors the mind in the timeless Lord who remains constant while universes arise and dissolve, making devotion a means to cross the changing cycles of kāla.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with contemplation that all time-bound states pass; this supports vairāgya and inward focus. If practiced ritually, it may be paired with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of Shiva’s lordship over time.