Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 2

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

वायुरुवाच । आयुषो ऽत्र निमेषाख्यमाद्यमानं प्रचक्षते । संख्यारूपस्य कालस्य शांत्त्वतीतकलावधि

Transliteration

vāyuruvāca | āyuṣo 'tra nimeṣākhyamādyamānaṃ pracakṣate | saṃkhyārūpasya kālasya śāṃttvatītakalāvadhi

Translation

Vāyu dit : « Ici, l’on déclare que la première unité mesurable de la durée de vie est ce qu’on appelle nimeṣa (un instant). C’est la mesure initiale du Temps, dont la nature est nombre et calcul, s’étendant jusqu’à la limite de la kalā (sa plus infime division), et au-delà. »

Word by Word

• वायुः: Vāyu
• वायुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आयुषः: of lifespan
• आयुषः: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (adverb of place)

• निमेष-आख्यम्: called ‘nimeṣa’
• निमेष-आख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निमेष (प्रातिपदिक) + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (निमेष इति आख्यम्) = ‘called nimeṣa’

• आद्यम्: the first
• आद्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मानम्: measure/unit
• मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• प्रचक्षते: they declare/call
• प्रचक्षते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• संख्या-रूपस्य: of (that) which is in the form of number
• संख्या-रूपस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• कालस्य: of time
• कालस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन

• शान्त्वतीत-कल-अवधि: the limit up to (a) kalā beyond śānti(?)
• शान्त्वतीत-कल-अवधि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शान्त्वतीत (प्रातिपदिक) + कला (प्रातिपदिक) + अवधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः; पाठभेद/संदिग्ध-सन्धिः: ‘शान्त्वतीतकलावधि’ = ‘(up to) the limit of kalā beyond/after śānti(?)’ (text uncertain)

Speaker

Vayu

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla is revered as the Lord who transcends and governs kāla; the jyotirliṅga tradition centers on Śiva as Time’s master, granting fearlessness from death and time-bound limitation.

Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for release from fear of death, mitigation of time-bound suffering, and steadiness in dharma.

Characters & Entities

• Vayu
• Kala (Time)

FAQs

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

It frames Time as something that can be measured and counted (saṃkhyārūpa), implying that the bound soul (paśu) lives within calculable time, while liberation is linked to going beyond such limitation through Shiva’s grace.

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

By defining the smallest measure of time, the verse supports disciplined worship—daily pūjā, japa, and vrata timings—where Saguna Shiva (worshiped as the Linga) is approached through regular, time-bound practice that gradually leads the devotee toward the timeless reality of Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is time-disciplined japa—counting breaths or mālā rounds while repeating the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), using measured practice to steady the mind and move toward inner stillness beyond time.