Shloka 45

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

Devanagari script

दशघस्रप्रवाहेण ह्यब्दमानं स जीवति । पंचदशप्रवाहेण ह्यब्दमेकं गतायुषम्

Transliteration

daśaghasrapravāheṇa hyabdamānaṃ sa jīvati | paṃcadaśapravāheṇa hyabdamekaṃ gatāyuṣam

Translation

Por la medida de diez corrientes continuas (del tiempo), se dice que uno vive un año. Pero por la medida de quince corrientes tales, un solo año ya queda consumido, y la vida se ve menguada.

Word by Word

• daśa-ghaṭikā-pravāheṇa: by the flow/measure of ten ghaṭikās
• daśa-ghaṭikā-pravāheṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + ghaṭikā (प्रातिपदिक) + pravāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (daśa-ghaṭikā = दशघटिकानां, ghaṭikā-pravāha = घटिकाप्रवाहः); Instrumental singular (3rd case)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• abdamānam: a year-measure (yearly unit)
• abdamānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abda-māna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (abda-māna = अब्दस्य मानम्); Accusative singular (object)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचन; Pronoun ‘he’, Nominative singular

• jīvati: lives
• jīvati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jīv (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person singular

• pañcadaśa-pravāheṇa: by a flow/measure of fifteen (units)
• pañcadaśa-pravāheṇa: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcadaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + pravāha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (pañcadaśa-pravāha = पञ्चदशानां प्रवाहः); Instrumental singular

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• abdam: a year
• abdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: abda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन; Accusative singular

• ekam: one
• ekam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन; adjective qualifying ‘abdam’; Accusative singular

• gata-āyuṣam: whose lifespan has passed / life-spent
• gata-āyuṣam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gata (कृदन्त; √gam धातु) + āyuṣ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (gata-āyuṣ = गतं आयुः यस्य/यस्य आयुः गतं); past participle ‘gata’ used adjectivally; Accusative singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches vairāgya (dispassion): time moves in an unbroken flow, and life is silently consumed; therefore one should turn from mere counting of days to seeking Pati (Shiva) as the timeless refuge.

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

Linga-worship anchors the mind in the Eternal while time drains embodied life; devotion to Saguna Shiva (through pūjā, mantra, and dhyāna) becomes a practical means to transcend the fear and loss implied by the ‘flow’ of time.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with steady dhyāna on Shiva, supported by simple nitya-pūjā (optionally with bhasma and rudrākṣa), is the takeaway—use limited time for Shiva-sādhana.