Shloka 41

Devanagari script

आयुषः खंडखंडानि निपतंति तदग्रतः । अहोरात्रोपदेशेन किमर्थं नावबुध्यते

Transliteration

āyuṣaḥ khaṃḍakhaṃḍāni nipataṃti tadagrataḥ | ahorātropadeśena kimarthaṃ nāvabudhyate

Translation

ಆಯುಷ್ಯದ ತುಂಡು ತುಂಡುಗಳು ಕಣ್ಣೆದುರೇ ಬೀಳುತ್ತಿವೆ; ಹಗಲು-ರಾತ್ರಿ ನಿರಂತರ ಬೋಧಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರೂ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಏಕೆ ಎಚ್ಚರಗೊಳ್ಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ?

Word by Word

• आयुषः: of life
• आयुषः: सम्बन्ध (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचनम्

• खण्ड-खण्डानि: fragments (piece by piece)
• खण्ड-खण्डानि: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + खण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (कर्ता/Nominative), बहुवचनम्; द्वन्द्व-समासः (पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः: ‘pieces and pieces’ = many fragments)

• निपतन्ति: fall down
• निपतन्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, बहुवचनम्

• तत्: its/that
• तत्: सम्बन्ध (Qualifier/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (सम्बन्ध/Genitive), एकवचनम्; ‘अग्रतः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अग्रतः: before (one’s eyes)
• अग्रतः: अधिकरण (Adverbial locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अग्रतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देश/काल-अर्थे अव्ययम् (adverb: ‘in front/before’)

• अहोरात्र-उपदेशेन: by the instruction of day and night (i.e., constant teaching)
• अहोरात्र-उपदेशेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक) + उपदेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-विभक्तिः (करण/Instrumental), एकवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘अहोरात्रस्य उपदेशः’)

• किमर्थम्: why
• किमर्थम्: सम्बन्ध (Interrogative/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्न-अव्ययम् (interrogative adverb); तत्पुरुष-समासः (‘कस्य अर्थः’ → ‘for what reason’)

• न: not
• न: सम्बन्ध (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्ययम् (negative particle)

• अवबुध्यते: is understood/realized
• अवबुध्यते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), आत्मनेपदम्, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोगः (passive-like: ‘is understood’)

Speaker

Lord Shiva (teaching Umā/Parvati in the Umāsaṃhitā’s philosophical instruction)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla signifies Śiva as Time itself; the verse’s imagery of lifespan fragmenting before one’s eyes resonates with Mahākāla’s lordship over kāla and mṛtyu (though this verse is not a direct Mahākāleśvara site-māhātmya).

Significance: Contemplation of time’s erosion of life inspires vairāgya and Śiva-śaraṇāgati; Mahākāleśvara darśana is traditionally sought for fearlessness before death and steadiness in dharma.

Ritual Elements

Offering: dipa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It teaches vairāgya: time visibly consumes life, so the pashu (bound soul) should awaken from negligence, turn inward, and seek Pati (Shiva) for liberation rather than wasting life in pasha (bondage).

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

By stressing life’s rapid decline, the verse urges immediate turning to Saguna Shiva worship—Linga-pūjā, japa, and devotion—so that the mind becomes fit for Shiva’s grace and the realization of the higher (nirguṇa) truth.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily Shiva-sādhana without delay—Pañcākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), brief dhyāna on Shiva, and simple Linga worship (with bhasma/rudrākṣa if one follows those observances) as a response to time’s constant warning.