Shiva Purana — Vayaviya Samhita, Shloka 5

कालमान-निर्णयः

Determination of the Measures of Time

Devanagari script

त्रिंशत्संख्यैरहोरात्रैर्मासः पक्षद्वयात्मकः । ज्ञेयं पित्र्यमहोरात्रं मासः कृष्णसितात्मकः

Transliteration

triṃśatsaṃkhyairahorātrairmāsaḥ pakṣadvayātmakaḥ | jñeyaṃ pitryamahorātraṃ māsaḥ kṛṣṇasitātmakaḥ

Translation

一月当知由三十个昼夜轮回组成，并具两半月（两 pakṣa）。当知对诸 Pitṛ（祖灵）而言，一昼夜即是一月，由黑半与白半（暗与明）构成。

Word by Word

• त्रिंशत्: thirty
• त्रिंशत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याविशेषण; here qualifying संख्यैः; Numeral adjective ‘thirty’

• संख्यैः: by the count / in number
• संख्यैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/हेतु), बहुवचन; Feminine, Instrumental, Plural

• अहोरात्रैः: by day-nights
• अहोरात्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘अहन् + रात्रि’ इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; Neuter, Instrumental, Plural

• मासः: a month
• मासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पक्षद्वयात्मकः: consisting of two fortnights
• पक्षद्वयात्मकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पक्ष + द्वय + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘पक्षद्वयस्य आत्मकः’ = consisting of two fortnights; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ज्ञेयम्: to be known (as)
• ज्ञेयम्: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + य (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (यत्/अनीयर्-भाव), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known’; here predicative with अहोरात्रम्; Gerundive, Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular

• पित्र्यम्: pertaining to the ancestors (Pitṛs)
• पित्र्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ + य (तद्धित) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तद्धित-विशेषण—‘pertaining to the Pitṛs’; Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular

• अहोरात्रम्: day-and-night
• अहोरात्रम्: Karma/Pratipādya (कर्म/प्रातिपाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अहन् + रात्रि’ इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व; Neuter, Nom/Acc Singular

• मासः: a month
• मासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कृष्णसितात्मकः: consisting of the dark and bright (fortnights)
• कृष्णसितात्मकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृष्ण + सित + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘कृष्ण’ (dark fortnight) + ‘सित’ (bright fortnight) इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व as prior member; overall ‘consisting of (both) dark and bright’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Vāyavīya teachings to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs

FAQs

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

It reveals that time is relative across realms: what humans count as a month is a single day-night for the Pitṛs. This supports the Shaiva view that cosmic order (kāla-niyati) is governed by the Lord, and that dharmic acts—especially ancestral duties—must be performed with awareness of sacred time.

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

By teaching the structure of sacred time (pakṣa, māsa) used for rites, it indirectly guides when devotees perform Linga-worship, śrāddha-related observances, and vrata practices. In Shaiva Siddhānta, Saguna Shiva is worshipped through disciplined ritual framed by correct kāla (time), reinforcing purity and efficacy.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse points toward timing-awareness for ancestral offerings (pitṛ-tarpaṇa/śrāddha) and fortnight-based observances. A practical takeaway is to maintain regular Shiva worship (Pañcākṣarī japa and Linga-abhisheka) while honoring pitṛ duties on appropriate tithis within the kṛṣṇa and śukla pakṣas.