Shloka 8

Adhyaya 61 — ग्रह-नक्षत्र-स्थाननिर्णयः

Cosmic Abodes of Luminaries and the Shaiva Order of Time

Devanagari script

वसन्ति सर्वदेवाश् च स्थानान्येतानि सर्वशः मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु ऋक्षसूर्यग्रहाश्रयाः

Transliteration

vasanti sarvadevāś ca sthānānyetāni sarvaśaḥ manvantareṣu sarveṣu ṛkṣasūryagrahāśrayāḥ

Translation

Alle Götter wohnen — überall — in diesen heiligen Stätten, durch alle Manvantaras hindurch, als tragende Stützen der Sternbilder, der Sonne und der Planeten.

Word by Word

• वसन्ति: dwell, reside

• सर्वदेवाः: all the gods

• च: and

• स्थानानि: places, abodes

• एतानि: these

• सर्वशः: in every way, everywhere

• मन्वन्तरेषु: in the Manvantaras (cosmic eras ruled by Manus)

• सर्वेषु: in all

• ऋक्ष: constellations/lunar mansions (nakṣatras)

• सूर्य: the Sun

• ग्रह: planets

• आश्रयाः: supports, resting-place, foundation

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Sarva-devas
• Surya
• Grahas
• Ṛkṣas (Nakṣatras)

FAQs

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

It frames sacred “abodes” as enduring cosmic supports across all Manvantaras—supporting the very order of sun, planets, and constellations—so Linga-oriented tīrthas and installations are understood as stabilizing dharma and cosmic rhythm under Shiva as Pati.

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

By depicting the devas as established in stable supports that uphold the celestial system, the verse points to a higher sustaining principle; in Shaiva Siddhanta this sustaining sovereignty belongs to Pati (Shiva), under whose order devas function while pashus (souls) remain bound by pasha until liberated.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

The takeaway is graha-śānti through Shiva-upāsanā: worship of Mahadeva (especially Linga-pūjā) is implied as a means to harmonize celestial influences and steady the practitioner’s pasha-bound life toward Pashupata discipline and inner alignment.