Shloka 13

सूर्यरथनिर्णयः (चन्द्रस्य पक्षवृद्धिक्षयविधानम्)

Devanagari script

पीत्वार्धमासं गच्छन्ति अमावास्यां सुरोत्तमाः पितरश्चोपतिष्ठन्ति अमावास्यां निशाकरम्

Transliteration

pītvārdhamāsaṃ gacchanti amāvāsyāṃ surottamāḥ pitaraścopatiṣṭhanti amāvāsyāṃ niśākaram

Translation

Am Tag der Amāvāsyā (Neumond) ziehen die erhabensten Devas fort, nachdem sie ein halbes Monatmaß „getrunken“ haben; und an Amāvāsyā treten auch die Pitṛs herzu und stehen der Mondscheibe (Niśākara) bei.

Word by Word

• पीत्वा (pītvā): having drunk/imbibed

• अर्धमासम् (ardhamāsam): half a month/fortnight

• गच्छन्ति (gacchanti): they go/depart

• अमावास्याम् (amāvāsyām): on the new-moon day

• सुरोत्तमाः (surottamāḥ): the best among the gods

• पितरः (pitaraḥ): the ancestors/Pitṛs

• च (ca): and

• उपतिष्ठन्ति (upatiṣṭhanti): they approach/attend upon

• निशाकरम् (niśākaram): the Moon, ‘maker of night’

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Devas (Surottamas)
• Pitrs (Ancestors)
• Chandra (Moon / Nishakara)

FAQs

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

It situates Amāvāsyā as a ritually potent junction where subtle beings (Devas and Pitṛs) are especially proximate, making offerings, purity, and Shiva-oriented observances (especially Pitṛ-related rites performed with Shaiva devotion) spiritually efficacious.

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

Indirectly, it highlights Shiva-tattva as the transcendent order (Pati) within which cosmic cycles—lunar phases, Deva movements, and Pitṛ access—operate; aligning one’s rites on Amāvāsyā supports the Pashu (soul) in loosening Pāśa (bondage) through dharmic and devotion-centered actions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Amāvāsyā-focused Pitṛ-kārya such as tarpaṇa and śrāddha is implied; in a Shaiva frame, these are ideally performed with Shiva-smaraṇa and Linga-oriented worship to purify the practitioner and harmonize with the fortnightly (ardhamāsa) rhythm.