Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 7

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

मासैस्तैरयनं षड्भिर्वर्षं द्वे चायनं मतम् । लौकिकेनैव मानेन अब्दो यो मानुषः स्मृतः

Transliteration

māsaistairayanaṃ ṣaḍbhirvarṣaṃ dve cāyanaṃ matam | laukikenaiva mānena abdo yo mānuṣaḥ smṛtaḥ

Translation

Par ces mois, un ayana (demi-année) se compose de six; et par deux ayanas on comprend une année. Selon la mesure ordinaire du monde, cette année est tenue pour l’année humaine.

Word by Word

• मासैः: by months
• मासैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन

• तैः: by those
• तैः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; विशेषण (मासैः)

• अयनम्: half-year (ayana)
• अयनम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• षड्भिः: with six
• षड्भिः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षड् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (सामान्यतः नपुंसक/पुं), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (मासैः)

• वर्षम्: a year
• वर्षम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; संख्या-विशेषण (अयने)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• अयनम्: ayana (half-year)
• अयनम्: कर्म/विषय (Object/Topic)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• मतम्: is considered
• मतम्: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) + मत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त) ‘मत’ from √मन्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• लौकिकेन: worldly, conventional
• लौकिकेन: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (मानेन)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• मानेन: by measure/standard
• मानेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन

• अब्दः: a year
• अब्दः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

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

• मानुषः: human
• मानुषः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (अब्दः/यः)

• स्मृतः: is called/remembered as
• स्मृतः: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + स्मृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/त) from √स्मृ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate)

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 frames human time as a conventional measure, preparing the mind to see time as relative and subordinate to the highest Reality (Pati, Shiva), who transcends temporal divisions while still governing them as Lord of cosmic order.

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

Linga-worship is performed within measured time—months, ayanas, and years—yet it points beyond time to Shiva as the timeless ground. Thus, calendrical discipline supports Saguna devotion while revealing the Nirguna truth of Shiva’s transcendence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Keep vrata and japa in alignment with sacred calendrical cycles (ayana, month, year)—steady Panchakshara japa and regular puja—so discipline in time becomes a support for inward yoga and devotion to Shiva.