Shloka 61

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

Devanagari script

सम्वत्सरं भवेत्तस्य मासाः षट् च प्रकीर्तिताः । चतुर्विंशद्दिनान्येव जीवितं च न संशयः

Transliteration

samvatsaraṃ bhavettasya māsāḥ ṣaṭ ca prakīrtitāḥ | caturviṃśaddinānyeva jīvitaṃ ca na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

ສໍາລັບຜູ້ນັ້ນ «ປີ» ກາຍເປັນພຽງຫົກເດືອນ; ແລະອາຍຸຂອງເຂົາຖືກກ່າວວ່າມີແຕ່ຊາວສີ່ວັນ—ບໍ່ມີຄວາມສົງໄສ.

Word by Word

• सम्वत्सरम्: a year
• सम्वत्सरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्वत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• भवेत्: would be/becomes
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• मासाः: months
• मासाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• षट्: six
• षट्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षट् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; (अव्ययवत्) प्रथमा, बहुवचनार्थे ‘मासाः’ इति विशेष्ये

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रकीर्तिताः: are declared
• प्रकीर्तिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि (क्त); कर्मणि प्रयोगः; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• चतुर्विंशत्-दिनानि: twenty-four days
• चतुर्विंशत्-दिनानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्विंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• जीवितम्: life/lifespan
• जीवितम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न: no/not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that when one falls under pāśa (bondage)—karma, ignorance, and adharma—time itself becomes oppressive: the felt ‘year’ shrinks and life becomes fragile. From a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, it urges refuge in Pati (Shiva) and dharmic living so that prāṇa, clarity, and longevity are protected.

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

The Linga worship centers the mind on Shiva as the steady Lord of Time (Kāla). By turning to Saguna Shiva through pūjā, japa, and right conduct, the devotee counters the decline described here—transforming fear of time and death into disciplined devotion oriented toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt daily Shiva-smaraṇa: Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with simple Linga-abhiṣeka and dharmic restraints (truth, non-injury, purity). If practiced, these are traditionally said to stabilize prāṇa and reduce the karmic causes that shorten life.