Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

एवं स हरते कालः परिपाट्या सदाशिवः । वामदक्षिणमध्ये तु पथि त्रयमिदं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

evaṃ sa harate kālaḥ paripāṭyā sadāśivaḥ | vāmadakṣiṇamadhye tu pathi trayamidaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Thus, in due succession, Sadāśiva draws time onward; and on the path—through the left, the right, and the middle—this threefold course is remembered.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• हरते: takes away
• हरते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; धातु: हृ—हरति/हरते (to take away)

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• परिपाट्या: by (proper) sequence/method
• परिपाट्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paripāṭī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• सदाशिवः: Sadāśiva
• सदाशिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sadā + śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: कर्मधारय (sadā-śiva = ever-auspicious)

• वामदक्षिणमध्ये: in the middle between left and right
• वामदक्षिणमध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāma + dakṣiṇa + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (वामदक्षिणयोः मध्ये)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोध/अन्वयार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• पथि: on the path
• पथि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेष-प्रातिपदिक (pathin)

• त्रयम्: threefold set / three
• त्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: traya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• स्मृतम्: is declared/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थक—‘is said/remembered’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma Saṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Sadashiva
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It presents Sadāśiva as the supreme governor of kāla (time) who guides beings through an ordered process, indicating that spiritual progress and dissolution of bondage occur under Shiva’s sovereign ordinance, not by chance.

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

By naming Sadāśiva—the worshipful Lord approached through saguna symbols like the Śiva-liṅga—the verse frames Shiva as the inner ruler of cosmic functions (like time), making liṅga-worship a means to align the devotee with that divine order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt the disciplined ‘middle path’ in practice—steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with śuddhi (purity), along with Śiva-oriented meditation—so the mind follows the ordered course rather than extremes.