Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 19

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

कल्पो नाम दिवा प्रोक्तो ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः । कल्पानां वै सहस्रं च ब्राह्मं वर्षमिहोच्यते

Transliteration

kalpo nāma divā prokto brahmaṇo 'vyaktajanmanaḥ | kalpānāṃ vai sahasraṃ ca brāhmaṃ varṣamihocyate

Translation

‘Kalpa’ dinyatakan sebagai satu hari Brahmā, yang lahir dari Yang Tak-Termanifest. Seribu kalpa demikian disebut di sini sebagai satu ‘tahun Brāhma’.

Word by Word

• कल्पः: a kalpa
• कल्पः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नाम: called
• नाम: Nāmadheya-sūcaka (नामधेयसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामार्थक/परिभाषासूचक (particle: ‘called/namely’)

• दिवा: a day
• दिवा: Pradhāna (विधेय/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव्/दिवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘day’ (as a unit)

• प्रोक्तः: is said (to be)
• प्रोक्तः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘is said/called’

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• अव्यक्त-जन्मनः: whose origin is unmanifest
• अव्यक्त-जन्मनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत्पुरुष; ‘अव्यक्तं जन्म यस्य’); पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• कल्पानाम्: of kalpas
• कल्पानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• सहस्रम्: a thousand
• सहस्रम्: Pramāṇa (प्रमाण/परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक

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

• ब्राह्मम्: of Brahmā
• ब्राह्मम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘वर्षम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वर्षम्: a year
• वर्षम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देशाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb: here/in this context)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive sense): ‘is called/said’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa defined as Brahmā’s day; thousand kalpas as a Brāhma year

Characters & Entities

• Brahma

FAQs

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

It frames creation within vast, cyclic measures of time, preparing the seeker to see the universe as transient; in Shaiva Siddhanta, liberation is turning from these time-bound cycles toward Pati (Śiva), who transcends time (kāla).

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

By emphasizing the immensity and repetitiveness of cosmic cycles, the text points to the need for a stable refuge; Linga worship focuses the mind on Śiva as the enduring reality behind changing kalpas, with Saguna devotion leading the aspirant toward the timeless Nirguna truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Contemplate impermanence (anityatā) while repeating the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a daily japa practice, using the awareness of kalpa-scale time to deepen detachment and steady devotion.