Shloka 51

Adhyaya 61 — ग्रह-नक्षत्र-स्थाननिर्णयः

Cosmic Abodes of Luminaries and the Shaiva Order of Time

Devanagari script

ताराग्रहाणां शुक्रस्तु केतूनां चापि धूमवान् ध्रुवः किल ग्रहाणां तु विभक्तानां चतुर्दिशम्

Transliteration

tārāgrahāṇāṃ śukrastu ketūnāṃ cāpi dhūmavān dhruvaḥ kila grahāṇāṃ tu vibhaktānāṃ caturdiśam

Translation

ในหมู่เคราะห์แห่งดวงดาว ศุกระ (ดาวศุกร์) ถูกประกาศว่าเป็นประธาน; ในหมู่เกตุ (ดาวหาง) ธูมวานก็เป็นหัวหน้าเช่นกัน และธรุวะเป็นผู้กำกับอันมั่นคงของเคราะห์ทั้งหลายที่แบ่งไปสู่สี่ทิศ

Word by Word

• तारा-ग्रहाणाम्: of the star-like planets/luminaries

• शुक्रः: Śukra (Venus)

• तु: indeed

• केतूनाम्: of comets/meteors (ketus)

• च अपि: and also

• धूमवान्: Dhūmavān (the smoky one, a named comet)

• ध्रुवः: Dhruva (Pole Star, the fixed one)

• किल: indeed/it is said

• ग्रहाणाम्: of the planets/grahas

• तु: and/indeed

• विभक्तानाम्: of those distributed/apportioned

• चतुर्दिशम्: toward the four directions/quarters

Speaker

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

Characters & Entities

• Shukra
• Dhruva
• Dhumavan

FAQs

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

It frames the cosmos as an ordered system (niyati/ṛta). In Linga worship, the devotee aligns the pashu (individual soul) with Shiva as Pati—the sustainer of cosmic order—so ritual becomes an act of harmonizing oneself with that divine governance.

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

Though Shiva is not named here, the verse points to a universe regulated by fixed principles (Dhruva as “the fixed one”). In Shaiva Siddhanta, such stability and lawful distribution of powers reflects Shiva-tattva as the supreme regulator who holds the directions, time, and movements under His sovereignty.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

A direct ritual is not specified; the takeaway supports dik-bandhana and orientation in Shiva-puja (establishing the quarters) and yogic steadiness (dhruvatā)—fixing awareness on the unmoving Pati to loosen pasha (bondage) that scatters the mind.