Shloka 8

Devanagari script

कलाद्वयावशिष्टस् तु प्रविष्टः सूर्यमण्डलम् अमाख्यरश्मौ वसति अमावास्या ततः स्मृता

Transliteration

kalādvayāvaśiṣṭas tu praviṣṭaḥ sūryamaṇḍalam amākhyaraśmau vasati amāvāsyā tataḥ smṛtā

Translation

When only two kalās remain, the Moon is said to enter the Sun’s orb and abide in a ray called ‘Amā’; from that state the day is remembered as Amāvāsyā, the new moon.

Word by Word

• कला-द्वय-अवशिष्टः: remaining with two digits (kalās) left
• कला-द्वय-अवशिष्टः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कला (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वय (प्रातिपदिक) + अवशिष्ट (कृदन्त; √शिष्/शेष्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त-प्रत्यय (क्त/क्तवत्-भाव), 'अवशिष्ट' = remaining; तत्पुरुष-समास ('remaining of two kalās')

• तु: but; indeed
• तु: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (particle: 'but/indeed')

• प्रविष्टः: having entered
• प्रविष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + √विश् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त)

• सूर्य-मण्डलम्: the solar orb
• सूर्य-मण्डलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ('of the sun' + 'orb')

• अमाख्य-रश्मौ: in the indistinct (unnamed) ray
• अमाख्य-रश्मौ: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमाख्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय ('unnamed/indistinct' ray)

• वसति: dwells; stays
• वसति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अमावास्या: new-moon day (amāvāsyā)
• अमावास्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ततः: thereupon; from that
• ततः: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमबोधक (adverb: 'therefrom/then')

• स्मृता: is called; is known as
• स्मृता: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त), कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (passive sense: 'is called/remembered')

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Amāvāsyā is explained through the moon’s subtle union with the sun’s orb via the ‘Amā’ ray, grounding ritual time in cosmic mechanics.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Observe amāvāsyā with mindfulness and restraint (saṃyama), using calendric sacred time to structure sādhanā and offerings.

Vishishtadvaita: Ritual time (tithi) is meaningful because cosmic processes are real and divinely regulated, aligning karma with the Lord’s ordered universe.

Characters & Entities

• Surya (Sun)
• Chandra (Moon)
• Amavasya

FAQs

What is the significance of Amāvāsyā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse defines Amāvāsyā as the condition when the Moon, with only two kalās remaining, is said to enter the Sun’s orb and dwell in the ‘Amā’ ray—marking the new-moon.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the lunar phase change here?

Parāśara uses kalā-counting: as the Moon wanes to two remaining kalās, it is described as merging into the solar sphere, which becomes the textual marker for the new-moon transition.

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

Even in technical cosmology, the Purāṇa presents orderly time (tithi, lunar change) as part of a governed cosmos—implicitly upheld by Vishnu as the supreme regulator of universal rhythm and law.