Shloka 21

Adhyaya 61 — ग्रह-नक्षत्र-स्थाननिर्णयः

Cosmic Abodes of Luminaries and the Shaiva Order of Time

Devanagari script

सोमर्क्षग्रहसूर्येषु कीर्तितास्त्वभिमानिनः स्थानान्येतान्यथोक्तानि स्थानिन्यश्चैव देवताः

Transliteration

somarkṣagrahasūryeṣu kīrtitāstvabhimāninaḥ sthānānyetānyathoktāni sthāninyaścaiva devatāḥ

Translation

ในพระจันทร์ หมู่นักษัตร ดาวเคราะห์ และพระอาทิตย์ ได้ประกาศถึงอำนาจผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งสถานีทั้งหลายว่าเป็น ‘อภิมานิน’ ดังนี้ ที่พำนักเหล่านี้ได้กล่าวไว้ตามที่เป็นจริง พร้อมทั้งเทพผู้สถิตและปกครองสถานีนั้นๆ

Word by Word

• सोम (soma): Moon

• ऋक्ष (arkṣa): lunar mansion, nakshatra

• ग्रह (graha): planet/seizer, planetary power

• सूर्य (sūrya): Sun

• -एषु (-eṣu): in/among

• कीर्तिताः (kīrtitāḥ): declared, proclaimed

• तु (tu): indeed

• अभिमानिनः (abhimāninaḥ): presiding deities/identifying governors

• स्थानानि (sthānāni): stations, abodes

• एतानि (etāni): these

• यथोक्तानि (yathoktāni): as stated/according to what was said

• स्थानिन्यः (sthāninyaḥ): those abiding in stations, resident powers

• च (ca): and

• एव (eva): also/indeed

• देवताः (devatāḥ): deities

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Soma
• Nakshatras
• Grahas
• Surya
• Devas

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as a network of ordained stations with presiding deities; in Linga-worship, the devotee offers to Shiva (Pati) while recognizing and harmonizing the subordinate cosmic powers (grahas, soma, surya) within His order.

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

By listing cosmic governors as “abhimānins,” it implies a layered hierarchy: these deities administer specific domains, whereas Shiva-tattva stands transcendent as the supreme Pati who empowers and surpasses all such stations and their rulers.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A practical takeaway is graha–nakshatra awareness in worship—timing japa, vrata, or abhiṣeka in auspicious lunar/solar contexts—while maintaining Shaiva Siddhanta priority: liberation of the pashu comes from Shiva’s grace, not from planetary powers.