Shloka 6

Measurements of the Sun’s Chariot, the Wheel of Time, and the Retinues of the Solar Months; Chariots of Soma and the Grahas

Devanagari script

ह्रस्वो ऽक्षस्तद्युगार्धेन ध्रुवाधारे रथस्य वै / द्वितीये ऽक्षे तु तच्चक्रं संस्थितं मानसाचले

Transliteration

hrasvo 'kṣastadyugārdhena dhruvādhāre rathasya vai / dvitīye 'kṣe tu taccakraṃ saṃsthitaṃ mānasācale

Translation

El eje es corto—la mitad de la longitud del yugo—y queda fijado en el soporte del Polo del carro. En el segundo eje, esa rueda está asentada en el monte Mānasā.

Word by Word

• ह्रस्वः: short
• ह्रस्वः: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• अक्षः: axle
• अक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (युगार्धेन इत्यस्य)

• युगार्धेन: by half of the yoke
• युगार्धेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युग + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (युगस्य अर्धम्)

• ध्रुवाधारे: in the fixed support
• ध्रुवाधारे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्रुव + आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (ध्रुवस्य आधारः)

• रथस्य: of the chariot
• रथस्य: Sambandha (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधारणार्थ/खल्वर्थ

• द्वितीये: in the second
• द्वितीये: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (अक्षे इत्यस्य)

• अक्षे: on the axle
• अक्षे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (चक्रम् इत्यस्य)

• चक्रम्: wheel
• चक्रम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• संस्थितम्: placed, stationed
• संस्थितम्: Kriya-visheshana / Predicate adjective
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + स्था (धातु) → संस्थित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (चक्रम्)

• मानसाचले: on Mount Mānasa
• मानसाचले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानस + अचल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मानसः अचलः)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: The cosmos functions through fixed supports and measured proportions; divine order is intelligible.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sṛṣṭi as orderly manifestation; contemplation of cosmic structure as a support for śānta-bhāva.

Application: Use the imagery for dhyāna on steadiness (dhruva) and disciplined proportion in one’s life; cultivate reverence for natural order (time, seasons, directions).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: cosmic axis / sacred mountain

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.58 (Surya-ratha/solar chariot description context)

Characters & Entities

• Dhruva (Pole Star)
• Ratha (cosmic chariot)
• Mānasācala (Mount Mānasā)

FAQs

What is the importance of Dhruva (the Pole) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse presents Dhruva as the stabilizing support-point of the cosmic chariot, indicating its role as a fixed axis around which cosmic motion is conceptualized.

How does this verse explain the structure of the cosmos?

It uses chariot imagery—yoke, axle, and wheel—to describe cosmic arrangement, locating a key wheel/point on Mānasācala and anchoring the system at Dhruva’s support.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

It encourages contemplation of order and stability in life—aligning one’s actions with a steady ‘axis’ (dharma) rather than being driven by restlessness.