Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

हस्तयोरुभयोर्देवि यथा कालं विजानते । वामदक्षिणयोर्मध्ये प्रत्यक्षं चेत्युदाहृतम्

Transliteration

hastayorubhayordevi yathā kālaṃ vijānate | vāmadakṣiṇayormadhye pratyakṣaṃ cetyudāhṛtam

Translation

O Goddess, just as time can be known by observing both hands, so too that which is directly evident is declared to be what is perceived—manifestly present between the left and the right.

Word by Word

• हस्तयोः: in the two hands
• हस्तयोः: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th case), द्विवचन; 'in/of the two hands' (dual loc/gen)

• उभयोः: of both
• उभयोः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; 'of/in both'

• देवि: O Goddess
• देवि: सम्बोधन (Sambodhana/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• यथा: as, in the manner that
• यथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner adverb)

• कालम्: time
• कालम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन

• विजानते: they know, they discern
• विजानते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद

• वामदक्षिणयोः: of the left and right
• वामदक्षिणयोः: सम्बन्ध/अधिकरण (Genitive/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी (6th/7th), द्विवचन; 'of/in the left and right (hands/sides)'

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन; 'in the middle'

• प्रत्यक्षम्: direct perception, the evident
• प्रत्यक्षम्: विशेष्य-निर्देश (Predicate/Pradhāna-nirdeśa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रत्यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; here as predicate-noun

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-समाप्ति/उद्धरण (Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यर्थक (quotative/marker of end of statement)

• उदाहृतम्: is declared, is stated
• उदाहृतम्: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate: 'is said')
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद् + आ + हृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nom), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

It points to pratyakṣa—direct, immediate knowing—as a valid doorway to truth, suggesting that the seeker should recognize what is evident in lived experience rather than only relying on inference or debate.

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

It supports Saguna practice by emphasizing the value of what is directly present to the senses and mind: the devotee approaches Shiva through tangible supports like the Liṅga and then deepens into inner, immediate recognition of Shiva’s presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is mindful observation (dhyāna) of immediate experience—steady attention between dualities—along with regular Shiva worship (Liṅga-pūjā) and japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” to stabilize direct insight.