Shloka 9

Kṣetra–Kāla–Phala-kramaḥ

Hierarchy of Sacred Place, Time, and Ritual Fruit

Devanagari script

विषुवे तद्दशगुणमयने तद्दश स्मृतम् । तद्दश मृगसंक्रांतौ तच्चंद्र ग्रहणे दश

Transliteration

viṣuve taddaśaguṇamayane taddaśa smṛtam | taddaśa mṛgasaṃkrāṃtau taccaṃdra grahaṇe daśa

Translation

At the equinox it yields a tenfold merit; at the solstice it is also said to be tenfold. Tenfold again at the Sun’s entry into Capricorn (Makara-saṅkrānti), and tenfold at a lunar eclipse as well.

Word by Word

• viṣuve: at the equinox
• viṣuve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣuva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tat: that (result)
• tat: Anuvāda (अनुवाद/Anaphoric reference)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; deictic ‘that/it’ referring to (phala/puṇya)

• daśa-guṇam: tenfold
• daśa-guṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular (contextual)

• ayane: at the solstice (ayana)
• ayane: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tat: that (result)
• tat: Anuvāda (अनुवाद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; anaphoric

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Pramāṇa (प्रमाण/Measure)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Indeclinable numeral used adjectivally; here ‘ten (times)’

• smṛtam: is stated
• smṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (स्मृ, धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त); Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; impersonal passive sense ‘is said/remembered’

• tat: that (result)
• tat: Anuvāda (अनुवाद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; anaphoric

• daśa: ten
• daśa: Pramāṇa (प्रमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used as multiplier; ‘ten (times)’

• mṛga-saṃkrāntau: at the Mṛga-saṅkrānti (sun’s entry into Mṛga)
• mṛga-saṃkrāntau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃkrānti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• tat: that (result)
• tat: Anuvāda (अनुवाद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative Singular; anaphoric

• candra: of the moon
• candra: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (elliptic with grahaṇe: ‘of the moon’)

• grahaṇe: at the eclipse
• grahaṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• daśa: tenfold
• daśa: Pramāṇa (प्रमाण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Numeral used as multiplier; ‘ten (times)’ (elliptic predicate)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Viśvanātha

Sthala Purana: Kāśī traditions treat viṣuva (equinox), ayana (solstice), and Makara-saṅkrānti as high-leverage thresholds for snāna-dāna-japa; the kṣetra’s Lord Viśvanātha is approached through intensified observance at these calendrical junctions.

Significance: Equinox/solstice/Makara-saṅkrānti and candra-grahaṇa are marked as tenfold multipliers for meritorious acts, encouraging disciplined vrata-like observance oriented to Śiva.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: viṣuva (equinox), ayana (solstice), Makara-saṅkrānti, candra-grahaṇa (lunar eclipse)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that sacred time (kāla) amplifies the fruit of Shiva-oriented dharma—especially worship, japa, and charity—so that practice aligned with cosmic transitions gains multiplied merit.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

The verse supports the Shaiva Purana’s emphasis that Saguna Shiva worship—particularly Linga-puja performed on highly charged calendrical moments like viṣuva, ayana, saṅkrānti, and grahaṇa—becomes especially efficacious.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Linga-abhisheka, Panchakshara japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), and give dāna on equinox/solstice/Makara-saṅkrānti/lunar eclipse, ideally with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as supportive Shaiva observances.