Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

भूतरंध्रदिशश्चैव ध्वजश्च वरवर्णिनि । वामचारगतौ नादः प्रमाणं कालवेदिनः

Transliteration

bhūtaraṃdhradiśaścaiva dhvajaśca varavarṇini | vāmacāragatau nādaḥ pramāṇaṃ kālavedinaḥ

Translation

ໂອ ນາງຜູ້ມີຜິວພັນງາມ, ທິດທາງທີ່ຖືກຊີ້ໂດຍຊ່ອງຫວ່າງລະຫວ່າງສັດ/ວັດຖຸ, ທຸງເປັນໝາຍ, ແລະ ສຽງທີ່ເກີດຂຶ້ນເມື່ອເຄື່ອນໄປຕາມທາງຊ້າຍ (vāmācāra) — ສິ່ງເຫຼົ່ານີ້ແມ່ນຖືກຜູ້ຮູ້ການເຄື່ອນໄຫວແຫ່ງເວລາຮັບຮອງເປັນເຄື່ອງຊີ້ວັດທີ່ແທ້ຈິງ.

Word by Word

• भूत-रन्ध्र-दिशः: the directions (indicated) by the elemental apertures
• भूत-रन्ध्र-दिशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + रन्ध्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), बहुवचन; समासः—भूतानां रन्ध्राणि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तेषां दिशः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed / just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक निपात (particle of emphasis)

• ध्वजः: banner / sign
• ध्वजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• वर-वर्णिनि: O fair/beautiful one
• वर-वर्णिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—वरा वर्णिनी (श्रेष्ठवर्णा)

• वाम-चार-गतौ: in the course/movement of the left path
• वाम-चार-गतौ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक) + चार (प्रातिपदिक) + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—वामस्य चारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्मिन् गतिः/गतौ (सप्तमी)

• नादः: sound / resonance
• नादः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• प्रमाणम्: the criterion / proof / measure
• प्रमाणम्: Pradhāna-vākya-bhāga (विधेय/प्रमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विधेय (predicate nominative)

• काल-वेदिनः: of the knower of time
• काल-वेदिनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; समासः—कालं वेदितीति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights that a knower of kāla (time and its spiritual rhythms) reads both outer signs and inner nāda (subtle sound) as indicators for right action, aligning the seeker with Shiva’s order (ṛta) and progress toward liberation.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, practitioners observe auspicious signs and proper timing for pūjā, vrata, and pilgrimage; the verse frames such indicators as pramāṇa for those trained in discerning kāla, supporting disciplined Linga-centered practice.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditatively, it points to attending to nāda (inner resonance) as a guiding sign; ritually, it implies choosing proper direction and timing for Shiva worship—especially for vrata observances like Mahāśivarātri—under the guidance of śāstra and guru.