Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 28

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

प्रजाः प्रजानां पतयो मूर्तयश्च सुरासुराः । इन्द्रियाणीन्द्रियार्थाश्च महाभूतानि पञ्च च

Transliteration

prajāḥ prajānāṃ patayo mūrtayaśca surāsurāḥ | indriyāṇīndriyārthāśca mahābhūtāni pañca ca

Translation

众生与众生之主；诸有形之身；天神与阿修罗；诸根与根境；以及五大（mahābhūta）——这一切（皆生起并运作）于主宰遍一切的法度之中，以湿婆为至上之主（Pati），统摄被缚之灵与其系缚。

Word by Word

• प्रजाः: creatures/subjects
• प्रजाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• प्रजानाम्: of creatures
• प्रजानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/Relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen/6th), बहुवचन (Pl)

• पतयः: lords
• पतयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• मूर्तयः: forms
• मूर्तयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सुरासुराः: gods and demons
• सुरासुराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुर + असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (सुराश्च असुराश्च); पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense organs
• इन्द्रियाणि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• इन्द्रियार्थाः: objects of the senses
• इन्द्रियार्थाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (इन्द्रियाणाम् अर्थाः = objects of the senses); पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाभूतानि: great elements
• महाभूतानि: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महानि भूतानि); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom/1st), बहुवचन (Pl)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक (numeral), अव्ययवत्/अविकारी रूप; नपुंसक-बहुवचनार्थे विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devas
• Asuras

FAQs

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

It lists the main constituents of worldly experience—beings, rulers, devas/asuras, senses, sense-objects, and the five elements—implying that all of them belong to the field of bondage (pāśa) and are ultimately governed by Śiva, the supreme Pati, who alone grants liberation.

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

By naming the senses, their objects, and the elements, the verse points to the devotee’s need to withdraw attention from external multiplicity and fix it on Saguna Śiva through Linga-worship—so the same senses become instruments of devotion rather than bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Sense-restraint (indriya-nigraha) paired with Shiva-upāsanā: apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), repeat the Pañcākṣarī mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and meditate on Śiva as the inner ruler beyond the five elements.