Shloka 1

ग्रहसंख्यावर्णनम् — ध्रुवस्य तपोबलात् ध्रुवस्थानप्राप्तिः

Devanagari script

इति श्रीलिङ्गमहापुराणे पूर्वभागे ग्रहसंख्यावर्णनं नामैकषष्टितमो ऽध्यायः ऋषय ऊचुः कथं विष्णोः प्रसादाद्वै ध्रुवो बुद्धिमतां वरः मेढीभूतो ग्राहाणां वै वक्तुमर्हसि सांप्रतम्

Transliteration

iti śrīliṅgamahāpurāṇe pūrvabhāge grahasaṃkhyāvarṇanaṃ nāmaikaṣaṣṭitamo 'dhyāyaḥ ṛṣaya ūcuḥ kathaṃ viṣṇoḥ prasādādvai dhruvo buddhimatāṃ varaḥ meḍhībhūto grāhāṇāṃ vai vaktumarhasi sāṃpratam

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Liṅga Mahāpurāṇa, in the Pūrva-bhāga, begins the chapter called “Enumeration of the Planets.” The sages said: “Now tell us—how did Dhruva, the best among the wise, by the grace of Viṣṇu, become the fixed pivot, the cosmic axis for the planets?”}]}

Word by Word

• iti: thus

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

• pūrva-bhāge: in the former section

• graha-saṅkhyā-varṇanam: enumeration and description of the grahas (planets)

• nāma: named

• eka-ṣaṣṭitamaḥ adhyāyaḥ: the sixty-first chapter (as titled in the colophon)

• ṛṣayaḥ ūcuḥ: the sages said

• katham: how

• viṣṇoḥ prasādāt: by the favor/grace of Viṣṇu

• vai: indeed

• dhruvaḥ: Dhruva

• buddhi-matām varaḥ: the foremost among the intelligent

• meḍhī-bhūtaḥ: having become the pivot/post (axis)

• grahāṇām: of the planets

• vaktum arhasi: you are fit/ought to tell

• sāṃpratam: now/at present.

Speaker

Sages (Ṛṣayaḥ) at Naimiṣāraṇya, questioning Sūta’s narration

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Dhruva
• Grahas (planets)

FAQs

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

It frames a cosmological teaching: the universe has a stable axis (Dhruva) by divine grace, echoing the Shaiva idea that all motion and order ultimately depend on Pati (Shiva) as the unwavering ground of reality—an outlook that supports steadiness (dhruvatā) in Liṅga-upāsanā.

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

Though Shiva is not named here, the verse introduces cosmic stability and governance. In Shaiva Siddhanta terms, this stability mirrors Shiva-tattva as the immovable Pati who upholds the cosmos while souls (paśu) move within the bonds (pāśa) of time, karma, and cosmic forces.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

No direct ritual is prescribed in this line; the takeaway is contemplative: cultivate dhruva-bhāva (steadfastness) in japa and dhyāna so the paśu is not shaken by graha-related fluctuations, aligning the mind toward Pati through disciplined upāsanā.