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Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 18

The Orbit of the Sun, the Measure of Day and Night, and the Sun-God’s Chariot

तथान्ये च ऋषयो गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागा ग्रामण्यो यातुधाना देवा इत्येकैकशो गणा: सप्त चतुर्दश मासि मासि भगवन्तं सूर्यमात्मानं नानानामानं पृथङ्‌नानानामान: पृथक्‌कर्मभिर्द्वन्द्वश उपासते ॥ १८ ॥

tathānye ca ṛṣayo gandharvāpsaraso nāgā grāmaṇyo yātudhānā devā ity ekaikaśo gaṇāḥ sapta caturdaśa māsi māsi bhagavantaṁ sūryam ātmānaṁ nānā-nāmānaṁ pṛthaṅ-nānā-nāmānaḥ pṛthak-karmabhir dvandvaśa upāsate.

De même, d’autres ṛṣis, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Nāgas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas et demi-dieux—répartis par paires en divers groupes—prennent chaque mois des noms différents et accomplissent continuellement des rites variés pour adorer le Seigneur Suprême en tant que Sūryadeva, le deva puissant aux nombreux noms.

तथाlikewise
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting adverb)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (indeclinable adverb)
अन्येothers
अन्ये:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootanya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम-विशेषण (pronominal adjective) used substantively
and
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (conjunction)
ऋषयःsages
ऋषयः:
Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
गन्धर्वाप्सरसःGandharvas and Apsarases
गन्धर्वाप्सरसः:
Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootgandharva (प्रातिपदिक) + apsaras (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: ‘गन्धर्वाः च अप्सरसः च’
नागाःNāgas
नागाः:
Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootnāga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
ग्रामण्यःleaders/chiefs (of groups)
ग्रामण्यः:
Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootgrāmaṇī (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
यातुधानाःYātudhānas (a class of beings/demons)
यातुधानाः:
Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootyātudhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
देवाःgods
देवाः:
Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootdeva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
इतिthus, namely
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (quotative particle)
एकैकशःone by one
एकैकशः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + śas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
Formअव्यय (distributive adverb): ‘one by one/each separately’
गणाःgroups
गणाः:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootgaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)
सप्तseven
सप्त:
Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootsapta (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
Formअव्ययवत् संख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective), प्रथमा बहुवचनार्थे (qualifying gaṇāḥ)
चतुर्दशfourteen
चतुर्दश:
Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootcaturdaśa (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या)
Formसंख्या-विशेषण (numeral adjective) ‘fourteen’; द्विगु-स्वभाव (catur + daśa)
मासिin a month
मासि:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
TypeNoun
Rootmāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)
मासिmonth by month
मासि:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
TypeNoun
Rootmāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular); पुनरुक्ति (repetition) for distributive sense
भगवन्तम्the blessed/lordly
भगवन्तम्:
Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘सूर्यम्’
सूर्यम्Sun
सूर्यम्:
Karma (कर्म/object)
TypeNoun
Rootsūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)
आत्मानम्as the Self
आत्मानम्:
Karma (कर्म/apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); apposition to ‘सूर्यम्’
नानानामानम्having various names
नानानामानम्:
Karma (कर्म/object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootnānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण of ‘सूर्यम्/आत्मानम्’; समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘नानानि नामानि यस्य’ (having various names)
पृथक्separately
पृथक्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpṛthak (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb)
नानानामानः(groups) bearing various names
नानानामानः:
Karta (कर्ता/qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootnānā (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण of ‘गणाः’; समासः—कर्मधारय
पृथक्separately
पृथक्:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpṛthak (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb)
कर्मभिःby (different) acts/ritual functions
कर्मभिः:
Karana (करण/instrument/means)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)
द्वन्द्वशःin pairs
द्वन्द्वशः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootdvandva (प्रातिपदिक) + śas (अव्यय-प्रत्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb) ‘in pairs/two by two’ (śas distributive suffix)
उपासतेthey worship
उपासते:
Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-ās (धातु)
Formलट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said:

S
Surya
R
Rishis
G
Gandharvas
A
Apsaras
N
Nagas
Y
Yatudhanas
D
Devas

FAQs

This verse states that many classes of beings worship the Supreme Lord specifically in His form as Surya, recognizing Him as their very Self (Paramatma), and they serve Him with distinct names and duties month by month.

In Canto 5 Chapter 21, Shukadeva explains the cosmic administration and the Sun’s movement; describing the Sun’s worship shows that Surya’s power is sustained by devotional service to the Supreme Lord, not by an independent force.

See natural powers (like the Sun) as energies and forms of service to the Supreme Lord, cultivate gratitude and regulated daily worship, and remember that different duties can still be devotional when offered to Bhagavan.