Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 22

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

तस्य वै दिवसे यांति चतुर्दश पुरंदराः । शतानि मासे चत्वारि विंशत्या सहितानि च

Transliteration

tasya vai divase yāṃti caturdaśa puraṃdarāḥ | śatāni māse catvāri viṃśatyā sahitāni ca

Translation

En un seul de ses jours, en vérité, quatorze Indra (Puraṃdara) s’éteignent; et en un mois, quatre cent vingt Indra s’éteignent ainsi.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• दिवसे: on the day
• दिवसे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• यान्ति: go/pass (occur)
• यान्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + दश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्यापद; द्विगुसमासः (14)

• पुरंदराः: Indras (lords of heaven)
• पुरंदराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरंदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• शतानि: hundreds
• शतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन

• मासे: in a month
• मासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• चत्वारि: four
• चत्वारि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• विंशत्या: with twenty
• विंशत्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विंशति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; संख्याशब्द (instrumental)

• सहितानि: accompanied/combined
• सहितानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; विशेषण (accompanied)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: cyclic turnover of Indras within larger kalpa-time

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Purandara)

FAQs

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

It highlights the vastness of cosmic time and the impermanence of even the highest celestial offices like Indra, directing the seeker toward devotion to Shiva (Pati) as the timeless refuge beyond changing kalpas.

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

By showing that even Indra-hood is transient, the text implicitly elevates Linga-worship as devotion to Shiva’s enduring reality—Saguna Shiva as the accessible support leading the soul beyond time-bound status and power.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate Kāla (Time) and practice steady japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a daily discipline to detach from temporary attainments and seek Shiva’s grace for liberation.