Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्पर्वणि सा रेखा दृश्यते भृंगसन्निभा । तत्तिथौ हि मृतिर्ज्ञेया कृष्णे शुक्ले तथा प्रिये

Transliteration

tasminparvaṇi sā rekhā dṛśyate bhṛṃgasannibhā | tattithau hi mṛtirjñeyā kṛṣṇe śukle tathā priye

Translation

Pada parvan itu tampak sebuah garis laksana lebah hitam. Wahai kekasih, pada tithi itulah kematian dipahami sebagai pertanda—baik pada paruh gelap (kṛṣṇa) maupun paruh terang (śukla).

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (masc/neut), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• पर्वणि: at the joint/segment
• पर्वणि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• सा: that (she/that one)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम

• रेखा: line
• रेखा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular); कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense: is seen)

• भृङ्ग-सन्निभा: resembling a bee
• भृङ्ग-सन्निभा: Karta (कर्ता) — रेखा-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृङ्ग + सन्निभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); उपमान-तत्पुरुष (simile: like a bee)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण) — तिथौ-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); सर्वनाम; तिथौ इति पदस्य विशेषण

• तिथौ: on the lunar day (tithi)
• तिथौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतु-भाव (emphasis/indeed)

• मृतिः: death
• मृतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular)

• ज्ञेया: to be known/understood
• ज्ञेया: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa / Vidheya (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (singular); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate: to be known)

• कृष्णे: in the dark (fortnight)
• कृष्णे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); पक्ष-विशेषणार्थ (in the dark fortnight)

• शुक्ले: in the bright (fortnight)
• शुक्ले: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); पक्ष-विशेषणार्थ (in the bright fortnight)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), समुच्चय/तुल्यत्व (likewise/also)

• प्रिये: O dear one
• प्रिये: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), सम्बोधन (Vocative/8th), एकवचन (singular)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla is the Lord of Time who subdues death; in Ujjayinī, Śiva is famed as Mahākāleśvara, where devotion is said to grant protection from untimely death and fear of Yama. This verse’s death-omen (mṛti-nimitta) thematically aligns with Mahākāla’s domain though it is not a direct site narrative.

Significance: Seeking relief from fear of death, time-bound suffering, and for śānti regarding mortality; worship of Mahākāla is traditionally associated with kāla-doṣa and mṛtyu-bhaya nivṛtti.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Parvan/tithi-based liminality (critical lunar juncture) used as a temporal marker for nimitta; no eclipse/mahāpralaya specified.

FAQs

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

It highlights impermanence and the role of time (kāla) as a power under Shiva’s lordship; recognizing signs in time is meant to turn the mind toward devotion, detachment, and reliance on Pati (Shiva) rather than fear.

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

When time appears threatening (death-indicating tithi), Shaiva practice redirects attention to Saguna Shiva as the compassionate Lord who grants protection and right understanding; Linga-worship and japa anchor the mind in Shiva as the transcendent ruler of kāla.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Observe the tithi with increased japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), perform simple Linga-pūjā with water and bilva, and contemplate Shiva as kālātīta (beyond time) to dissolve anxiety and strengthen vairāgya.