Shloka 72

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

Devanagari script

द्वात्रिंशत्प्राणसंख्या च यदा हि वहते रविः । तदा तु जीवितं तस्य द्विदिनं हि न संशयः

Transliteration

dvātriṃśatprāṇasaṃkhyā ca yadā hi vahate raviḥ | tadā tu jīvitaṃ tasya dvidinaṃ hi na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Quando se diz que o Sol carrega a medida de trinta e dois sopros, então a vida restante dessa pessoa é de apenas dois dias — disso não há dúvida.

Word by Word

• द्वात्रिंशत्-प्राण-संख्या: the count of thirty-two breaths
• द्वात्रिंशत्-प्राण-संख्या: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वात्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + प्राण (प्रातिपदिक) + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः: द्वात्रिंशत्प्राणसंख्या (तत्पुरुष; 'प्राणानां संख्या')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक)

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, temporal adverb (कालवाचक)

• हि: indeed; for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic/causal particle (निपात)

• वहते: flows; moves; carries on
• वहते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• रविः: the sun
• रविः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, correlative temporal adverb (तदा-यदा)

• तु: but; then indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adversative/contrast particle (विरोधार्थक-निपात)

• जीवितम्: life-span
• जीवितम्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• तस्य: of him/that (person)
• तस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• द्वि-दिनम्: two days
• द्वि-दिनम्: Pradhana-nama (प्रधान/subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः: द्विदिन (द्विगु)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, negation particle (निषेध)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, within Umāsaṃhitā’s discourse context)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kāla as the life-measure (prāṇa-saṃkhyā) approaching death

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Ravi)

FAQs

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

It warns that when the prāṇa’s rhythm shows a critical decline (symbolized by the Sun ‘bearing’ a fixed prāṇa-count), death may be near; therefore one should urgently take refuge in Shiva—turning awareness of impermanence into vairāgya, bhakti, and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By stressing the uncertainty of life, it directs the seeker toward immediate Shiva-upāsanā—Linga worship, japa, and devotion to Saguna Shiva—so that at life’s end the mind rests in Shiva, the Pati who releases the bound soul (paśu) from bondage (pāśa).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Mindful prāṇa-awareness with steady japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and daily Shiva worship (Linga-archana, bhasma/tripuṇḍra, rudrākṣa) to stabilize the mind and prepare for a Shiva-centered final remembrance.