Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

अकस्माद्राहुणा ग्रस्तं सूर्यं वा सोममेव च । दिक्चक्रं भ्रांतवत्पश्येत्षण्मासान्म्रियते स्फुटम्

Transliteration

akasmādrāhuṇā grastaṃ sūryaṃ vā somameva ca | dikcakraṃ bhrāṃtavatpaśyetṣaṇmāsānmriyate sphuṭam

Translation

Si l’on voit soudain le Soleil ou la Lune comme saisis par Rāhu, et que l’on perçoit le cercle des directions tournoyer dans la confusion, alors, de façon certaine, on meurt dans les six mois.

Word by Word

• अकस्मात्: suddenly
• अकस्मात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अकस्मात् (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• राहुणा: by Rāhu
• राहुणा: Karana (करण/instrument/agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• ग्रस्तम्: seized; eclipsed
• ग्रस्तम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु) → ग्रस्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्यय), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with सूर्यं/सोमम् (object)

• सूर्यम्: the sun
• सूर्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), disjunctive particle (विकल्पार्थक-निपात)

• सोमम्: the moon
• सोमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-निपात)

• दिक्-चक्रम्: the circle of directions (horizon)
• दिक्-चक्रम्: Karma (कर्म/object of paśyet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश्/दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः: दिक्चक्र (तत्पुरुष)

• भ्रान्तवत्: as if spinning; like a whirl
• भ्रान्तवत्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भ्रान्त (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: Avyaya usage as adverbial comparison; -वत् (वत्-प्रत्यय) meaning 'like/as if' (उपमावाचक)

• पश्येत्: should see; would see
• पश्येत्: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्/optative), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• षण्मासान्: six months
• षण्मासान्: Karma (कर्म/extent of time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (प्रातिपदिक) + मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः: षण्मास (द्विगु-समास)

• म्रियते: dies
• म्रियते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• स्फुटम्: certainly; clearly
• स्फुटम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्फुट (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'clearly/definitely'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Kaalantaka

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: eclipse-like vision: Sun/Moon ‘seized by Rāhu’ and perceived spinning of the directional wheel (dikcakra-bhrama)

Characters & Entities

• Rahu
• Surya
• Soma

FAQs

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

The verse treats disturbing cosmic and perceptual signs as reminders of life’s impermanence, urging the seeker to turn from fear into Shiva-oriented readiness—strengthening vairagya (detachment) and bhakti so the jiva may face death with steadiness and remembrance of Pati (Shiva).

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

Such portents are meant to redirect the mind toward Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga, japa, and surrender—so that the bound soul (pashu) loosens pasha (bondage) through devotion; the Linga becomes the stable focus when the ‘directions whirl’ and outer certainty collapses.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is intensified Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-puja with bhasma (Tripundra) and Rudraksha, and daily meditation on Shiva as the inner witness—cultivating calm awareness rather than panic when signs of instability appear.