Shloka 16

Kāla-vañcana (Overcoming/Outwitting Time) and the Pañcabhūta Basis of the Body

Devanagari script

पृथिव्यादीनि भूतानि गच्छंति क्रमशः परम् । धरा पंचगुणा प्रोक्ता ह्यापश्चैव चतुर्गुणाः

Transliteration

pṛthivyādīni bhūtāni gacchaṃti kramaśaḥ param | dharā paṃcaguṇā proktā hyāpaścaiva caturguṇāḥ

Translation

Beginning with earth, the gross elements proceed step by step toward the higher principle. Earth is declared to possess five qualities, and water indeed is said to possess four.

Word by Word

• पृथिव्यादीनि: earth and the rest (elements)
• पृथिव्यादीनि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘पृथिवी-आदि’ इति समाहार/समूहवाचक

• भूतानि: beings / elements
• भूतानि: Karta (कर्ता) (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• गच्छन्ति: go / proceed
• गच्छन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• क्रमशः: in order, successively
• क्रमशः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रमशः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverb)

• परम्: to the higher (state)
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/Goal)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्मपद (goal as object)

• धरा: earth
• धरा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पञ्चगुणा: having five qualities
• पञ्चगुणा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (धरा)

• प्रोक्ता: is said / has been declared
• प्रोक्ता: Kriyā (verbal predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (Past Passive Participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय (predicate)

• हि: indeed / for
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/अवधारणे

• आपः: waters
• आपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (pluralia tantum)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: only / indeed
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• चतुर्गुणाः: having four qualities
• चतुर्गुणाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (आपः)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Umā/Parvati in the Umāsaṃhitā’s philosophical discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches tattva-viveka (discriminative insight): the practitioner understands the graded structure of the elements and moves inward from gross experience toward the higher reality, culminating in Pati (Shiva) beyond the tattvas.

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

Linga-worship trains the mind to withdraw from element-bound perceptions (earth, water, etc.) and rest in Shiva as the inner support of all tattvas; Saguna Shiva is approached as the Lord of the elements, while the teaching points toward His transcendent nature.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is pañcabhūta-viveka in meditation—observe sensory qualities and detach from them—supported by japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and steadying disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of renunciation.