Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

तस्माद् दिश्य् उत्तरस्यां वै दिवारात्रिः सदैव हि सर्वेषां द्वीपवर्षाणां मेरुर् उत्तरतो यतः

Transliteration

tasmād diśy uttarasyāṃ vai divārātriḥ sadaiva hi sarveṣāṃ dvīpavarṣāṇāṃ merur uttarato yataḥ

Translation

Therefore, in the northern direction, the course of day and night is ever determined; for to all the continents and their regions, Mount Meru stands to the north, and by that supreme axis the measure of time is set.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (Cause/Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (सर्वनाम)

• दिशि: in the direction
• दिशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिश् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• उत्तरस्याम्: northern
• उत्तरस्याम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग; ‘दिशि’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक (emphatic particle)

• दिवारात्रिः: day-and-night (cycle)
• दिवारात्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (दिवा च रात्रिश्च); प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• सदैव: always
• सदैव: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा + एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb of time)

• हि: for
• हि: Sambandha (Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/निश्चयार्थक (for/indeed)

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; ‘द्वीपवर्षाणाम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• द्वीपवर्षाणाम्: of the islands and continents/regions
• द्वीपवर्षाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वीप + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (द्वीपाणि च वर्षाणि च); षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• मेरुः: Meru
• मेरुः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• उत्तरतः: to the north/northward
• उत्तरतः: Sambandha (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उत्तरतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिशावाचक (adverb of direction)

• यतः: since/because
• यतः: Sambandha (Reason/relative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; हेत्वर्थक/यत्-सम्बन्ध (relative adverb: since/because)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas (continents)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Day and night are determined relative to Meru’s fixed northern position for all continents and their regions, making the cosmic axis the basis of temporal order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Adopt a ‘Meru principle’: keep a stable inner axis (daily practice, ethical vows) so changing circumstances can be measured and navigated without losing direction.

Vishishtadvaita: A stable cosmic axis mirrors the Lord’s sustaining immanence: the world’s regularities persist because it is upheld and coordinated from within by īśvara.

Characters & Entities

• Meru
• Dvipas
• Varshas

FAQs

What is the significance of Mount Meru in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats Meru as the fixed northern reference for all dvīpas and varṣas, functioning as the cosmic axis by which spatial orientation and the rhythm of day and night are understood.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ordering of day and night here?

Parāśara links the regularity of day-night (divārātri) to directional cosmography: because Meru is positioned as the northern pivot relative to the world-regions, temporal cycles are described through that stable orientation.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even in a geographic description, the Purana implies a governed cosmos: the world’s directions and time-cycles are not random but part of a lawful order ultimately upheld by Vishnu as the supreme regulator of cosmic harmony.