Shloka 11

सूर्यरश्मिस्वरूपकथनम्

Surya-Rashmi Svarupa Kathana

Devanagari script

मासाः संवत्सरश्चैव ऋतवो ऽथ युगानि च तदादित्यादृते ह्येषा कालसंख्या न विद्यते

Transliteration

māsāḥ saṃvatsaraścaiva ṛtavo 'tha yugāni ca tadādityādṛte hyeṣā kālasaṃkhyā na vidyate

Translation

మాసాలు, సంవత్సరము, ఋతువులు, యుగములు కూడా—ఆ ఆదిత్యుడు (సూర్యుడు) లేకుండా కాలగణన అసలు ఉండదు.

Word by Word

• मासाः (māsāḥ): months

• संवत्सरः (saṃvatsaraḥ): year

• च एव (ca eva): and indeed

• ऋतवः (ṛtavaḥ): seasons

• अथ (atha): also/then

• युगानि (yugāni): yugas/ages

• तत्-आदित्य (tad-āditya): that Āditya, the Sun

• अदृते (ādṛte): without/excepting

• हि (hi): indeed

• एषा (eṣā): this

• काल-संख्या (kāla-saṃkhyā): enumeration/measure of time

• न (na): not

• विद्यते (vidyate): exists/is found.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Linga Purana’s teaching on cosmic time to the sages of Naimisharanya)

Characters & Entities

• Aditya (Surya)
• Shiva

FAQs

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

It grounds Shiva-puja in cosmic order: ritual time (tithi, māsa, saṃvatsara) is practically known through the Sun, so worship follows a measurable rhythm while honoring Shiva as the Lord who is ultimately beyond time.

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

By implying that time-counting depends on Āditya, it points to a higher principle: Shiva as Pati is not limited by kāla-saṃkhyā, even though the manifest cosmos—including solar time—operates under his governance.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

It supports time-based observances—daily solar-aligned worship, vrata timing, and festival calculations—while Pashupata-oriented practice uses disciplined observance of time to finally loosen pasha (bondage) and realize the timeless Lord.