Shloka 9

Adhyaya 72 — Puradāha: Rudra’s Cosmic Chariot, Pāśupata-Vrata, and Brahmā’s Shiva-Stuti

Devanagari script

निमेषाश्चानुकर्षाश् च ईषा चास्य लवाः स्मृताः द्यौर्वरूथं रथस्यास्य स्वर्गमोक्षावुभौ ध्वजौ

Transliteration

nimeṣāścānukarṣāś ca īṣā cāsya lavāḥ smṛtāḥ dyaurvarūthaṃ rathasyāsya svargamokṣāvubhau dhvajau

Translation

The blinks of an eye and the successive moments are known as its measures of time; its pole is the subtle instants (lavāḥ). The sky itself is the chariot-cover of this chariot, and its two banners are heaven and liberation—svarga and mokṣa.

Word by Word

• निमेषाः (nimeṣāḥ): blinks of the eye (minute instants of time)

• च (ca): and

• अनुकर्षाः (anukarṣāḥ): successive pulls/continuations (successive moments, temporal sequences)

• ईषा (īṣā): pole/shaft of a chariot

• च (ca): and

• अस्य (asya): of this

• लवाः (lavāḥ): tiny instants/atoms of time

• स्मृताः (smṛtāḥ): are remembered/are taught

• द्यौः (dyauḥ): the sky/heaven

• वरूथम् (varūtham): covering/armour/canopy

• रथस्य (rathasya): of the chariot

• अस्य (asya): of this

• स्वर्गमोक्षौ (svarga-mokṣau): heaven and liberation

• उभौ (ubhau): both

• ध्वजौ (dhvajau): banners/standards

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages of Naimisharanya, preserving an internal teaching on cosmic symbolism)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It frames time itself (from nimeṣa to lava) as part of a sacred cosmic order, encouraging the devotee to turn Linga-puja from mere svarga-seeking merit toward moksha-oriented worship of Pati (Shiva).

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

By mapping the cosmos and time onto a single symbolic “chariot,” it implies Shiva as the Lord of Kāla and the ground in which both worldly attainment (svarga) and transcendence (moksha) are signified—Pati who can free the pashu from pasha.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Time-discipline in practice: mindful regulation of moments (nimeṣa/lava) through japa, dhyāna, and Pashupata-oriented inwardness, so that worship aims beyond ritual merit toward liberation.