Shloka 42
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
दिव:पुत्रो बृहद्धानुश्चक्षुरात्मा विभावसु: । सविता स ऋचीकोड को भानुराशावहो रवि:,पूर्वकालमें दिव:पुत्र, बृहत्, भानु, चक्षु, आत्मा, विभावसु, सविता, ऋचीक, अर्क, भानु, आशावह तथा रवि--ये सब शब्द विवस्वान्के बोधक माने गये हैं, इन सबमें जो अन्तिम 'रवि' हैं वे 'महा' (मही--पृथ्वीमें गर्भ स्थापन करनेवाले एवं पूज्य) माने गये हैं। इनके तनय देवश्राट् हैं और देवभ्राटके तनय सुभ्राट माने गये हैं
divaḥputro bṛhaddhānuś cakṣurātmā vibhāvasuḥ | savitā sa ṛcīko 'rko bhānur āśāvaho raviḥ ||
In earlier tradition, the names Divaḥputra, Bṛhaddhānu, Bhānu, Cakṣu, Ātmā, Vibhāvasu, Savitṛ, Ṛcīka, Arka, Bhānu, Āśāvaha, and Ravi are all understood as appellations of Vivasvān (the Sun). Among these, the final name “Ravi” is treated as “Mahā,” revered as the one who establishes the seed in the earth. From him is born Devāśrāṭ; and from Devabhrāṭ is born Subhrāṭ.
Educational Q&A
The verse preserves traditional knowledge that many distinct-sounding names are actually epithets of a single cosmic principle—the Sun (Vivasvān). It highlights how Sanskrit tradition uses multiple names to express different functions and qualities (radiance, inspiration, cosmic ‘eye’), encouraging a unified understanding behind diverse expressions.
Within the Adi Parva’s opening genealogical and cosmological material, the text lists recognized names of Vivasvān and then links this solar figure to a lineage by naming descendants (Devāśrāṭ, Devabhrāṭ, Subhrāṭ), situating later persons within an ordered ancestral framework.