Shloka 15

आत्मदर्शन-उपदेशः (Ātma-darśana Upadeśa) — Mind, Senses, and the All-pervading Self

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रे विभजते सूर्यो मानुषलौकिके । रात्रि: स्वप्लाय भूतानां चेष्टायै कर्मणामह:,मनुष्यलोकके दिन-रातका विभाग सूर्यदेव करते हैं। रात प्राणियोंके सोनेके लिये है और दिन काम करनेके लिये

Transliteration

ahorātre vibhajate sūryo mānuṣalaukike | rātriḥ svaplāya bhūtānāṁ ceṣṭāyai karmaṇām ahaḥ |

Translation

Vyāsa sprach: In der Menschenwelt teilt die Sonne die beiden Abschnitte zu—Tag und Nacht. Die Nacht ist zum Schlaf und zur Erneuerung der Lebewesen bestimmt, der Tag zur Tätigkeit und zur Verrichtung der eigenen Werke. So ist die Zeit selbst geordnet, um geregeltes Verhalten und disziplinierte Lebensführung zu tragen.

Word by Word

अहोरात्रेday and night (the two)

विभजतेdivides, apportions

सूर्यःthe Sun

मानुषलौकिकेin the human world

रात्रिःnight

स्वप्नायfor sleep

भूतानाम्of beings

चेष्टायैfor activity/effort

कर्मणाम्of actions/works

अहःday

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

Sūrya (Sun)

mānuṣa-loka (human world)

bhūta (living beings)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Time is structured by cosmic order: night supports rest and recovery, and day supports purposeful action. Ethical living aligns with this rhythm—rest at the proper time and perform one’s duties when it is time to act.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on right conduct and order, Vyāsa explains how the Sun regulates human experience by dividing day and night, indicating their intended functions—sleep at night and work by day.