Shloka 17

मेरुवर्णनम्—प्रमाण, दिग्विभाग, देवपुरी-विमान-निवासाः

Devanagari script

नैरृते कृष्णवर्णा च तथा शुद्धवती शुभा तादृशी गन्धवन्ती च वायव्यां दिशि शोभना

Transliteration

nairṛte kṛṣṇavarṇā ca tathā śuddhavatī śubhā tādṛśī gandhavantī ca vāyavyāṃ diśi śobhanā

Translation

Sa timog-kanluran (nairṛti), siya’y maitim ang kulay ngunit dalisay at mapalad; at sa hilog-kanluran (vāyavya), siya nama’y mabango at maningning—marikit sa dakong iyon.

Word by Word

• नैरृते: in the south-west direction

• कृष्णवर्णा: dark-complexioned

• च: and

• तथा: likewise

• शुद्धवती: possessing purity

• शुभा: auspicious

• तादृशी: of that same nature/so too

• गन्धवन्ती: fragrant

• च: and

• वायव्याम् दिशि: in the north-west direction

• शोभना: splendid/beautiful

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purana to the sages at Naimisharanya; contextual attribution)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti

FAQs

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

It encodes auspicious directional markers—color, purity, and fragrance—used to align Linga-puja with cosmic order (dik-tattva), supporting śuddhi (purification) and śubha (auspiciousness) in worship.

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

Through Shakti’s directional manifestations—dark yet pure, fragrant and radiant—it suggests Shiva-tattva as Pati whose power (Shakti) pervades all quarters, transforming even ‘darkness’ into auspicious purity.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Puja-vidhi implications: selecting/observing direction (dik), maintaining purity (śuddhi), and using fragrance (gandha) as upacāra—outer discipline that mirrors inner purification in Pāśupata practice.