Shloka 15
धाता मित्रो<र्यमा शक्रो वरुणस्त्वंश एव च | भगो विवस्वान् पूषा च सविता दशमस्तथा,धाता, मित्र, अर्यमा, इन्द्र, वरुण, अंश, भग, विवस्वान्, पूषा, दसवें सविता, ग्यारहवें त्वष्टा और बारहवें विष्णु कहे जाते हैं। इन सब आदित्योंमें विष्णु छोटे हैं; किंतु गुणोंमें वे सबसे बढ़कर हैं
dhātā mitro 'ryamā śakro varuṇas tv aṁśa eva ca | bhago vivasvān pūṣā ca savitā daśamas tathā ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Dhātṛ, Mitra, Aryaman, Śakra (Indra), Varuṇa, and also Aṁśa; Bhaga, Vivasvān, Pūṣan, and as the tenth Savitṛ—these are the Ādityas being enumerated.” In this context, the tradition further counts Tvaṣṭṛ as the eleventh and Viṣṇu as the twelfth; and though Viṣṇu is described as the youngest among these Ādityas, he is held to be foremost in excellence and divine qualities.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a dharmic-cosmic reminder: divine governance is expressed through multiple Ādityas (solar deities) who uphold order, prosperity, and social bonds; yet the tradition emphasizes that Viṣṇu, though counted as the youngest among them, is regarded as supreme in qualities—highlighting excellence by merit rather than mere seniority.
Vaiśampāyana is enumerating the Ādityas by name as part of a broader genealogical/cosmological account in the Ādi Parva. The accompanying traditional note completes the count by adding Tvaṣṭṛ and Viṣṇu and remarks on Viṣṇu’s preeminence among them.