Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 4

मन्वन्तर-कल्प-प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Discourse on Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Re-creation

Devanagari script

अनादित्वादनंतत्वादज्ञेयत्वाच्च कृत्स्नशः । मन्वंतराणि कल्पाश्च न शक्या वचनात्पृथक्

Transliteration

anāditvādanaṃtatvādajñeyatvācca kṛtsnaśaḥ | manvaṃtarāṇi kalpāśca na śakyā vacanātpṛthak

Translation

Sapagkat ito’y walang pasimula, walang wakas, at lubos na lampas sa ganap na pagkaunawa, ang mga Manvantara at mga Kalpa ay hindi maihihiwalay o maibibilang nang malinaw sa pamamagitan ng pananalita.

Word by Word

• anāditvāt: because of beginninglessness
• anāditvāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anādi-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative, 5th), Ekavacana

• anantatvāt: because of endlessness
• anantatvāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ananta-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī ekavacana

• ajñeyatvāt: because of unknowability
• ajñeyatvāt: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ajñeya-tva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction)

• kṛtsnaśaḥ: entirely
• kṛtsnaśaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṛtsnaśas (अव्यय)
• Form: Prakāra-avyaya (adverb: ‘entirely/altogether’)

• manvantarāṇi: Manvantaras
• manvantarāṇi: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manvantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti (Nominative, 1st), Bahuvacana

• kalpāḥ: kalpas (aeons)
• kalpāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (conjunction)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation particle)

• śakyāḥ: possible (to be)
• śakyāḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakya (कृदन्त; śak धातु)
• Form: KyaP/Śakya (potential/gerundive), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā bahuvacana; predicate adjective for ‘manvantarāṇi kalpāḥ’ (collective)

• vacanāt: from speech/by words
• vacanāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Pañcamī vibhakti (Ablative, 5th), Ekavacana

• pṛthak: separately
• pṛthak: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pṛthak (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb: ‘separately’)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: kalpa-manvantara-ananta (innumerability of cosmic cycles)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes the immeasurable and beginningless nature of cosmic time, pointing the seeker away from mere counting of cycles and toward Shiva, the timeless Pati, as the true ground of liberation.

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

When Kalpas and Manvantaras are beyond full description, the Linga functions as a direct, graspable focus for devotion—Saguna worship that leads the mind to the Nirguna, limitless Shiva who transcends all cycles.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Rather than speculating on endless aeons, practice steady japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with inward contemplation of Shiva as beyond beginning and end; maintain purity with Tripundra and devotion as supportive disciplines.