Shloka 49
सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्
संध्याकाले तु संप्राप्ते रौद्रे परमदारुणे मन्देहा राक्षसा घोराः सूर्यम् इच्छन्ति खादितुम्
saṃdhyākāle tu saṃprāpte raudre paramadāruṇe mandehā rākṣasā ghorāḥ sūryam icchanti khāditum
When the hour of saṃdhyā arrives—fierce and exceedingly dreadful—the terrifying rākṣasas known as the Mandehas seek to devour the Sun.
Sage Parāśara (to Maitreya)
Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas
Concept: At saṃdhyā the forces of disorder symbolically attack the Sun, underscoring why disciplined rites and vigilance at liminal times preserve dharma.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Maintain steadiness at daily ‘thresholds’ (dawn/dusk, beginnings/endings) with prayer and restraint, when distractions and negativity spike.
Vishishtadvaita: Even when adharma surges, the Lord’s sovereignty and the devotee’s ordained practices function together—divine support through dharmic means.
Vishnu Form: Hari
Bhakti Type: Dasya
FAQs
Twilight is portrayed as a liminal, vulnerable interval when disorder can surge; the verse uses the Mandehas’ assault on the Sun to underline why sandhyā is spiritually and cosmically significant.
Parāśara frames them as fierce rākṣasas who repeatedly attempt to consume the Sun at twilight, illustrating a recurring cosmic threat that is checked by higher order and dharmic action.
Even when chaos appears to threaten the very source of light, the continuity of the cosmos implies a governing Supreme Reality—Vishnu—whose sovereignty preserves the ordained rhythm of time and celestial function.