Shloka 5

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

भूमेर् योजनलक्षे तु सौरं मैत्रेय मण्डलम् लक्षे दिवाकरस्यापि मण्डलं शशिनः स्थितम्

Transliteration

bhūmer yojanalakṣe tu sauraṃ maitreya maṇḍalam lakṣe divākarasyāpi maṇḍalaṃ śaśinaḥ sthitam

Translation

O Maitreya, at a distance of one hundred thousand yojanas from the Earth lies the solar sphere; and at the same measure from the Sun is situated the sphere of the Moon, each moving in its ordained course.

Word by Word

• भूमेः: of the earth
• भूमेः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• योजन-लक्षे: at (a distance of) a lakh yojanas
• योजन-लक्षे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक) + लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (योजनानां लक्षम् = a lakh of yojanas)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक-निपातः (but/indeed)

• सौरम्: solar
• सौरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• मण्डलम्: the orb/circle
• मण्डलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• लक्षे: at a lakh (yojanas)
• लक्षे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दिवाकरस्य: of the sun
• दिवाकरस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवाकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (also/even)

• मण्डलम्: the orb
• मण्डलम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शशिनः: of the moon
• शशिनः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शशिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• स्थितम्: situated/placed
• स्थितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मण्डलम् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Distances between earth, sun-sphere, and moon-sphere in yojanas.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The luminaries move in fixed circuits, implying a sustaining Supreme order that underwrites time and ritual life.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use daily solar-lunar rhythms (sandhyā, ekādaśī, pūrṇimā) as anchors for disciplined devotion.

Vishishtadvaita: The world’s functional order (niyati) is real and depends on the Lord as inner ruler and cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Maitreya
• Surya (Divakara)
• Chandra (Shashin)
• Bhumi (Earth)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sun and Moon spheres in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents the Sun and Moon as fixed spheres at measured distances, illustrating an ordered cosmos whose regularity reflects divine governance.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order to Maitreya here?

By giving precise spatial measures (one lakh yojanas) and describing the luminaries as 'situated' in their spheres, Parāśara frames the universe as structured, stable, and intelligible.

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

Even when not named explicitly, the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology is oriented to Vishnu as the sustaining Supreme Reality, under whose will the luminaries keep their ordained courses.