Shloka 6

Measurements of the Sun’s Chariot, the Wheel of Time, and the Retinues of the Solar Months; Chariots of Soma and the Grahas

Devanagari script

ह्रस्वो ऽक्षस्तद्युगार्धेन ध्रुवाधारे रथस्य वै / द्वितीये ऽक्षे तु तच्चक्रं संस्थितं मानसाचले

Transliteration

hrasvo 'kṣastadyugārdhena dhruvādhāre rathasya vai / dvitīye 'kṣe tu taccakraṃ saṃsthitaṃ mānasācale

Translation

المِحورُ قصيرٌ—نصفُ طولِ النِّير—وقد ثُبِّتَ عندَ دعامةِ القُطبِ لعربةِ الشمس. وعلى المِحورِ الثاني وُضِعَتْ تلك العجلةُ مُستقرّةً على جبلِ ماناسا.

Word by Word

• ह्रस्वः: short
• ह्रस्वः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अक्षः: axle
• अक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (युगार्धेन इत्यस्य)

• युगार्धेन: by half of the yoke
• युगार्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (युगस्य अर्धम्)

• ध्रुवाधारे: in the fixed support
• ध्रुवाधारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ध्रुवस्य आधारः)

• रथस्य: of the chariot
• रथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ/खल्वर्थ

• द्वितीये: in the second
• द्वितीये: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अक्षे इत्यस्य)

• अक्षे: on the axle
• अक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (चक्रम् इत्यस्य)

• चक्रम्: wheel
• चक्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• संस्थितम्: placed, stationed
• संस्थितम्: Kriya-visheshana / Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (चक्रम्)

• मानसाचले: on Mount Mānasa
• मानसाचले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मानसः अचलः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos functions through fixed supports and measured proportions; divine order is intelligible.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sṛṣṭi as orderly manifestation; contemplation of cosmic structure as a support for śānta-bhāva.

Application: Use the imagery for dhyāna on steadiness (dhruva) and disciplined proportion in one’s life; cultivate reverence for natural order (time, seasons, directions).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic axis / sacred mountain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.58 (Surya-ratha/solar chariot description context)

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva (Pole Star)
• Ratha (cosmic chariot)
• Mānasācala (Mount Mānasā)

FAQs

What is the importance of Dhruva (the Pole) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Dhruva as the stabilizing support-point of the cosmic chariot, indicating its role as a fixed axis around which cosmic motion is conceptualized.

How does this verse explain the structure of the cosmos?

It uses chariot imagery—yoke, axle, and wheel—to describe cosmic arrangement, locating a key wheel/point on Mānasācala and anchoring the system at Dhruva’s support.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages contemplation of order and stability in life—aligning one’s actions with a steady ‘axis’ (dharma) rather than being driven by restlessness.