Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

अक्षप्रमाणम् उभयोः प्रमाणं तद्युगार्धयोः ह्रस्वो ऽक्षस् तद्युगार्धं च ध्रुवाधारो रथस्य वै द्वितीये ऽक्षे तु तच् चक्रं संस्थितं मानसाचले

Transliteration

akṣapramāṇam ubhayoḥ pramāṇaṃ tadyugārdhayoḥ hrasvo 'kṣas tadyugārdhaṃ ca dhruvādhāro rathasya vai dvitīye 'kṣe tu tac cakraṃ saṃsthitaṃ mānasācale

Translation

The measure of the axle equals the measure of the two halves of the yoke; and the measure of those halves is half the span of a yuga. The shorter axle, measured by that same yuga-half, truly serves as Dhruva’s support for the celestial chariot. Upon the second axle the wheel is fixed, firmly set upon the mountain called Mānasa.

Word by Word

• akṣa-pramāṇam: the measure of the axle
• akṣa-pramāṇam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (akṣasya pramāṇam = axle-measure)

• ubhayoḥ: of both
• ubhayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ubhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन

• pramāṇam: measure/standard
• pramāṇam: Predicate/Viśeṣya (Complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pramāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• tat-yuga-ardhayoḥ: of the two halves of that yoke
• tat-yuga-ardhayoḥ: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya yugasya ardhayoḥ)

• hrasvaḥ: short
• hrasvaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hrasva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• akṣaḥ: the axle
• akṣaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• tat-yuga-ardham: half of that yoke
• tat-yuga-ardham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + yuga (प्रातिपदिक) + ardha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (tasya yugasya ardham)

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• dhruva-ādhāraḥ: the fixed support
• dhruva-ādhāraḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (dhruvaḥ ādhāraḥ = fixed support)

• rathasya: of the chariot
• rathasya: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• vai: indeed
• vai: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय/पादपूरण (emphatic particle)

• dvitīye: in the second
• dvitīye: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvitīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• akṣe: on/in the axle
• akṣe: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Discourse particle
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• cakram: wheel
• cakram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• saṃsthitam: placed/situated
• saṃsthitam: Predicate adjective (state)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-√sthā (धाातु) → saṃsthita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (स्थितम् = placed)

• mānasa-acale: on Mount Mānas(a)
• mānasa-acale: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक) + acala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (mānasasya acale = on Mount Mānas(a))

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Cosmic geography/astronomy: the structure and mechanics of the heavenly chariot and its polar support (Dhruva).

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos moves by precise measure (pramāṇa) around an unmoving axis (Dhruva), expressing ordered governance rather than randomness.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate steadiness (dhruvatā) in practice—fix the mind on a single pole of remembrance while life’s cycles revolve.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order is intelligible because the universe functions as a regulated body sustained by a higher controller, not as an independent mechanism.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva
• Celestial chariot (ratha)
• Mānasa mountain

FAQs

What is the significance of Dhruva in the Vishnu Purana’s cosmology?

Dhruva is portrayed as the fixed support-point (pivot) for the celestial chariot, symbolizing the stable axis around which heavenly motions are ordered.

How does Sage Parāśara explain cosmic order through measurements in this verse?

By giving proportional measures for axle, yoke-halves, and wheel placement, Parāśara presents the heavens as a precisely arranged system governed by an overarching cosmic ordinance.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the described stability and lawful revolution of the cosmos reflects Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty as the sustaining principle behind universal order.