Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

ततश् च मिथुनस्यान्ते परां काष्ठाम् उपागतः राशिं कर्कटकं प्राप्य कुरुते दक्षिणायनम्

Transliteration

tataś ca mithunasyānte parāṃ kāṣṭhām upāgataḥ rāśiṃ karkaṭakaṃ prāpya kurute dakṣiṇāyanam

Translation

Then, having reached the utmost limit at the end of Mithuna, the Sun, entering the sign of Karkaṭaka, sets in motion the southern course, Dakṣiṇāyana; thus the year turns and the ordained rhythm of Time proceeds.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Adhikarana (Context/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/क्रमसूचक-क्रियाविशेषण (indeclinable adverb: 'thereafter/from that')

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction/particle: 'and')

• मिथुनस्य: of Gemini (Mithuna)
• मिथुनस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मिथुन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन (singular)

• अन्ते: at the end
• अन्ते: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• पराम्: the highest/farthest
• पराम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying काष्ठाम्)

• काष्ठाम्: limit, extreme point
• काष्ठाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• उपागतः: having reached
• उपागतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (used predicatively: 'having reached')

• राशिम्: zodiac sign
• राशिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राशि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• कर्कटकम्: Cancer (Karkaṭaka)
• कर्कटकम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; राशिविशेष (apposition to राशिम्)

• प्राप्य: having attained
• प्राप्य: Kriya (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive: 'having attained'); पूर्वक्रिया

• कुरुते: makes, enters upon
• कुरुते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present); प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• दक्षिणायनम्: southern course (dakṣiṇāyana)
• दक्षिणायनम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दक्षिण + अयन (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दक्षिणस्य अयनम्)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Solar motion and the turning of the year via rāśis (Mithuna→Karkaṭaka) and the onset of Dakṣiṇāyana

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Time’s rhythm is expressed through the sun’s ordained southern course beginning at Karkaṭaka.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Align vows, routines, and reflection with seasonal cycles while recognizing a larger cosmic order.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic regularity is upheld by an intelligent, purposive order ultimately dependent on the Supreme (Nārāyaṇa) though not explicitly named here as cause.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Surya (the Sun)
• Mithuna (Gemini)
• Karkaṭaka (Cancer)
• Dakṣiṇāyana

FAQs

What is the significance of Dakṣiṇāyana in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse marks the Sun’s turning into the southern course at Karkaṭaka, presenting Dakṣiṇāyana as a cosmic hinge-point that regulates seasonal rhythm and the ordered flow of time.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Sun’s movement through the zodiac?

Parāśara describes the Sun’s progress by rāśis and identifies specific transitions—here, from the end of Mithuna into Karkaṭaka—as decisive moments that initiate major annual phases like Dakṣiṇāyana.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when speaking of astronomy, the Purana frames time and order as upheld by supreme sovereignty—cosmic regularity is not accidental but part of the divinely sustained structure of the universe.