Shloka 9

सूर्यरथः, सप्तगणाः, मासाधिकारिणः

The Sun’s Chariot and the Sevenfold Monthly Governors

Devanagari script

इन्द्रो विश्वावसुः स्रोत एलापत्रस् तथाङ्गिराः प्रम्लोचा च नभस्य् एते सर्पश् चार्के वसन्ति वै

Transliteration

indro viśvāvasuḥ srota elāpatras tathāṅgirāḥ pramlocā ca nabhasy ete sarpaś cārke vasanti vai

Translation

নভস্য মাসে অর্ক (সূর্য)-এর সঙ্গে এরা বাস করেন—ইন্দ্র, গন্ধর্ব বিশ্বাবসু, যক্ষ স্রোত, নাগ এলাপত্র, ঋষি অঙ্গিরা ও অপ্সরা প্রম্লোচা; সকলেই সূর্যের নির্ধারিত গতি ধারণ করে।

Word by Word

• इन्द्रः: Indra
• इन्द्रः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विश्वावसुः: Viśvāvasu
• विश्वावसुः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + वसु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• स्रोतः: Srotas
• स्रोतः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रोतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एलापत्रः: Elāpatra
• एलापत्रः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एला (प्रातिपदिक) + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारार्थक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise)

• अङ्गिराः: the Aṅgirases / Aṅgirāḥ
• अङ्गिराः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रम्लोचा: Pramlocā
• प्रम्लोचा: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रम्लोचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नभसि: in Nabhas (month)
• नभसि: अधिकरण (Locative/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नभस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एते: these
• एते: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्पः: Sarpa
• सर्पः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आर्के: in Ārka (month)
• आर्के: अधिकरण (Locative/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• वसन्ति: dwell
• वसन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle of assertion)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya

Characters & Entities

• Arka (Surya, the Sun)
• Indra
• Viśvāvasu
• Srota
• Elāpatra
• Aṅgiras
• Pramlocā
• Nāgas
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases
• Yakṣas
• Ṛṣis

FAQs

What is the significance of listing Indra, a Gandharva, an Apsaras, a Yakṣa, a Nāga, and a Ṛṣi with the Sun in the Vishnu Purana?

It presents the Sun’s monthly course as a governed cosmic institution: different classes of beings are assigned roles that uphold the regularity of time and seasons, reflecting an ordered universe under higher divine law.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the monthly solar cycle in this section?

He enumerates the Sun’s monthly attendants—deities and semi-divine beings—showing that each month has a specific retinue associated with Surya (Arka), thereby structuring calendrical time as part of cosmic order.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse names Surya and other celestial beings, the Purana’s framework treats such governance as functioning within Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty—cosmic order and time are ultimately rooted in the Supreme Reality.