Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

अतिवेगितया कालं वायुवेगगतिश् चरन् तस्मात् प्रकृष्टां भूमिं तु कालेनाल्पेन गच्छति

Transliteration

ativegitayā kālaṃ vāyuvegagatiś caran tasmāt prakṛṣṭāṃ bhūmiṃ tu kālenālpena gacchati

Translation

Moving with exceedingly swift momentum, coursing with a speed like the wind, he seems to traverse Time itself; therefore, in but a little while, he reaches the farthest stretches of the earth.

Word by Word

• अतिवेगितया: by great swiftness
• अतिवेगितया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति + वेगिता (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करणवाचक (instrumental: 'by excessive speed')

• कालम्: time (duration)
• कालम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; कालपरिमाण (extent of time)

• वायुवेगगतिः: a motion like the speed of wind
• वायुवेगगतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायु + वेग + गति (प्रातिपदिक); समासः
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वायोः वेगः, तस्य गतिः)

• चरन्: moving
• चरन्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि (describing subject)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ/अपादान (ablative: 'therefore/from that')

• प्रकृष्टाम्: excellent, far-extended
• प्रकृष्टाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (भूमिम्)

• भूमिम्: ground, distance/region
• भूमिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध-निपात (particle: 'but/indeed')

• कालेन: in (a span of) time
• कालेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन; करण/साधन (instrumental: 'by/within time')

• अल्पेन: small, short
• अल्पेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक; तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (कालेन)

• गच्छति: goes, traverses
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: The sun’s extreme velocity—likened to wind-speed—and rapid traversal of the earth’s extent

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: explanatory

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The sun’s wind-like speed enables rapid traversal of the world, making time’s divisions operative for earthly life.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate awareness of time’s swiftness to prioritize dharma and disciplined practice.

Vishishtadvaita: Time is not random but functional for embodied beings; such teleology coheres with a universe sustained for souls (cit) within the Lord’s order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)
• Vāyu (Wind)
• Bhūmi (Earth)

FAQs

What is the significance of Kāla (Time) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents time as a traversable, measurable principle governing motion—so swift movement can ‘cross’ great distances within a small unit of time, reflecting the Purana’s focus on cosmic order.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic motion here?

He uses a wind-speed analogy (vāyu-vega) to convey extraordinary velocity, emphasizing that such motion makes even vast terrestrial expanse reachable in a short duration.

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

In the Vishnu Purana’s framework, cosmic regularity—time, motion, and spatial order—ultimately rests on Vishnu’s supreme governance, even when the verse speaks directly in terms of Kāla and movement.