Linga Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

भुवनकोशविन्यासनिर्णयः (ज्योतिर्गति-वृष्टिचक्र-वर्णनम्)

Devanagari script

त्रिंशन्मुहूर्तैर् एवाहुर् अहोरात्रं पुराविदः उभयोः काष्ठयोर्मध्ये भ्रमतो मण्डलानि तु

Transliteration

triṃśanmuhūrtair evāhur ahorātraṃ purāvidaḥ ubhayoḥ kāṣṭhayormadhye bhramato maṇḍalāni tu

Translation

古贤宣说：一昼一夜（ahorātra）为三十牟呼尔多；而在两“刹多”（kāṣṭhā）所标示的间隙之中，诸圆轮之周期（maṇḍala）被说为旋转运行。

Word by Word

• त्रिंशन् (triṁśan): thirty

• मुहूर्तैः (muhūrtaiḥ): by muhūrtas / in units of muhūrta

• एव (eva): indeed

• आहुः (āhuḥ): they say / declare

• अहोरात्रम् (ahorātram): day-and-night (a full nychthemeron)

• पुराविदः (purāvidaḥ): ancient sages / those who know the old tradition

• उभयोः (ubhayoḥ): of the two

• काष्ठयोः (kāṣṭhayoḥ): kāṣṭhā-units (a small division of time)

• मध्ये (madhye): in the middle / within

• भ्रमतः (bhramataḥ): revolving / turning about

• मण्डलानि (maṇḍalāni): circles, cycles, revolutions (celestial rounds)

• तु (tu): and / indeed.

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Linga Purana cosmology to the sages at Naimisharanya)

FAQs

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

It frames worship within sacred time: knowing ahorātra and muhūrta supports proper scheduling of Shiva-pūjā, vrata, and japa so the pashu (soul) aligns its practice with cosmic order upheld by Pati (Shiva).

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

By describing measurable cycles (muhūrta, kāṣṭhā, maṇḍala), the text points to time as an ordered power in creation—yet, in Shaiva Siddhanta, Shiva as Mahākāla remains the transcendent ground beyond these revolutions while also regulating them as Lord.

What ritualistic or Yogic practice is highlighted here?

Time-discipline: selecting muhūrta for pūjā, maintaining daily sādhana across ahorātra, and using awareness of cyclic time as a support for Pāśupata-style steadiness (niyama) and mantra-japa.