Shloka 8

लोकसंस्थानम्, ग्रहदूरी-प्रमाणम्, ब्रह्माण्डावरणानि, विष्णोः जगत्कारणत्वम्

Devanagari script

अङ्गारको ऽपि शुक्रस्य तत्प्रमाणे व्यवस्थितः लक्षद्वये तु भौमस्य स्थितो देवपुरोहितः

Transliteration

aṅgārako 'pi śukrasya tatpramāṇe vyavasthitaḥ lakṣadvaye tu bhaumasya sthito devapurohitaḥ

Translation

Mars (Aṅgāraka) too is set according to the same measure as Venus (Śukra); and at a distance of two lakṣas from Mars abides the divine priest, Bṛhaspati, in his ordained station.

Word by Word

• अङ्गारकः: Mars (Aṅgāraka)
• अङ्गारकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

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

• शुक्रस्य: of Venus (Śukra)
• शुक्रस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• तत्-प्रमाणे: in that measure/distance
• तत्-प्रमाणे: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (तस्य प्रमाणम्)

• व्यवस्थितः: stationed/placed
• व्यवस्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्था (धातु) + वि + अव (उपसर्ग) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्तः—क्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अङ्गारकः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• लक्ष-द्वये: at two lakhs (yojanas)
• लक्ष-द्वये: Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (द्वे लक्षे = two lakhs)

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

• भौमस्य: of Mars (Bhāuma)
• भौमस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

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

• देव-पुरोहितः: the priest of the gods (Bṛhaspati)
• देव-पुरोहितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (देवानां पुरोहितः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Placement of Mars relative to Venus, and Bṛhaspati (Jupiter) two lakṣas beyond Mars.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The heavens are arranged in graded stations, where even ‘divine functions’ (like Bṛhaspati as devapurohita) indicate purposeful cosmic administration.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: See roles and duties (svadharma) as parts of a larger order; perform one’s work as service to the cosmic Lord.

Vishishtadvaita: Multiplicity of divine offices operates within the one Lord’s governance—unity with real diversity.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Aṅgāraka (Mars)
• Śukra (Venus)
• Bṛhaspati (Jupiter, Devapurohita)
• Viṣṇu (as the cosmic ordainer, implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of planetary measures (pramāṇa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents the cosmos as a regulated order: planets are not random lights but are fixed by measure and ordinance, reflecting a universe governed by a higher sustaining principle (ultimately Viṣṇu).

How does Sage Parāśara explain the placement of Mars and Jupiter here?

Parāśara states that Mars follows the same standard of measure used for Venus, and that Jupiter (Bṛhaspati), called the gods’ priest, is situated two lakṣas beyond Mars—indicating a structured sequence of planetary spheres.

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

Even when describing distances and placements, the Purāṇa implies a metaphysical foundation: the harmony of the heavens points to Viṣṇu as the supreme regulator whose will sustains cosmic law and order.