Shloka 42

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

Jyotish-chakra: Surya’s Motion and Monthly Retinues

Devanagari script

गीतैरेनमुपासन्ते गन्धर्वा द्वादशोत्तमाः कृतस्थलाद्या रंभान्ता दिव्याश्चाप्सरसो रविम्

Transliteration

gītairenamupāsante gandharvā dvādaśottamāḥ kṛtasthalādyā raṃbhāntā divyāścāpsaraso ravim

Translation

With songs, the twelve foremost Gandharvas worship him—Ravi, the Sun; and the divine Apsarases too, from Kṛtasthalā at the beginning to Rambhā at the end, attend upon Ravi in reverent adoration.

Word by Word

• गीतैः (gītaiḥ): with songs

• एनम् (enam): him

• उपासन्ते (upāsante): worship, adore

• गन्धर्वाः (gandharvāḥ): Gandharvas (celestial musicians)

• द्वादशोत्तमाः (dvādaśa-uttamāḥ): twelve, the foremost

• कृतस्थलाद्याः (kṛtasthalā-ādyāḥ): beginning with Kṛtasthalā

• रंभान्ताः (raṃbhā-antāḥ): ending with Rambhā

• दिव्याः (divyāḥ): divine, celestial

• च (ca): and

• अप्सरसः (apsarasaḥ): Apsarases (celestial nymphs)

• रविम् (ravim): Ravi, the Sun

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Surya)
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases
• Kṛtasthalā
• Rambhā

FAQs

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

It shows that even exalted cosmic powers like Ravi are approached through upāsanā (devotional attendance) by celestial beings; in a Shaiva frame, such Deva-worship is ultimately harmonized under Pati (Shiva), the inner ruler of all luminaries.

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

Indirectly: the ordered devotion of Gandharvas and Apsarases to Ravi points to a cosmos governed by a higher tattva—Pati—who empowers the Devas; Shiva-tattva is the transcendent ground by which cosmic functions (like the Sun’s radiance) are sustained.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Gīta-stuti (worship through sacred song) is highlighted—an upāsanā mode that disciplines speech and mind; as a Shaiva sādhana, it supports purification of the pashu (individual soul) from pasha (bondage) through focused devotion.