Shloka 17
सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्
उदितो वर्धमानाभिर् आमध्याह्नात् तपन् रविः ततः परं ह्रसन्तीभिर् गोभिर् अस्तं नियच्छति
udito vardhamānābhir āmadhyāhnāt tapan raviḥ tataḥ paraṃ hrasantībhir gobhir astaṃ niyacchati
Having risen, the Sun—burning with heat—advances toward midday, borne along by rays that steadily increase; thereafter, carried by rays that progressively diminish, he is guided down into setting.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)
Concept: Day’s progression is described through the increase and decrease of the Sun’s rays, emphasizing cyclic regularity in time.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Use the daily cycle as a contemplative aid: begin with disciplined intention at ‘sunrise,’ sustain effort at ‘midday,’ and end with reflective release at ‘sunset.’
Vishishtadvaita: The dependable rhythm of time supports the idea of a purposeful, sustained cosmic order within the Lord’s governance.
FAQs
This verse uses the growth and decline of the Sun’s rays to explain how time is measurably structured—morning to midday through increasing radiance, and afternoon to sunset through diminishing radiance—showing the universe operates by stable, knowable order.
Parāśara presents the Sun’s daily course as the practical mechanism by which time is experienced and divided; the predictable progression to midday and return to sunset demonstrates cosmic governance through regular cycles.
Even when describing astronomy, the Purana’s underlying view is that such dependable cosmic order is sustained by the Supreme—Vishnu—through whom the rhythms of time and the world’s stability are upheld.