Shloka 1

सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्

Devanagari script

व्याख्यातम् एतद् ब्रह्माण्डसंस्थानं तव सुव्रत ततः प्रमाणसंस्थाने सूर्यादीनां शृणुष्व मे

Transliteration

vyākhyātam etad brahmāṇḍasaṃsthānaṃ tava suvrata tataḥ pramāṇasaṃsthāne sūryādīnāṃ śṛṇuṣva me

Translation

O you of holy observance, I have explained to you the ordered structure of the cosmic egg, the universe. Now hear from me the established measures and arrangements of the Sun and the other celestial bodies.

Word by Word

• व्याख्यातम्: explained; expounded
• व्याख्यातम्: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Predicative complement
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-आ-ख्या (धातु) → व्याख्यात (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; past passive participle (PPP) ‘explained’

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन

• ब्रह्माण्डसंस्थानम्: the structure/arrangement of the cosmic egg (universe)
• ब्रह्माण्डसंस्थानम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड + संस्थान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ब्रह्माण्डस्य संस्थानम्)

• तव: of you; your
• तव: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी एकवचन (genitive singular)

• सुव्रत: O good-vowed one
• सुव्रत: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + व्रत (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सुन्दरं व्रतं यस्य) / vocative epithet

• ततः: then; thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• प्रमाणसंस्थाने: in the arrangement of measures/dimensions
• प्रमाणसंस्थाने: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रमाण + संस्थान (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (प्रमाणस्य संस्थाने)

• सूर्यादीनाम्: of the Sun and others
• सूर्यादीनाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य + आदि (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यः आदिः येषाम्)

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी/चतुर्थी एकवचन (genitive/dative singular); here genitive ‘of me’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Cosmic structure (brahmāṇḍa-saṃsthāna) and the measures/arrangements of the Sun and other luminaries

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda (universe)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The universe is an ordered brahmāṇḍa whose celestial bodies have determinate measures and arrangements knowable through śāstra.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Contemplate cosmic order to cultivate reverence, intellectual humility, and steadiness in spiritual practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic regularity is intelligible as the governance of the Supreme (Nārāyaṇa) whose will sustains the world-order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Sun (Sūrya)
• Celestial luminaries (grahas/nakṣatras implied)

FAQs

What is the significance of the brahmāṇḍa (cosmic egg) structure in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the completion of the universe’s structural description and frames the cosmos as an ordered whole, preparing the reader for precise, measurable descriptions of its functioning through the Sun and other luminaries.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic measurement (pramāṇa) in this context?

He signals a shift from qualitative structure (saṃsthāna) to quantitative arrangement (pramāṇa-saṃsthāna), introducing the section where distances, placements, and proportional order of the Sun and related celestial bodies are taught.

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

Even when the verse is technical and cosmological, the Purana’s intent is to present a universe that is intelligibly ordered—an order ultimately grounded in the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) who sustains and harmonizes cosmic law and structure.