Shloka 17

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

उदितो वर्धमानाभिर् आमध्याह्नात् तपन् रविः ततः परं ह्रसन्तीभिर् गोभिर् अस्तं नियच्छति

Transliteration

udito vardhamānābhir āmadhyāhnāt tapan raviḥ tataḥ paraṃ hrasantībhir gobhir astaṃ niyacchati

Translation

উদিত হৈ তপন ৰবি ক্ৰমে বঢ়ি অহা কিৰণৰ সৈতে মধ্যাহ্নলৈ আগবাঢ়ে; তাৰ পিছত ক্ৰমে হ্ৰাস পোৱা কিৰণৰ সৈতে তাক অস্তলৈ নিয়া হয়।

Word by Word

उदितःrisen

वर्धमानाभिःby increasing (rays)

आup to

मध्याह्नात्from midday (i.e., until midday)

तपन्burning/shining

रविःthe Sun

ततःthen/thereafter

परम्further/after that

ह्रसन्तीभिःby diminishing (rays)

गोभिःby the rays (lit. cows)

अस्तम्to setting (sunset)

नियच्छतिrestrains/causes to go down

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Characters & Entities

Surya (Ravi)

Time (Kala)

Cosmic Order (Rta/Dharma)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sun’s increasing and decreasing rays in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse uses the growth and decline of the Sun’s rays to explain how time is measurably structured—morning to midday through increasing radiance, and afternoon to sunset through diminishing radiance—showing the universe operates by stable, knowable order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the regulation of time (kāla) through celestial motion?

Parāśara presents the Sun’s daily course as the practical mechanism by which time is experienced and divided; the predictable progression to midday and return to sunset demonstrates cosmic governance through regular cycles.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when describing astronomy, the Purana’s underlying view is that such dependable cosmic order is sustained by the Supreme—Vishnu—through whom the rhythms of time and the world’s stability are upheld.