Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 10

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

त्रीणि वर्षशतान्येव षष्टिवर्षयुतान्यपि । दिव्यस्संवत्सरो ज्ञेयो मानुषेण प्रकीर्तितः

Transliteration

trīṇi varṣaśatānyeva ṣaṣṭivarṣayutānyapi | divyassaṃvatsaro jñeyo mānuṣeṇa prakīrtitaḥ

Translation

മൂന്നുനൂറ് വർഷങ്ങൾ—അതോടൊപ്പം അറുപത് വർഷങ്ങളും ചേർന്ന്—മനുഷ്യഗണന പ്രകാരം ഒരു ദിവ്യ സംവത്സരമെന്നു പ്രസിദ്ധീകരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.

Word by Word

• त्रीणि: three
• त्रीणि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण (numeral adjective)

• वर्ष-शतानि: hundreds of years
• वर्ष-शतानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वर्षाणां शतानि)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• षष्टि-वर्ष-युतानि: together with sixty years (i.e., plus sixty)
• षष्टि-वर्ष-युतानि: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्टिवर्षैः युतानि = accompanied by sixty years)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Addition (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय

• दिव्यः: divine
• दिव्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण

• संवत्सरः: year
• संवत्सरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संवत्सर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known/should be understood
• ज्ञेयः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle) = ‘to be known’

• मानुषेण: by a human (measure/statement)
• मानुषेण: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; करण/कर्तृ-निर्देश (by a human)

• प्रकीर्तितः: proclaimed/declared
• प्रकीर्तितः: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + कीर्त् (धातु) + क्त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: Mahākāla is famed as the Lord of Time who grants release from the fear of death; Purāṇic traditions connect Ujjayinī with Śiva’s sovereignty over kāla and the protection of devotees.

Significance: Darśana is sought for mastery over fear, longevity, and ultimately liberation through Śiva who transcends time.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Deva-year equivalence stated: 360 human years = 1 divine year

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It trains the seeker to view time from a higher, cosmic scale—loosening attachment to short-lived human measures and turning the mind toward Shiva, the Lord beyond time (kāla) who grants liberation.

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

By revealing the vastness of divine time, the text supports Linga-worship as a steady, daily discipline: the Linga signifies Shiva’s ever-present reality while human life passes quickly, urging consistent devotion and remembrance.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with contemplation on time’s impermanence—offering each day’s limited span to Shiva through mantra and simple Linga-pūjā.