Shloka 11

Adhyaya 61 — ग्रह-नक्षत्र-स्थाननिर्णयः

Cosmic Abodes of Luminaries and the Shaiva Order of Time

Devanagari script

शनैश्चरं तथा स्थानं देवश्चापि शनैश्चरः बौधं बुधस्तु स्वर्भानुः स्वर्भानुस्थानमाश्रितः

Transliteration

śanaiścaraṃ tathā sthānaṃ devaścāpi śanaiścaraḥ baudhaṃ budhastu svarbhānuḥ svarbhānusthānamāśritaḥ

Translation

അതുപോലെ ശനൈശ്ചര (ശനി) സ്ഥാനവും സ്ഥാപിതമാണ്; അവിടെയുള്ള ദേവതയും ശനൈശ്ചരൻ തന്നെയാണ്. ബുധൻ ബൗധ-പ്രദേശത്ത് വസിക്കുന്നു; സ്വർഭാനു (രാഹു) സ്വന്തം സ്ഥാനത്തെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് സ്വർഭാനു-ധാമത്തിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു.

Word by Word

• शनैश्चरम्: Śanaiścara/Saturn

• तथा: likewise/also

• स्थानम्: station, abode, realm

• देवः: presiding deity

• च अपि: and also

• शनैश्चरः: Śanaiścara (as the deity)

• बौधम्: the Budha-region (Mercury’s sphere)

• बुधः तु: Budha indeed

• स्वर्भानुः: Svarbhānu (Rāhu)

• स्वर्भानु-स्थानम्: Svarbhānu’s station/abode

• आश्रितः: having resorted to, dwelling in

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the cosmic arrangement as taught in the Linga Purana tradition)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shanaiścara (Saturn)
• Budha (Mercury)
• Svarbhānu (Rāhu)

FAQs

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

It frames the grahas as ordered stations within Shiva’s cosmic governance (niyati), supporting the Shaiva view that planetary forces are subordinate instruments under Pati (Shiva), approached through Shiva-centric worship rather than fear-driven propitiation.

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

By presenting fixed cosmic abodes and presiding powers, it implies Shiva-tattva as the supreme regulator: the pashu (individual soul) experiences pasha (karmic/planetary constraints) within an ordered universe ultimately ruled by Pati, the Lord beyond the grahas.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Graha-related śānti is best integrated with Shiva-pūjā—especially Linga-archana with mantra and niyama—so the practitioner internalizes discipline (yoga) and loosens pasha through devotion and right conduct aligned to Shiva’s dharma.