Shloka 32

Pracetās, Māriṣā, Dakṣa’s Re-manifestation, and the Brahma-parastava; Cyclic Creation and Genealogies

Devanagari script

सप्तोत्तराण्य् अतीतानि नव वर्षशतानि ते मासाश् च षट् तथैवान्यत् समतीतं दिनत्रयम्

Transliteration

saptottarāṇy atītāni nava varṣaśatāni te māsāś ca ṣaṭ tathaivānyat samatītaṃ dinatrayam

Translation

Nine hundred years have passed for you, with seven more besides; six months as well—and indeed a further three days have also elapsed.

Word by Word

• सप्त-उत्तराणि: seven more (in addition)
• सप्त-उत्तराणि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या) + उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुष-समास (सप्त अधिकानि)

• अतीतानि: have passed
• अतीतानि: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अति-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त/past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• नव: nine
• नव: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नव (संख्या)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्द; 'वर्षशतानि' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• वर्ष-शतानि: hundreds of years
• वर्ष-शतानि: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वर्षाणां शतानि)

• ते: for you; to you
• ते: Sampradana (Recipient/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मासाः: months
• मासाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• षट्: six
• षट्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष् (संख्या)
• Form: संख्याशब्द; 'मासाः' इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (in the same way)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• अन्यत्: another (amount)
• अन्यत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• समतीतम्: has also passed
• समतीतम्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अति-इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दिन-त्रयम्: three days
• दिन-त्रयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि दिनानि)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Quantification of elapsed time during the sage’s seeming single-day enjoyment

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time is an objective power that can outstrip subjective experience, revealing the fragility of embodied perception.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Hold life’s opportunities lightly; prioritize dharma before indulgence, since time’s loss is irreversible.

Vishishtadvaita: Time (kāla) functions as a real śakti within the Lord’s governance, not mere illusion, while individual experience remains limited.

FAQs

What is the significance of time computation in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse exemplifies the Purāṇa’s precise accounting of elapsed time, reinforcing that cosmic history unfolds in an ordered, measurable rhythm ultimately governed by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain chronological precision to Maitreya?

Parāśara presents time as countable down to years, months, and days, using exact totals to anchor the narrative within the larger framework of Purāṇic cycles.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the teaching belongs to a Vishnu-centered cosmology where time (kāla) and its cycles are expressions of the Supreme Reality’s sustaining order.