Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 14

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

इतरेषु ससंध्येषु ससंध्यांशेषु च त्रिषु । एकापायेन वर्तंते सहस्राणि शतानि च

Transliteration

itareṣu sasaṃdhyeṣu sasaṃdhyāṃśeṣu ca triṣu | ekāpāyena vartaṃte sahasrāṇi śatāni ca

Translation

In den übrigen Übergangszeiten (Sandhi) und ebenso in den drei Abschnitten dieser Übergänge schreiten Tausende und Hunderte nach einem einzigen, gleichmäßigen Maß des Abnehmens fort.

Word by Word

• इतरेषु: in the other (ones)
• इतरेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; 'in the other (yugas)'

• स-सन्ध्येषु: with their twilights
• स-सन्ध्येषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत् 'with') + सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः = 'with twilight(s)'

• स-सन्ध्या-अंशेषु: with their twilight-portions
• स-सन्ध्या-अंशेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय) + सन्ध्या (प्रातिपदिक) + अंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभावः = 'with twilight-portions'

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

• त्रिषु: in the three
• त्रिषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (itareṣu—'in the three others')

• एक-अपायेन: by a reduction of one (unit)
• एक-अपायेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + अपाय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः = 'by one less (reduction)'

• वर्तन्ते: continue/are (so)
• वर्तन्ते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'they occur/continue'

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: progressive diminution of yuga measures (eka-apāya rule)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames cosmic time as orderly and measurable—sandhyās and their parts diminish by a fixed rule—reminding the seeker that worldly epochs change predictably, while liberation is attained by turning to Pati (Shiva), who transcends time.

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

As time-cycles rise and decline, Saguna worship (Linga, mantra, pūjā) is presented in the Purāṇic tradition as a stable, accessible means to anchor devotion and purify the soul through every age’s conditions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is consistent daily sandhyā-aligned Shiva practice—japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with steady discipline—since the verse emphasizes uniform order in time and the value of regularity.