Shloka 18

सूर्यरथ-रचना, ध्रुव-प्रेरणा, मास-गणाः च

Jyotish-chakra: Surya’s Motion and Monthly Retinues

Devanagari script

एते वसन्ति वै सूर्ये द्वौ द्वौ मासौ क्रमेण तु आप्याययन्ति चादित्यं तेजोभिर् भास्करं शिवम्

Transliteration

ete vasanti vai sūrye dvau dvau māsau krameṇa tu āpyāyayanti cādityaṃ tejobhir bhāskaraṃ śivam

Translation

These divine beings dwell in the Sun, two months at a time, in due sequence; and by their own splendors they nourish Āditya—Bhāskara—who is Śiva Himself.

Word by Word

• एते (ete): these

• वसन्ति (vasanti): dwell, reside

• वै (vai): indeed

• सूर्ये (sūrye): in the Sun

• द्वौ द्वौ (dvau dvau): two and two

• मासौ (māsau): months

• क्रमेण (krameṇa): in order, sequentially

• तु (tu): and/indeed

• आप्याययन्ति (āpyāyayanti): they nourish, strengthen

• च (ca): and

• आदित्यं (ādityaṃ): Āditya, the Sun-god

• तेजोभिः (tejobhiḥ): by (their) radiances/energies

• भास्करं (bhāskaraṃ): Bhāskara, the illuminator

• शिवम् (śivam): Śiva, the auspicious Lord

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Aditya
• Bhaskara
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It identifies the Sun’s radiance as sustained by divine powers and culminates in a Shaiva reading: Bhāskara is Śiva, so worship of light (jyotis) becomes worship of the Linga’s inner, formless brilliance.

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

Śiva-tattva is presented as the indwelling Pati who appears as the cosmic illuminator; the visible sun is a manifest support, while Śiva remains the auspicious, sustaining consciousness behind that tejas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Surya-oriented contemplation as a Shaiva upāsanā: meditate on tejas as Śiva’s presence, aligning the pashu (soul) toward Pati through disciplined attention to the inner light (jyoti) rather than external objects.