Shloka 13

सूर्यरथनिर्णयः (चन्द्रस्य पक्षवृद्धिक्षयविधानम्)

Devanagari script

पीत्वार्धमासं गच्छन्ति अमावास्यां सुरोत्तमाः पितरश्चोपतिष्ठन्ति अमावास्यां निशाकरम्

Transliteration

pītvārdhamāsaṃ gacchanti amāvāsyāṃ surottamāḥ pitaraścopatiṣṭhanti amāvāsyāṃ niśākaram

Translation

അർധമാസം പാനം ചെയ്ത ശേഷം ദേവോത്തമർ അമാവാസ്യയിൽ പുറപ്പെടുന്നു; അമാവാസ്യയിൽ പിതൃഗണങ്ങളും നിശാകരൻ (ചന്ദ്രൻ)നെ സമീപിച്ച് ഉപസ്ഥിതി-സേവ ചെയ്യുന്നു।

Word by Word

• पीत्वा (pītvā): having drunk/imbibed

• अर्धमासम् (ardhamāsam): half a month/fortnight

• गच्छन्ति (gacchanti): they go/depart

• अमावास्याम् (amāvāsyām): on the new-moon day

• सुरोत्तमाः (surottamāḥ): the best among the gods

• पितरः (pitaraḥ): the ancestors/Pitṛs

• च (ca): and

• उपतिष्ठन्ति (upatiṣṭhanti): they approach/attend upon

• निशाकरम् (niśākaram): the Moon, ‘maker of night’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana discourse to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Devas (Surottamas)
• Pitrs (Ancestors)
• Chandra (Moon / Nishakara)

FAQs

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

It situates Amāvāsyā as a ritually potent junction where subtle beings (Devas and Pitṛs) are especially proximate, making offerings, purity, and Shiva-oriented observances (especially Pitṛ-related rites performed with Shaiva devotion) spiritually efficacious.

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

Indirectly, it highlights Shiva-tattva as the transcendent order (Pati) within which cosmic cycles—lunar phases, Deva movements, and Pitṛ access—operate; aligning one’s rites on Amāvāsyā supports the Pashu (soul) in loosening Pāśa (bondage) through dharmic and devotion-centered actions.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Amāvāsyā-focused Pitṛ-kārya such as tarpaṇa and śrāddha is implied; in a Shaiva frame, these are ideally performed with Shiva-smaraṇa and Linga-oriented worship to purify the practitioner and harmonize with the fortnightly (ardhamāsa) rhythm.