Shloka 66
सूर्यरथ-कालचक्र-आयनविभागः, संध्योपासनम्, देवयान-पितृयानम्, विष्णुपद-गङ्गावतरणम्
वर्धते ऽहो ह्रसति च अयने दक्षिणोत्तरे अहस् तु ग्रसते रात्रिं रात्रिर् ग्रसति वासरम्
vardhate 'ho hrasati ca ayane dakṣiṇottare ahas tu grasate rātriṃ rātrir grasati vāsaram
In the southern and northern ayana, the day now waxes and now wanes. As day increases it seems to swallow the night, and as night increases it seems to swallow the day—thus does Time keep the world in measured balance.
Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Topic: Measurement and regulation of time through the Sun’s courses (ayana) and the waxing/waning of day and night
Teaching: Cosmological
Quality: authoritative
Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas
Concept: Time maintains equilibrium in the world through reciprocal increase and decrease, exemplified by the alternating dominance of day and night across the two ayanas.
Vedantic Theme: Dharma
Application: Cultivate steadiness by observing cyclical change (light/dark, gain/loss) as natural regulation rather than disorder.
Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order (ṛta/dharma) is intelligible and sustained by a higher governance, aligning temporal cycles with purposeful harmony.
FAQs
They mark the two great solar courses during which day and night alternately expand and contract, illustrating the regulated rhythm of time in the cosmos.
He presents it as a reciprocal ‘swallowing’—as day increases it overtakes night, and as night increases it overtakes day—showing a lawful, cyclical balance governed by Kāla.
Even when Vishnu is not named directly, the verse supports the Purāṇic view that cosmic regularity—time, motion, and measure—operates under the sovereignty of the Supreme Reality identified with Vishnu.