Shloka 21

सोमचक्रः, ग्रह-रथाः, ध्रुवबन्धनं, शिशुमारसंनिवेशः, विष्णु-सर्वात्मकता

Moon, Planets, Dhruva-Tethering, Śiśumāra, and Vishnu as All

Devanagari script

स्वर्भानोस् तुरगा ह्य् अष्टौ भृङ्गाभा धूसरं रथम् सकृद्युक्तास् तु मैत्रेय वहन्त्य् अविरतं सदा

Transliteration

svarbhānos turagā hy aṣṭau bhṛṅgābhā dhūsaraṃ ratham sakṛdyuktās tu maitreya vahanty avirataṃ sadā

Translation

O Maitreya, Svarbhānu’s eight horses, dark as bees, once yoked, draw the grey-hued chariot without pause—unceasingly, forever.

Word by Word

• स्वर्भानोः: of Svarbhānu (Rāhu)
• स्वर्भानोः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्भानु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तुरगाः: horses
• तुरगाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha/Emphasis particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात—हेतु/निश्चयार्थे

• अष्टौ: eight
• अष्टौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्टन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषण

• भृङ्गाभाः: having the lustre/color of bees (blackish)
• भृङ्गाभाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृङ्ग-आभा (प्रातिपदिक; भृङ्ग + आभा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘भृङ्गस्य इव आभा येषाम्’

• धूसरम्: grey
• धूसरम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धूसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रथम्: chariot
• रथम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सकृत्: once
• सकृत्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सकृत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण—‘एकवारम्’

• युक्ताः: yoked
• युक्ताः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तुरगाः इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तु: but/and
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात—विरोध/विशेषार्थे

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• वहन्ति: carry, draw
• वहन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• अविरतम्: unceasingly
• अविरतम्: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अ-विरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययप्रयोगः (adverbial accusative)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (addressing Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Continuous motion of the eclipsing node (Svarbhānu/Rāhu) and its chariot

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: direct and explanatory

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even shadowy, disruptive phenomena like eclipses operate through continuous, lawful motion within the cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Maya

Application: Treat life’s ‘eclipses’ (setbacks) as transient phases; maintain steady practice through them.

Vishishtadvaita: Apparent obscurations occur within the Lord’s ordered cosmos; finitude and shadow do not negate divine governance.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Characters & Entities

• Svarbhānu
• Maitreya
• Sun (implied by the solar chariot context)

FAQs

What is the significance of Svarbhānu in the Vishnu Purana?

Svarbhānu is a shadowy celestial figure associated with eclipse lore; here his eight bee-dark horses are described as drawing the (solar) chariot ceaselessly, emphasizing a regulated cosmic mechanism.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the continuity of cosmic motion?

By stating the horses are “yoked once” yet pull “without interruption,” Parāśara presents the heavens as operating through an unbroken, law-like order rather than sporadic divine intervention.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purana’s cosmology implies a supreme sustaining principle: the universe’s ceaseless rhythms function as an expression of Vishnu’s sovereignty and maintenance of dharma.