Shloka 1

भुवनकोशविन्यासनिर्णयः (ज्योतिर्गति-वृष्टिचक्र-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे भुवनकोशविन्यासनिर्णयो नाम त्रिपञ्चाशत्तमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच ज्योतिर्गणप्रचारं वै संक्षिप्याण्डे ब्रवीम्यहम् देवक्षेत्राणि चालोक्य ग्रहचारप्रसिद्धये

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge bhuvanakośavinyāsanirṇayo nāma tripañcāśattamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca jyotirgaṇapracāraṃ vai saṃkṣipyāṇḍe bravīmyaham devakṣetrāṇi cālokya grahacāraprasiddhaye

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa, in the Pūrvabhāga, begins the chapter called “The Determination of the Arrangement of the Cosmic Spheres.” Sūta said: “I shall briefly describe, within this cosmic egg, the courses of the hosts of luminaries; and, having surveyed the divine sacred regions, I shall speak so that the motions of the planets may be rightly understood.”

Word by Word

• iti: thus

• śrī-liṅga-mahāpurāṇe: in the auspicious Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa

• pūrva-bhāge: in the former section

• bhuvana-kośa-vinyāsa-nirṇayaḥ nāma: named ‘the determination of the arrangement of the world-sheaths’

• tripañcāśattamaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the fifty-third chapter (as named in the colophon)

• sūta uvāca: Sūta said

• jyotir-gaṇa-pracāram: the movement/course of the host of luminaries (sun, moon, stars)

• vai: indeed

• saṃkṣipya: concisely

• aṇḍe: within the cosmic egg (brahmāṇḍa)

• bravīmi: I speak/I shall explain

• aham: I

• deva-kṣetrāṇi: divine sacred regions/fields of the gods

• ca: and

• ālokya: having looked at/considered

• graha-cāra-prasiddhaye: for the clear understanding/establishment of planetary motions.

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Devas
• Grahas (planetary deities)

FAQs

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

It frames cosmology as part of sacred knowledge: understanding the brahmāṇḍa, divine regions, and planetary cycles supports proper timing, orientation, and reverence in Śiva-centric rites, where Pati (Śiva) is the Lord of cosmic order.

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

Though Śiva is not named explicitly, the verse presupposes a governed cosmos (niyati) within the cosmic egg—an order ultimately rooted in Pati, the supreme Lord, who is the ground of intelligibility behind luminaries, worlds, and their lawful motions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It points to dhārmic observance based on graha-cāra (planetary motions)—useful for selecting auspicious times (muhūrta) for Śiva-pūjā and vrata—rather than detailing Pāśupata Yoga directly in this opening verse.