Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

उदयास्तमनाभ्यां च स्मृते पूर्वापरे दिशौ यावत् पुरस्तात् तपति तावत् पृष्ठे च पार्श्वयोः

Transliteration

udayāstamanābhyāṃ ca smṛte pūrvāpare diśau yāvat purastāt tapati tāvat pṛṣṭhe ca pārśvayoḥ

Translation

By the very notions of sunrise and sunset, the eastern and western quarters are understood. And as far as the Sun blazes in front, to that same extent does it illumine behind and along the flanks.

Word by Word

• उदयास्तमनाभ्याम्: by sunrise and sunset
• उदयास्तमनाभ्याम्: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदय + अस्तमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (उदयश्च अस्तमनं च); तृतीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• स्मृते: are remembered/are designated
• स्मृते: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), प्रथमा-द्विवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘दिशौ’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पूर्वापरे: east and west
• पूर्वापरे: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व + अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (पूर्वश्च अपरश्च); प्रथमा-द्विवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• दिशौ: the two directions
• दिशौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• यावत्: as long as/so far as
• यावत्: Sambandha (Correlation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्तावत्-सम्बन्ध (correlative adverb)

• पुरस्तात्: in front/eastward
• पुरस्तात्: Adhikarana (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• तपति: shines/burns
• तपति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• तावत्: so long/that far
• तावत्: Sambandha (Correlation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; यावत्तावत्-सम्बन्ध (correlative adverb)

• पृष्ठे: at the back/westward
• पृष्ठे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• पार्श्वयोः: on the two sides
• पार्श्वयोः: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी/षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Locative/Genitive), द्विवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; अत्र अधिकरणार्थे सप्तमी (on the two sides)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Spatial orientation (east/west and the sense of front/back/flanks) is apprehended through the Sun’s illuminating movement.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Let ‘illumination’ be a metaphor for discernment: orient choices by what brings clarity and steadiness rather than confusion.

Vishishtadvaita: Knowledge and order arise within the Lord’s cosmic body through luminous regulation (Sūrya as a functional principle within īśvara’s governance).

Characters & Entities

• Surya (the Sun)
• Directions (Dik)

FAQs

What is the significance of sunrise and sunset in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

This verse treats sunrise and sunset as the practical cosmic signs by which east and west are known, showing how the world’s order is read through the Sun’s regulated motion.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the determination of directions (dik) here?

Parāśara explains that directions are inferred from the Sun: where it rises and sets establishes east and west, and its reach of heat/light indicates the front, back, and sides relative to an observer.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when speaking of the Sun, the Purāṇa frames cosmic regularity as an expression of supreme governance—celestial order functions as a sign of the higher sustaining principle identified with Vishnu.