Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

एवं पुष्करमध्ये तु यदा याति दिवाकरः त्रिंशद्भागं तु मेदिन्यास् तदा मौहूर्तिकी गतिः

Transliteration

evaṃ puṣkaramadhye tu yadā yāti divākaraḥ triṃśadbhāgaṃ tu medinyās tadā mauhūrtikī gatiḥ

Translation

So gilt: Wenn Divākara, die Sonne, durch die Mitte von Puṣkara zieht und um ein Dreißigstel des Erdmaßes voranschreitet, nennt man dieses Fortschreiten die Bewegung eines Muhūrta.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus, in this manner
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• पुष्करमध्ये: in the middle of Puṣkara
• पुष्करमध्ये: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्कर (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुष्करस्य मध्ये)

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

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb/conjunction)

• याति: goes, moves
• याति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• दिवाकरः: the Sun
• दिवाकरः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• त्रिंशद्भागम्: a thirtieth part
• त्रिंशद्भागम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिंशत् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (त्रिंशतः भागः = thirtieth part)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), पुनरुक्त-विशेषार्थक

• मेदिन्याः: of the earth
• मेदिन्याः: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• तदा: then
• तदा: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• मौहूर्तिकी: pertaining to a muhūrta
• मौहूर्तिकी: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मौहूर्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• गतिः: movement, course
• गतिः: Karta/Predicative subject (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Measurement of time through the Sun’s motion across Puṣkara and terrestrial divisions (muhūrta-gati).

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time (muhūrta) is made knowable by the Sun’s regulated traversal of spatial measures, revealing cosmic order (ṛta) through observable motion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use disciplined observation of cycles (day, season, routine) to cultivate steadiness and reverence for order in life.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic regularity is intelligible because the universe functions as an ordered body (śarīra) sustained by the Supreme’s governance.

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Divakara)
• Pushkara
• Earth (Medini)

FAQs

What is the significance of a muhūrta in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines a muhūrta via the Sun’s measurable advance—time is not abstract here, but anchored in cosmic order through the Sun’s regulated motion.

How does Sage Parāśara explain time measurement in this context?

Parāśara links units of time to observable celestial movement, describing a muhūrta as a specific fraction of the Sun’s progress relative to the earth’s measure.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

By grounding time in a stable cosmic rhythm, the Purāṇa implies an overarching sovereignty sustaining that rhythm—Vishnu as the supreme foundation of order (kāla-niyantṛ) behind the Sun’s course.