Shloka 14

सूर्यरथः, सप्तगणाः, मासाधिकारिणः

The Sun’s Chariot and the Sevenfold Monthly Governors

Devanagari script

क्रतुर् भगस् तथोर्णायुः स्फूर्जः कर्कोटकस् तथा अरिष्टनेमिश् चैवान्या पूर्वचित्तिर् वराप्सराः

Transliteration

kratur bhagas tathorṇāyuḥ sphūrjaḥ karkoṭakas tathā ariṣṭanemiś caivānyā pūrvacittir varāpsarāḥ

Translation

Also (there are) Kratu and Bhaga; likewise Orṇāyu, Sphūrja, and Karkoṭaka; and Ariṣṭanemi as well—together with others—while Pūrvacitti is named among the excellent Apsarās.

Word by Word

• क्रतुः: Kratu (name)
• क्रतुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• भगः: Bhaga (name)
• भगः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारबोधक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• ऊर्णायुः: Ūrṇāyu (name)
• ऊर्णायुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऊर्णायु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (ऊर्णा+आयुः)

• स्फूर्जः: Sphūrja (name)
• स्फूर्जः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्फूर्ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• कर्कोटकः: Karkoṭaka (name)
• कर्कोटकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कोटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/प्रकारबोधक-अव्यय (adverb: ‘likewise’)

• अरिष्टनेमिः: Ariṣṭanemi (name)
• अरिष्टनेमिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरिष्टनेमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अरिष्ट+नेमिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-निपात (particle: ‘indeed/just’)

• अन्या: another (female)
• अन्या: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अध्याहृत-नाम्नः)

• पूर्वचित्तिः: Pūrvacitti (apsaras name)
• पूर्वचित्तिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वचित्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (पूर्व+चित्तिः)

• वराप्सराः: excellent apsarases
• वराप्सराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वराप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (वरा+अप्सराः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuation of the list of solar attendants (including apsarases) for a given month/segment of the solar circuit.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kratu
• Bhaga
• Orṇāyu
• Sphūrja
• Karkoṭaka
• Ariṣṭanemi
• Pūrvacitti
• Apsarās

FAQs

What is the significance of listing celestial beings like Apsarās and Nāgas in the Vishnu Purana?

Such catalogues situate the Manvantara-era cosmos as an ordered system, where distinct classes of beings (like Nāgas and Apsarās) function within a divinely governed universe ultimately sustained by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the cosmic order in this section?

Parāśara presents structured enumerations of named beings to show that creation is not random but hierarchically organized—an intelligible cosmic polity conveyed through precise names and groups.

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

Even when Vishnu is not explicitly named in the verse, the Vishnu Purana frames these beings as operating within Vishnu’s overarching sovereignty—supporting the view of Vishnu as the Supreme Reality who upholds cosmic order.