Shloka 12

Kṣetra–Kāla–Phala-kramaḥ

Hierarchy of Sacred Place, Time, and Ritual Fruit

Devanagari script

जन्मर्क्षे च व्रतांते च सूर्यरागोपमं विदुः । महतां संगकालश्च कोट्यर्कग्रहणं विदुः

Transliteration

janmarkṣe ca vratāṃte ca sūryarāgopamaṃ viduḥ | mahatāṃ saṃgakālaśca koṭyarkagrahaṇaṃ viduḥ

Translation

ஜன்ம நக்ஷத்திர நாளிலும், விரத முடிவிலும் செய்யும் பூஜை சூரிய கிரகணத்துக்கு ஒப்பான பலன் தரும் என ஞானிகள் கூறுவர். மேலும் மகாத்மாக்களின் சங்கக் காலம் கோடி சூரிய கிரகணப் பலனுக்கு சமம் எனச் சொல்லப்படுகிறது.

Word by Word

• janma-r̥kṣe: at the birth-asterism (natal nakṣatra)
• janma-r̥kṣe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janma (प्रातिपदिक) + r̥kṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च, अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• vrata-ante: at the end of a vow
• vrata-ante: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vrata (प्रातिपदिक) + anta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च, अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sūrya-rāga-upamam: comparable to a solar eclipse
• sūrya-rāga-upamam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + rāga (प्रातिपदिक, here ‘eclipse/obscuration’) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used predicatively

• viduḥ: they know/declare
• viduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्, धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Plural

• mahatām: of great (saintly) people
• mahatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• saṃga-kālaḥ: the time of association (with them)
• saṃga-kālaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃga (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (च, अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• koṭi-arka-grahaṇam: (equal to) a crore of solar eclipses
• koṭi-arka-grahaṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + grahaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (संख्या-सम्बन्ध); Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• viduḥ: they know/declare
• viduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (विद्, धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Plural

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Elevates satsanga (company of the great) above even extreme kāla-viśeṣa merits, implying that proximity to realized Śaiva teachers accelerates purification and receptivity to Śiva’s grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: vrata-anta (vow completion) treated as a liminal threshold; comparison to sūrya-grahaṇa and koṭi-arka-grahaṇa as hyperbolic merit scale

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It teaches that sacred timing (birth-star, vow-completion) magnifies worship, but the greatest multiplier of spiritual merit is mahat-sanga—association with realized devotees—because it awakens devotion and invites Shiva’s grace.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

In Vidyeshvara teachings, Linga-worship becomes most fruitful when performed with right occasions and, above all, under the influence of saintly company—where faith in Saguna Shiva (as the accessible Lord) becomes steady and worship turns inward toward realization.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Observe a Shiva-vrata and conclude it with dedicated worship (pūjā, japa of the Panchakshara, and charity), and prioritize satsanga—listening to Shiva-kathā and doing mantra-japa in the presence of devotees.