Shloka 75

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

Devanagari script

तदा तुल्यम् अहोरात्रं करोति तिमिरापहः दशपञ्चमुहूर्तं वै तद् एतद् उभयं स्मृतम्

Transliteration

tadā tulyam ahorātraṃ karoti timirāpahaḥ daśapañcamuhūrtaṃ vai tad etad ubhayaṃ smṛtam

Translation

Then the dispeller of darkness, the Sun, makes day and night equal; and that span—fifteen muhūrtas—is remembered as belonging to both, alike.

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adverbial (कालवाचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time: then)

• तुल्यम्: equal
• तुल्यम्: Karma (Object-complement/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (equal)

• अहोरात्रम्: day and night (a full day)
• अहोरात्रम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः—अहः+रात्रम् (day and night as a unit)

• करोति: makes
• करोति: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तिमिरापहः: the remover of darkness (Sun)
• तिमिरापहः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तिमिर (प्रातिपदिक) + अपह (प्रातिपदिक; √हृ (धातु) + अप + घञ्/अच्-प्रत्ययार्थ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तिमिरम् अपहन्ति इति (darkness-remover)

• दशपञ्चमुहूर्तम्: fifteen muhūrtas
• दशपञ्चमुहूर्तम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (संख्या) + पञ्च (संख्या) + मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (मुहूर्त), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः—दशपञ्च (= पञ्चदश) मुहूर्ताः (fifteen muhūrtas)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात (particle: indeed)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• उभयम्: both (together)
• उभयम्: Karma/Complement (कर्म/पूरक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन

• स्मृतम्: is stated/considered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Verbal predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd Nom/Acc), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; कर्मणि/भावे—‘is said/considered’

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Equinox definition: equality of day and night and its measurement in muhūrtas.

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: precise

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: At the equinox the Sun equalizes day and night, each being reckoned as fifteen muhūrtas in that balanced span.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use moments of ‘balance’ (daily/seasonal) for self-audit: equalize outward action and inward contemplation.

Vishishtadvaita: Balance in the cosmos mirrors the harmonious order of the Lord’s administration, encouraging integrated life (pravṛtti and nivṛtti) within a real world.

Characters & Entities

• Surya (the Sun)

FAQs

What is the significance of equal day and night in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks a precise cosmic balance where the Sun regulates time so that day and night are of equal measure, reflecting universal order (ṛta) within Vishnu’s governed cosmos.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the measure of time here?

He defines the equalized span of day and night as fifteen muhūrtas, treating it as a shared measure counted as belonging to both halves of the day-night cycle.

What is the theological importance of Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse names the Sun as the immediate regulator, the Purana’s framework presents such cosmic regularity as operating under Vishnu’s supreme sovereignty, with time (kāla) functioning as His ordered power.