Shloka 26
सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्
एवं पुष्करमध्ये तु यदा याति दिवाकरः त्रिंशद्भागं तु मेदिन्यास् तदा मौहूर्तिकी गतिः
evaṃ puṣkaramadhye tu yadā yāti divākaraḥ triṃśadbhāgaṃ tu medinyās tadā mauhūrtikī gatiḥ
Thus, when Divākara, the Sun, moves through the midst of Puṣkara and advances by a thirtieth part of the earth’s measure, that progression is called the motion of a muhūrta.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Measurement of time through the Sun’s motion across Puṣkara and terrestrial divisions (muhūrta-gati).
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas
Concept: Time (muhūrta) is made knowable by the Sun’s regulated traversal of spatial measures, revealing cosmic order (ṛta) through observable motion.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Use disciplined observation of cycles (day, season, routine) to cultivate steadiness and reverence for order in life.
Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic regularity is intelligible because the universe functions as an ordered body (śarīra) sustained by the Supreme’s governance.
FAQs
This verse defines a muhūrta via the Sun’s measurable advance—time is not abstract here, but anchored in cosmic order through the Sun’s regulated motion.
Parāśara links units of time to observable celestial movement, describing a muhūrta as a specific fraction of the Sun’s progress relative to the earth’s measure.
By grounding time in a stable cosmic rhythm, the Purāṇa implies an overarching sovereignty sustaining that rhythm—Vishnu as the supreme foundation of order (kāla-niyantṛ) behind the Sun’s course.