Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

भुवनकोशविन्यासनिर्णयः (ज्योतिर्गति-वृष्टिचक्र-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

यदापराह्णस्त्वाग्नेय्यां पूर्वाह्णो नैरृते द्विजाः तदा त्वपररात्रश् च वायुभागे सुदारुणः

Transliteration

yadāparāhṇastvāgneyyāṃ pūrvāhṇo nairṛte dvijāḥ tadā tvapararātraś ca vāyubhāge sudāruṇaḥ

Translation

يا ذوي الولادتين، إذا ظهر وقتُ بعد الظهر على غير وجهه في جهة الجنوب الشرقي، وبدت ساعاتُ الصباح في جهة الجنوب الغربي، فعندئذٍ يغدو حتى آخرُ الليل شديدَ الهول في ناحية فايُو. إن هذا الاضطراب في الزمان والجهات يُعلَن نذيراً عاتياً، يُنبئ باضطراب الدارما وباشتداد الباشا (القيد) على الباشو (النفس المقيَّدة)، حتى يُلتمس الملجأ في باتي، الرب شيفا.

Word by Word

• yadā: when

• aparāhṇaḥ: the afternoon

• tu: indeed

• āgneyyām: in the Agni-quarter (south-east)

• pūrvāhṇaḥ: the forenoon

• nairṛte: in the Nirṛti-quarter (south-west)

• dvijāḥ: O twice-born (Brāhmaṇas)

• tadā: then

• tu: indeed

• apararātraḥ: the latter part of the night

• ca: and

• vāyubhāge: in the region/quarter of Vāyu (north-west)

• sudāruṇaḥ: extremely dreadful/terrible

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Agni
• Vayu
• Nirriti

FAQs

What is the importance of this verse in the context of Linga worship?

It frames cosmic disorder (time appearing in wrong directions) as a warning sign, implying the need for Śiva-śaraṇāgati and Linga-centered worship to restore dharma and loosen pāśa (bondage) on the pashu.

How does this verse describe the nature of Shiva (Shiva-tattva)?

By implication, Śiva is Pati—the stabilizing Lord beyond disordered kāla (time) and dik (direction). When worldly measures become inverted, the verse points to the transcendent refuge of Shiva-tattva as the ground of order.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Nimitta-śānti is suggested: propitiation of Śiva through Linga-pūjā, mantra-japa, and Pāśupata-oriented discipline to counter inauspicious portents and re-establish sattva and dharmic alignment.