Shloka 23

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

Jyotish-chakra: Surya’s Motion and Monthly Retinues

Devanagari script

सहःसहस्यौ च तथा तपस्यश् च तपः पुनः एते द्वादश मासास्तु वर्षं वै मानुषं द्विजाः

Transliteration

sahaḥsahasyau ca tathā tapasyaś ca tapaḥ punaḥ ete dvādaśa māsāstu varṣaṃ vai mānuṣaṃ dvijāḥ

Translation

സഹയും സഹസ്യയും; അതുപോലെ തപസ്യയും വീണ്ടും തപയും—ഇവയാണ് പന്ത്രണ്ട് മാസങ്ങൾ; ഹേ ദ്വിജന്മാരേ, ഇതുതന്നെ മനുഷ്യവർഷം ആകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• सहः (sahaḥ): Saha (a month-name)

• सहस्यौ (sahasyau): Sahasya (a month-name)

• च (ca): and

• तथा (tathā): likewise

• तपस्यः (tapasyaḥ): Tapasya (a month-name)

• च (ca): and

• तपः (tapaḥ): Tapa (a month-name)

• पुनः (punaḥ): again/further

• एते (ete): these

• द्वादश (dvādaśa): twelve

• मासाः (māsāḥ): months

• तु (tu): indeed

• वर्षम् (varṣam): year

• वै (vai): certainly

• मानुषम् (mānuṣam): human (as reckoned by humans)

• द्विजाः (dvijāḥ): O twice-born (Brahmins/initiated)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

FAQs

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

It fixes the traditional month-cycle used to time vrata, dāna, and Linga-pūjā observances, grounding Shaiva ritual life in an ordered, dharmic calendar.

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

Indirectly: by defining human time (mānuṣa-varṣa), it contrasts measured time with Shiva as Pati—transcendent over kāla—whom the pashu approaches through disciplined observance within time.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Seasonal discipline—planning vrata and pūjā by months—supporting steadiness (niyama) for Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā and regular Linga-arcana.