Shloka 18

भुवनकोशविन्यासनिर्णयः (ज्योतिर्गति-वृष्टिचक्र-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

तस्मात्प्रकृष्टां भूमिं तु कालेनाल्पेन गच्छति सूर्यो द्वादशभिः शीघ्रं मुहूर्तैर्दक्षिणायने

Transliteration

tasmātprakṛṣṭāṃ bhūmiṃ tu kālenālpena gacchati sūryo dvādaśabhiḥ śīghraṃ muhūrtairdakṣiṇāyane

Translation

Daher durchmisst die Sonne im südlichen Lauf (dakṣiṇāyana) die erhabene Region der Erde in kurzer Zeit—rasch, in zwölf Muhūrtas. Nach solchen Maßen des kāla erfährt der verkörperte paśu Wandel, während der höchste Pati—Śiva—als unveränderlicher Grund allen Zeitmaßes verbleibt.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore

• प्रकृष्टाम्: excellent, exalted

• भूमिम्: region/earth/ground

• तु: indeed

• कालेन अल्पेन: in a small (short) time

• गच्छति: goes, traverses

• सूर्यः: the Sun

• द्वादशभिः: by twelve

• शीघ्रम्: quickly

• मुहूर्तैः: by muhūrtas (time-units)

• दक्षिणायने: in the southern solstitial course (dakṣiṇāyana)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Surya

FAQs

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

It frames ritual life within precise measures of kāla (muhūrta and ayana), reminding devotees that while observances follow time, the Linga signifies Śiva as the timeless Pati who sanctifies all temporal cycles.

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

By emphasizing rapid solar motion and changing time, it implicitly contrasts the mutable world experienced by the pashu with Śiva-tattva as the unchanging lord (Pati) beyond the fluctuations of kāla.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It primarily supports kāla-nirṇaya (choosing auspicious timings) for Shiva-pūjā and vrata; yogically, it encourages Pāśupata-style viveka—discriminating the transient (time-bound) from the eternal (Śiva).