Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

योजनानां सहस्राणि भास्करस्य रथो नव ईषादण्डस् तथैवास्य द्विगुणो मुनिसत्तम

Transliteration

yojanānāṃ sahasrāṇi bhāskarasya ratho nava īṣādaṇḍas tathaivāsya dviguṇo munisattama

Translation

O best of sages, the chariot of Bhāskara, the Sun, measures nine thousand yojanas; and the pole-shaft (īṣā-daṇḍa) of that chariot is said to be twice that measure.

Word by Word

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas (a measure)
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (genitive plural)

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma (Object/कर्म) / Measure
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया बहुवचन

• भास्करस्य: of the Sun (Bhāskara)
• भास्करस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन

• रथः: chariot
• रथः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• नव: nine
• नव: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नवन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (agreeing with रथः)

• ईषादण्डः: the pole/shaft (of the chariot)
• ईषादण्डः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता) / Topic
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईषा + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (ईषायाः दण्डः)

• तथा: thus; likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• एव: indeed; just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle of emphasis)

• अस्य: of it; of this (chariot)
• अस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी एकवचन

• द्विगुणः: double
• द्विगुणः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि + गुण (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्वौ गुणौ यस्य/द्विगुणः) used adjectivally

• मुनिसत्तम: O best of sages
• मुनिसत्तम: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां सत्तमः)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Specific measurements of Sūrya’s (Bhāskara’s) chariot and its pole-shaft

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: precise/technical

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Sun’s course is presented through a concrete cosmic vehicle with defined dimensions, emphasizing regularity in celestial motion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the discipline of measured observation (as a śāstric attitude) to steady the mind and reduce speculative agitation.

Vishishtadvaita: The cosmos is a real, structured body (śarīra) whose functions are coordinated—consistent with the Lord as inner ruler of an ordered whole.

Characters & Entities

• Parashara
• Maitreya
• Bhaskara (Surya)

FAQs

What is the significance of measuring the Sun’s chariot in the Vishnu Purana?

It frames the Sun’s motion as part of a divinely ordered cosmos, using sacred measures to describe how celestial regularity reflects universal order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmology to Maitreya in this passage?

Parāśara teaches through concrete, enumerated details—giving yojana-based dimensions of the Sun’s chariot and its pole—so the structure of the heavens is understood as systematic and purposeful.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the Purāṇic cosmology is presented as sustained by the Supreme Reality—Vishnu—whose sovereignty underlies the ordered movements of the luminaries.