Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

रौरवानुगतं भद्र ध्वनिं नाकर्णयेद्द्रुतम् । षण्मासाभ्यंतरे मृत्युर्ज्ञातव्यः कालवेदिभिः

Transliteration

rauravānugataṃ bhadra dhvaniṃ nākarṇayeddrutam | ṣaṇmāsābhyaṃtare mṛtyurjñātavyaḥ kālavedibhiḥ

Translation

Hỡi bậc cát tường, nếu một người bỗng nghe một âm thanh kèm tiếng kêu ghê rợn như raurava, thì những ai biết các dấu hiệu của Thời Gian nên hiểu rằng cái chết sẽ đến—trong vòng sáu tháng.

Word by Word

• रौरव-अनुगतम्: (sound) accompanied by a dreadful/raurava (cry)
• रौरव-अनुगतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुगत (कृदन्त; √गम् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; कृदन्त-भूतकृदन्त/क्त (past passive participle) ‘अनुगत’ = ‘followed by’

• भद्र: O auspicious one / O noble one
• भद्र: Sambodhana (संबोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/संबोधन), एकवचन

• ध्वनिम्: sound
• ध्वनिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha/Modifier (विशेषण-भाव)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• आकर्णयेत्: should hear
• आकर्णयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कर्णय्/√कर्ण (धातु; ‘to hear’)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधि), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: आ-

• द्रुतम्: quickly
• द्रुतम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• षण्मास-अभ्यन्तरे: within six months
• षण्मास-अभ्यन्तरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षण्मास (प्रातिपदिक; षट्+मास, द्विगु) + अभ्यन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘within six months’

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• ज्ञातव्यः: is to be known
• ज्ञातव्यः: Vidheyavisheshana (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ज्ञा (धातु) + तव्यत् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त-तव्यत् (gerundive/future passive participle) = ‘to be known’

• काल-वेदिभिः: by the knowers of time
• काल-वेदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन; ‘by those who know time’

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī’s Lord Viśvanātha is famed as the giver of tāraka-upadeśa at death; ominous sounds and fear are countered by remembrance of Śiva as the liberator at the final moment.

Significance: Sought for fearlessness at death and for the ‘tāraka’ grace; hearing/reciting Śiva’s names is held to sanctify the last hearing (śravaṇa).

Mantra Metadata

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: dhupa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse frames Kāla (Time) as an instrument of cosmic order: recognizing portents can awaken vairāgya (detachment) and turn the mind toward Shiva, the Lord who transcends fear and death.

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

As omens remind one of mortality, Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—becomes a refuge: devotion and surrender to Shiva purify the pashu (bound soul) and loosen pasha (bondage) under Kāla.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Use the warning as a prompt for steady japa of the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), regular Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) application, and Shiva-smaraṇa to cultivate inner fearlessness and readiness for spiritual release.