Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

काष्ठांस्त्रिंशत्कला नाम कलांस्त्रिंशन्मुहूर्तकः । मुहूर्तानामपि त्रिंशदहोरात्रं प्रचक्षते

Transliteration

kāṣṭhāṃstriṃśatkalā nāma kalāṃstriṃśanmuhūrtakaḥ | muhūrtānāmapi triṃśadahorātraṃ pracakṣate

Translation

മുപ്പത് കാഷ്ഠകൾ ചേർന്ന് ‘കലാ’ എന്നു പറയുന്നു; മുപ്പത് കലകൾ ഒരു ‘മുഹൂർത്തം’; മുപ്പത് മുഹൂർത്തങ്ങൾ ചേർന്നാൽ ഒരു പൂർണ്ണ ‘അഹോരാത്രം’ (പകൽ-രാത്രി) ആകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• काष्ठान्: kāṣṭhās (a time-unit)
• काष्ठान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याविशेषण; here qualifying काष्ठान्; Numeral adjective ‘thirty’ (indeclinable-like in use)

• कलाः: kalās (a time-unit)
• कलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine, Nominative, Plural

• नाम: namely / called
• नाम: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/उपपद—‘called/namely’; Indeclinable particle

• कलान्: kalās
• कलान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine, Accusative, Plural

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; here qualifying कलान्; Numeral adjective ‘thirty’

• मुहूर्तकः: a muhūrta (time-unit)
• मुहूर्तकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मुहूर्तानाम्: of muhūrtas
• मुहूर्तानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अपि: also
• अपि: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात—‘also/even’; Indeclinable particle

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; here qualifying अहोरात्रम्; Numeral adjective ‘thirty’

• अहोरात्रम्: a day-and-night (nycthemeron)
• अहोरात्रम्: Karma/Pratipādya (कर्म/प्रातिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अहन् + रात्रि’ इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• प्रचक्षते: they declare / state
• प्रचक्षते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-चक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; Present indicative, 3rd person plural, Ātmanepada

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

By defining precise measures of time, the Purana supports disciplined Shaiva sadhana—regularity in japa, puja, and meditation—so the bound soul (paśu) can loosen the bonds (pāśa) and turn toward Shiva (Pati).

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

Linga-puja is traditionally performed at set times (muhūrtas) each day; understanding ahorātra and muhūrta helps a devotee keep steady, timely worship of Saguna Shiva, which ripens devotion and inner purity.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Maintain a fixed daily muhūrta for Panchakshara japa ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and Linga-abhiṣeka, especially at dawn and dusk, using time-discipline as a support for concentration and vow-keeping.