Shloka 21

Adhyaya 59 — सूर्याद्यभिषेककथनम्

Surya and Related Abhisheka/ Cosmological Determinations

Devanagari script

यश्चासौ तपते सूर्यः पिबन्नंभो गभस्तिभिः पार्थिवाग्निविमिश्रो ऽसौ दिव्यः शुचिरिति स्मृतः

Transliteration

yaścāsau tapate sūryaḥ pibannaṃbho gabhastibhiḥ pārthivāgnivimiśro 'sau divyaḥ śuciriti smṛtaḥ

Translation

തപിച്ചു ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന ആ സൂര്യൻ തന്റെ കിരണങ്ങളാൽ ജലം പാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു; പാർത്ഥിവാഗ്നിയോടു മിശ്രിതനായിട്ടും അവൻ ദിവ്യനും സ്വഭാവതഃ ശുചിയുമെന്നു സ്മൃതനാണ്।

Word by Word

• यः (yaḥ): who

• च (ca): and

• असौ (asau): that (one)

• तपते (tapate): burns, shines with heat

• सूर्यः (sūryaḥ): the Sun

• पिबन् (piban): drinking, absorbing

• अम्भः (ambhaḥ): water

• गभस्तिभिः (gabhastibhiḥ): with rays

• पार्थिव (pārthiva): terrestrial, earthly

• अग्नि (agni): fire

• विमिश्रः (vimiśraḥ): mixed, blended

• दिव्यः (divyaḥ): divine, celestial

• शुचिः (śuciḥ): pure

• इति (iti): thus

• स्मृतः (smṛtaḥ): is remembered/declared.

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Agni

FAQs

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

It establishes a Shaiva framework for ritual purity: Surya and Agni are inherently purifying forces, supporting the idea that external shuddhi (cleanliness) and inner tapas prepare the devotee (pashu) for Linga-puja directed to Pati (Shiva).

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

By declaring the Sun “divine and pure” due to its power to absorb and transform, the verse mirrors Shiva-tattva as the supremely pure Pati who consumes impurities (pāśa) and enables the soul’s purification and liberation.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It points to tapas and tattva-shuddhi: the purifying disciplines associated with heat (agni) and solar energy (surya), which parallel Pashupata-oriented inner purification before worship and mantra-japa.