Shloka 12

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

Devanagari script

दिवसस्य रविर् मध्ये सर्वकालं व्यवस्थितः सर्वद्वीपेषु मैत्रेय निशार्धस्य च संमुखः

Transliteration

divasasya ravir madhye sarvakālaṃ vyavasthitaḥ sarvadvīpeṣu maitreya niśārdhasya ca saṃmukhaḥ

Translation

ଦିନର ମଧ୍ୟଭାଗରେ ରବି ସର୍ବକାଳ ନିଜ ନିୟତ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ସ୍ଥିତ। ହେ ମୈତ୍ରେୟ, ସମସ୍ତ ଦ୍ୱୀପରେ ସେ ଦିନେ ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କ ସମ୍ମୁଖରେ ଥାଏ, ଏବଂ ରାତିର ଅନୁରୂପ ଅର୍ଧଭାଗରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ମୁଖୀ ଥାଏ।

Word by Word

• दिवसस्य: of the day
• दिवसस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• रविः: the Sun
• रविः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रवि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः (मध्ये = in the middle)

• सर्वकालम्: at all times
• सर्वकालम्: Adverbial (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (काल-अत्यन्त-संयोग/अव्ययवत्), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वः कालः)

• व्यवस्थितः: situated, stationed
• व्यवस्थितः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + अव + स्था (धातु) → व्यवस्थित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सर्वद्वीपेषु: in all islands/continents
• सर्वद्वीपेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (सर्वे द्वीपाः)

• मैत्रेय: O Maitreya
• मैत्रेय: Sambodhana (Vocative/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैत्रेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• निशार्धस्य: of the half of the night
• निशार्धस्य: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निशायाः अर्धः)

• च: and
• च: Connector (Samuccaya/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• संमुखः: facing, turned toward
• संमुखः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

Speaker

Sage Parāśara

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Sun’s fixed station relates to day and night across all dvīpas

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Dvipas (continents)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ravi remains established in his ordained position, being ‘before’ beings across all dvīpas in day and correspondingly in the night-half, thus maintaining temporal measure.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Use the idea of a ‘fixed station’ to cultivate inner steadiness (dhāraṇā) amid changing experiences, recognizing time as ordered rather than chaotic.

Vishishtadvaita: Cosmic order (ṛta/niyati) is presented as a dependable, divinely governed structure, consonant with the Lord’s immanent regulation of the world.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Maitreya

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sun being 'steadfastly situated' in this Vishnu Purana verse?

It conveys cosmic regularity: the Sun’s ordained station enables the dependable sequence of day, night, and measurable time across the world-continents.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the experience of day and night across the dvīpas?

By describing the Sun as 'facing' beings across all dvīpas—presenting himself for day and in relation to the night’s division—Parāśara frames time as a coordinated, world-encompassing order.

What is the theological importance of this passage for Vaishnava cosmology?

The verse supports the idea that cosmic functions (like the Sun’s course and timekeeping) operate under a higher sustaining principle—ultimately grounded in Vishnu’s supreme governance of the universe.