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Shloka 31

Solar Rays, Planetary Nourishment, Dhruva-Bondage of the Grahas, and the Lunar Cycle

क्षीणायितं सुरैः सोममाप्यायति नित्यदा / एकेन रश्मिना विप्राः सुषुम्नाख्येन भास्करः

kṣīṇāyitaṃ suraiḥ somamāpyāyati nityadā / ekena raśminā viprāḥ suṣumnākhyena bhāskaraḥ

ഹേ വിപ്രന്മാരേ, ദേവന്മാർ ‘പാനം’ ചെയ്തതിനാൽ സോമൻ ക്ഷീണിക്കുമ്പോൾ, ഭാസ്കരൻ ‘സുഷുമ്നാ’ എന്ന ഒരേയൊരു കിരണത്താൽ അവനെ നിത്യവും പൂരിപ്പിച്ച് പോഷിക്കുന്നു.

kṣīṇāyitammade diminished / waned
kṣīṇāyitam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootkṣīṇāy (क्षीणाय् धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त, PPP); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively with somam
suraiḥby the gods
suraiḥ:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsura (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन)
somamthe Moon
somam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootsoma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)
āpyāyatinourishes / causes to wax
āpyāyati:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootāpyai (आप्यै/आप्याय् धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
nityadāalways
nityadā:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootnityadā (अव्यय)
FormIndeclinable; adverb of time (कालवाचक)
ekenawith one
ekena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); qualifies raśminā
raśmināby a ray
raśminā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootraśmi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)
viprāḥO sages
viprāḥ:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootvipra (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Plural (बहुवचन)
suṣumnā-ākhyenacalled ‘Suṣumnā’
suṣumnā-ākhyena:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsuṣumnā (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine/Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (suṣumnāyāḥ ākhya = 'named Suṣumnā'); qualifies raśminā
bhāskaraḥthe Sun
bhāskaraḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhāskara (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse to the sages/brāhmaṇas)

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

S
Soma (Moon)
S
Surāḥ (Devas)
B
Bhāskara (Sun)
S
Suṣumnā (solar ray)

FAQs

Indirectly, it points to an ordered, law-governed cosmos (ṛta) where celestial processes are sustained by a higher regulating principle—often read in Purāṇic theology as the Lord’s governance underlying visible phenomena.

No practice is taught explicitly, but the term “Suṣumnā” invites a yogic resonance: just as a central channel is pivotal in Yoga-shāstra, a single ‘central’ ray is described as sustaining Soma—supporting contemplations on inner–outer correspondences used in meditative reflection.

The verse is primarily cosmological, yet it fits the Kurma Purana’s synthetic vision: the same supreme governance that devotees attribute to Hari or Hara is shown as maintaining cosmic balance through the Sun–Moon cycle.