Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

त्रिष्व् एतेष्व् अथ भुक्तेषु ततो वैषुवतीं गतिम् प्रयाति सविता कुर्वन्न् अहोरात्रं ततः समम्

Transliteration

triṣv eteṣv atha bhukteṣu tato vaiṣuvatīṃ gatim prayāti savitā kurvann ahorātraṃ tataḥ samam

Translation

When those three segments have been traversed, Savitā enters the equinoctial path; from that transition he brings about a day and a night that are perfectly equal.

Word by Word

• त्रिषु: in/among the three
• त्रिषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• एतेषु: in these
• एतेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• अथ: then
• अथ: Discourse connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• भुक्तेषु: when (they) have been traversed/experienced
• भुक्तेषु: Adhikaraṇa (Locative absolute sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग सप्तमी बहुवचन; (भुक्तेषु = when/after they are traversed/consumed)

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (thereafter)

• वैषुवतीम्: equinox-related (vaiṣuvatī)
• वैषुवतीम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वैषुवत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (गतिम्)

• गतिम्: course, movement
• गतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• प्रयाति: proceeds, goes forth
• प्रयाति: Kriyā (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• सविता: the Sun
• सविता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सवितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• कुर्वन्: making
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Participial—agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग प्रथमा एकवचन

• अहोरात्रम्: day and night (a full day-night)
• अहोरात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहः (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (अहश्च रात्रिश्च) समाहारार्थे

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (Temporal)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• समम्: equal, of equal length
• समम्: Viśeṣaṇa (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (अहोरात्रम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The equinoctial path (vaiṣuvatī gati) and how it yields equal day and night.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The Sun’s entry into the equinoctial course establishes perfect equality of day and night, exemplifying cosmic balance maintained by lawful motion.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate equanimity by structuring life with balanced rhythms—work/rest, speech/silence—mirroring cosmic equilibrium.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic balance (samatā) reflects a purposeful, sustaining governance, consistent with the Lord as inner ruler of the world-order.

Characters & Entities

• Savitā (Surya)
• Kāla (Time)
• Cosmic Order (Ṛta/Dharma)

FAQs

What is the significance of the equinoctial path (vaiṣuvatī gati) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the Sun’s transition into a balanced phase of motion where day and night become equal, illustrating the Purāṇic idea of cosmic order governing time.

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

He describes the Sun completing three prior segments of its course and then entering the equinoctial track, by which the durations of day and night are made equal.

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

Even when the verse speaks through astronomical imagery, the Vishnu Purana frames such regularity as the manifestation of supreme governance—Vishnu as the sustaining principle behind cosmic law and measured time.