Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

नैमित्तिकविधिक्रमः

Occasional Rites and Their Procedure

Devanagari script

तत्र भुक्त्वा महाभोगान्कल्पकोटिशतन्नरः । कालांतरेच्युतस्तस्मादौमं कौमारमेव च

Transliteration

tatra bhuktvā mahābhogānkalpakoṭiśatannaraḥ | kālāṃtarecyutastasmādaumaṃ kaumārameva ca

Translation

Là, après avoir goûté aux plus grands plaisirs célestes durant des centaines de crores de kalpas, lorsque le temps imparti fut accompli, cet homme déchut de ce domaine et atteignit ensuite aussi l’état Auma—Kumāra.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• भुक्त्वा: having enjoyed
• भुक्त्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having enjoyed/eaten)

• महाभोगान्: great enjoyments
• महाभोगान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महā + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान्तः भोगाः)

• कल्प-कोटि-शतम्: a hundred crores of kalpas (vast time)
• कल्प-कोटि-शतम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक-तत्पुरुषः (कल्पानां कोटयः; तासां शतम्) — कालपरिमाण-निर्देशः

• नरः: the man/person
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• काल-अन्तरे: at another time/after a time
• काल-अन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (काले अन्तरम्)

• च्युतः: having fallen/returned (from there)
• च्युतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: च्यु (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Passive Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘fallen/departed’

• तस्मात्: from that (place/state)
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• औमम्: the Auma (related to Oṃ)
• औमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: औम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (implicit पदम्/स्थानम्)

• कौमारम्: the Kaumāra (of Kumāra/Skanda)
• कौमारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कौमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (implicit पदम्/स्थानम्)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Nipata (निपात/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

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

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative; it describes the soul’s enjoyment of celestial bhoga for vast kalpic durations followed by cyuti (fall) when merit is exhausted, indicating the non-finality of heaven.

Significance: Serves as a doctrinal caution: svarga-like attainments are time-bound; only Śiva-given jñāna leads beyond cyclical ascent and descent.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: (Implicit reference) Oṃ as ‘auma’ state is named, but no full mantra is quoted.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-scale time; cyclic ascent and fall (cyuti) after exhaustion of karmic allotment

Characters & Entities

• Kumāra (Kartikeya)

FAQs

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

It teaches that even immense, kalpa-long enjoyments are finite; when merit is exhausted, one falls again. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, lasting fulfillment comes by turning from bhoga (enjoyment) to devotion and knowledge of Pati (Shiva), not by seeking temporary heavenly states.

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

The verse contrasts transient reward with higher attainment; Linga-worship and Saguna Shiva-bhakti purify the pashu (bound soul) and loosen pasha (bondage), guiding the seeker beyond cyclical rise-and-fall into steadier spiritual realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prioritize daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with Linga-abhiṣeka, and maintain Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and rudrākṣa as reminders to seek liberation rather than merely accumulating merit for temporary pleasures.