Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

दिनादेर् दीर्घह्रस्वत्वं तद्भोगेनैव जायते उत्तरे प्रक्रमे शीघ्रा निशि मन्दा गतिर् दिवा

Transliteration

dināder dīrghahrasvatvaṃ tadbhogenaiva jāyate uttare prakrame śīghrā niśi mandā gatir divā

Translation

The lengthening and shortening of days and nights arises solely from the Sun’s own course. In his northward progress, he moves swiftly by night and slowly by day.

Word by Word

• दिनादेः: of the beginning of the day
• दिनादेः: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; ‘दिनस्य आदिः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Genitive singular

• दीर्घह्रस्वत्वम्: the state of being long and short (variation in length)
• दीर्घह्रस्वत्वम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीर्घ (प्रातिपदिक) + ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक) + त्व (प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; ‘दीर्घ’ + ‘ह्रस्व’ इति द्वन्द्वः, तस्य भावे ‘त्व’ प्रत्ययः; Nominative singular

• तद्भोगेन: by/through its enjoyment (experience)
• तद्भोगेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; ‘तस्य भोगः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः; Instrumental singular

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis

• जायते: arises/comes to be
• जायते: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘is born/arises’

• उत्तरे: in the northern (course)
• उत्तरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular; (अयने) इति अध्याहार्ये विशेषणम्

• प्रक्रमे: in the progression/course
• प्रक्रमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• शीघ्रा: swift
• शीघ्रा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शीघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (गतिः) इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्; Nominative singular

• निशि: at night
• निशि: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; Locative singular

• मन्दा: slow
• मन्दा: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; (गतिः) इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्; Nominative singular

• गतिः: movement
• गतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• दिवा: by day/in daytime
• दिवा: Kala (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दिवा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The waxing and waning of day and night arise from the Sun’s regulated motion as it turns northward, revealing an intelligible cosmic order.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Observe daily and seasonal cycles as prompts for discipline (niyama) and timely practice such as sandhyā-vandana.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic regularity is read as the Lord’s niyantṛtva (governance) operating through natural agencies like Sūrya.

Characters & Entities

• Surya (the Sun)
• Kāla (Time)

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sun’s northward course (uttarāyaṇa) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse links uttarāyaṇa to the changing lengths of day and night, presenting celestial motion as the mechanism through which time is regulated in the cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the increase and decrease of day-length?

He attributes it to the Sun’s own traversal of its path—its “course” is the direct cause of day and night becoming longer or shorter.

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

Even when describing astronomy, the Purana frames cosmic regularity as part of the divinely upheld order—time and its measures operate within the sovereignty of the Supreme Reality, Vishnu.