Shloka 7

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

द्वे लक्षे चोत्तरे ब्रह्मन् बुधो नक्षत्रमण्डलात् तावत्प्रमाणभागे तु बुधस्याप्य् उशना स्थितः

Transliteration

dve lakṣe cottare brahman budho nakṣatramaṇḍalāt tāvatpramāṇabhāge tu budhasyāpy uśanā sthitaḥ

Translation

O Brāhmaṇa, Mercury (Budha) is situated two lakṣas and more beyond the sphere of the nakṣatras; and within that same measured interval, beyond Mercury, Venus (Uśanā/Śukra) is also placed.

Word by Word

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; संख्या-विशेषणम् (लक्षे इत्यस्य)

• लक्षे: (two) lakhs
• लक्षे: Adhikarana/Measure (परिमाण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; परिमाणवाचक-सम्बन्धः (two lakhs)

• च: and
• च: Discourse connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (and)

• उत्तरे: additional (over and above)
• उत्तरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (लक्षे) — ‘additional’

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

• बुधः: Mercury (Budha)
• बुधः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नक्षत्र-मण्डलात्: from the circle of stars
• नक्षत्र-मण्डलात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नक्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/अपादान), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (नक्षत्राणां मण्डलम्)

• तावत्-प्रमाण-भागे: in a portion of that measure
• तावत्-प्रमाण-भागे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तावत्-प्रमाणः भागः = a portion of that measure)

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

• बुधस्य: of Mercury
• बुधस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (also)

• उशना: Uśanā (Venus/Śukra’s preceptor-name)
• उशना: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उशना/उशनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्थितः: situated
• स्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) → स्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उशना इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Placement of Budha (Mercury) beyond the nakṣatra sphere and Uśanā (Venus) beyond Budha by equal measure.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Even subtle planetary movements are situated within a measured hierarchy, reflecting a cosmos governed by intelligible law.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Let regularity in nature inspire regularity in sādhana—fixed times for japa, study, and worship.

Vishishtadvaita: Niyama (cosmic regulation) is an expression of the Lord’s sovereign will operating within a real, structured universe.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Budha (Mercury)
• Uśanā/Śukra (Venus)
• Nakṣatra-maṇḍala (sphere of lunar mansions)
• Parāśara
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of the nakṣatra-maṇḍala in the Vishnu Purana?

It functions as a key celestial reference-sphere; planetary placements and distances are described as successive layers beyond it, presenting an ordered cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain planetary placement here?

He gives relative distances: Mercury is stated to lie a fixed measure beyond the nakṣatra-sphere, and Venus is then placed beyond Mercury by the same measured interval.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even in technical cosmology, the Purana frames the universe as a structured, intelligible order—ultimately upheld by the Supreme Reality, Vishnu, as the ground of cosmic sovereignty.