Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 11
कालमान-निर्णयः
Determination of the Measures of Time
दिव्येनैव प्रमाणेन युगसंख्या प्रवर्तते । चत्वारि भारते वर्षे युगानि कवयो विदुः
divyenaiva pramāṇena yugasaṃkhyā pravartate | catvāri bhārate varṣe yugāni kavayo viduḥ
फक्त दिव्य प्रमाणानेच युगांची संख्या चालते. कवी-ऋषी जाणतात की भारतवर्षात चार युगे आहेत.
Suta Goswami
Tattva Level: pasha
Cosmic Event: Yuga-saṃkhyā introduced; four yugas in Bhārata-varṣa under divine measure
FAQs
It frames time (kāla) as governed by a divine order, reminding the seeker that worldly ages rise and fall under a higher cosmic law, while devotion to Pati (Shiva) is the stable refuge beyond changing yugas.
The four-yuga framework explains why forms of worship and dharma practices vary by age; Saguna worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—remains an accessible, age-transcending means to connect with Shiva amidst yuga-based decline in capacity.
A practical takeaway is steady daily Shiva-sādhana suited to one’s age and ability—japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and simple Linga worship—since time cycles change, but disciplined devotion can be maintained in every yuga.