Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

नैवास्तमनम् अर्कस्य नोदयः सर्वदा सतः उदयास्तमनाख्यं हि दर्शनादर्शनं रवेः

Transliteration

naivāstamanam arkasya nodayaḥ sarvadā sataḥ udayāstamanākhyaṃ hi darśanādarśanaṃ raveḥ

Translation

For the Sun, in truth, there is neither “setting” nor “rising,” for he ever exists. What is called “sunrise” and “sunset” is only Ravi’s being seen and being unseen.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Negation (Nishedha/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Emphasis (Avadhāraṇa/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis)

• अस्तमनम्: setting (sunset)
• अस्तमनम्: Visheshya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अर्कस्य: of the Sun
• अर्कस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• न: nor/not
• न: Negation (Nishedha/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• उदयः: rising (sunrise)
• उदयः: Visheshya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: Adverbial (Kāla/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

• सतः: of the ever-existing (Sun)
• सतः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सत् = existent/being (here: of the ever-existing one)

• उदयास्तमनाख्यम्: called ‘rising and setting’
• उदयास्तमनाख्यम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उदय + अस्तमन + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उदयास्तमन-आख्यम् = called ‘rising and setting’)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: Discourse particle (Nipāta/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: indeed/for)

• दर्शनादर्शनम्: appearance and non-appearance
• दर्शनादर्शनम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दर्शन + अदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (दर्शनं च अदर्शनं च)

• रवेः: of the Sun
• रवेः: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The Sun’s essential continuity: no real rising/setting, only seen/unseen

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: In truth the Sun neither rises nor sets, being ever as it is; ‘rising’ and ‘setting’ are merely names for being seen and not seen.

Vedantic Theme: Atman

Application: Apply viveka: separate the constant from the variable in experience; let this reduce reactivity to change and support steady sādhana.

Vishishtadvaita: The teaching models how stable reality can be spoken of through relational predicates (seen/unseen) without denying its real continuity—compatible with Vishishtadvaita’s realism about the world and the Lord’s enduring sovereignty.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman (philosophical)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Characters & Entities

• Surya
• Ravi (Sun)

FAQs

What is the significance of describing sunrise and sunset as ‘darśana’ and ‘adarśana’ in the Vishnu Purana?

It shifts the explanation from the Sun ‘changing’ to human perspective changing—rising/setting are names for visibility and invisibility, supporting a cosmology grounded in order rather than contradiction.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the concept of ‘udaya’ and ‘astamana’ here?

He defines them conventionally: the Sun is always existent, while ‘rising’ and ‘setting’ are simply the Sun being seen or not seen from a given standpoint.

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

By emphasizing stable cosmic law and true being versus appearance, the Purana implicitly aligns the ordered cosmos with the sovereignty of the Supreme Reality (Vishnu) who sustains the regularity of time and the heavens.