Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 30

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

अहरंते प्रलीयन्ते रात्र्यन्ते विश्वसंभवः । यो विश्वात्मा कर्मकालस्वभावाद्यर्थे शक्तिर्यस्य नोल्लंघनीया

Transliteration

aharaṃte pralīyante rātryante viśvasaṃbhavaḥ | yo viśvātmā karmakālasvabhāvādyarthe śaktiryasya nollaṃghanīyā

Translation

At the end of the day they dissolve, and at the end of the night the Origin of the universe brings forth creation again. He is the Soul of the universe; his power with respect to karma, time, inherent nature, and the rest is inviolable and cannot be transgressed.

Word by Word

• अहः-अन्ते: at day’s end
• अहः-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहस् (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अह्नः अन्ते) = 'at the end of the day'

• प्रलीयन्ते: dissolve
• प्रलीयन्ते: क्रिया (Kriyā/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ली (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; 'they dissolve/are dissolved'

• रात्रि-अन्ते: at night’s end
• रात्रि-अन्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (रात्र्याः अन्ते)

• विश्व-सम्भवः: the source of the universe
• विश्व-सम्भवः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः = 'origin/source of the universe'

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सम्बन्ध (relative pronoun)

• विश्व-आत्मा: the universal Self
• विश्व-आत्मा: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः = 'the Self that is the universe / universal self'

• कर्म-काल-स्वभाव-आदि-अर्थे: in matters like action, time, nature, etc.
• कर्म-काल-स्वभाव-आदि-अर्थे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + काल (प्रातिपदिक) + स्वभाव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; 'in/with regard to the meanings (domains) such as action, time, nature, etc.'

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negative particle)

• उल्लङ्घनीया: not to be transgressed
• उल्लङ्घनीया: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्-लङ्घ् (धातु) + अनीयर् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (अनीयर्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्मणि-योग्यता/अशक्यता: 'not to be transgressed'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadyojāta

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cyclic dissolution and re-manifestation (pralaya/sṛṣṭi rhythm expressed as day/night)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that creation and dissolution occur in rhythmic cycles, yet the supreme Lord (Shiva as Pati) remains the universal Self whose sovereign śakti governs karma and time—pointing the seeker toward surrender and liberation beyond bondage (pāśa).

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

The Linga signifies the transcendent Lord who is both the immanent Viśvātmā and the source of creation; worshipping the Linga as Saguna Shiva trains the mind to recognize the inviolable divine order behind karma and kāla.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as the ruler of karma and time while repeating the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and contemplate the daily cycle (day/night) as a reminder of laya and sṛṣṭi under Shiva’s śakti.