Shloka 12
सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्
दिवसस्य रविर् मध्ये सर्वकालं व्यवस्थितः सर्वद्वीपेषु मैत्रेय निशार्धस्य च संमुखः
divasasya ravir madhye sarvakālaṃ vyavasthitaḥ sarvadvīpeṣu maitreya niśārdhasya ca saṃmukhaḥ
In the midst of the day the Sun stands ever established in his appointed station. O Maitreya, in all the continents he is directly before beings in the daytime, and likewise faces them in the corresponding half of the night.
Sage Parāśara
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: How the Sun’s fixed station relates to day and night across all dvīpas
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas (continents)
Concept: Ravi remains established in his ordained position, being ‘before’ beings across all dvīpas in day and correspondingly in the night-half, thus maintaining temporal measure.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Use the idea of a ‘fixed station’ to cultivate inner steadiness (dhāraṇā) amid changing experiences, recognizing time as ordered rather than chaotic.
Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order (ṛta/niyati) is presented as a dependable, divinely governed structure, consonant with the Lord’s immanent regulation of the world.
Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)
Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)
Antaryamin: Yes
FAQs
It conveys cosmic regularity: the Sun’s ordained station enables the dependable sequence of day, night, and measurable time across the world-continents.
By describing the Sun as 'facing' beings across all dvīpas—presenting himself for day and in relation to the night’s division—Parāśara frames time as a coordinated, world-encompassing order.
The verse supports the idea that cosmic functions (like the Sun’s course and timekeeping) operate under a higher sustaining principle—ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme governance of the universe.