Vishnu Purana — Amsha 2 - Sacred Geography, Shloka 11

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

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रव्यवस्थानकारणं भगवान् रविः देवयानः परः पन्था योगिनां क्लेशसंक्षये

Transliteration

ahorātravyavasthānakāraṇaṃ bhagavān raviḥ devayānaḥ paraḥ panthā yogināṃ kleśasaṃkṣaye

Translation

Bhagavān Ravi, tức Thần Mặt Trời, là nguyên nhân sắp đặt trật tự ngày và đêm. Ngài cũng là Devayāna—con đường cao thượng—nhờ đó các hành giả yoga cầu tiêu trừ phiền não mà tiến đến giải thoát.

Word by Word

• अहोरात्रव्यवस्थानकारणम्: the cause of the arrangement of day and night
• अहोरात्रव्यवस्थानकारणम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र + व्यवस्थान + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्तृ/विधेय), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अहोरात्रस्य व्यवस्थानस्य कारणम्)

• भगवान्: the blessed/lordly
• भगवान्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

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

• देवयानः: the path/vehicle of the gods (devayāna)
• देवयानः: Visheshya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + यान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां यानः)

• परः: supreme, higher
• परः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• पन्थाः: path
• पन्थाः: Visheshya (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथिन्/पन्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• योगिनाम्: of yogins
• योगिनाम्: Shashthi-sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• क्लेशसंक्षये: in the destruction of afflictions
• क्लेशसंक्षये: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्लेश + संक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (क्लेशानां संक्षये)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Sun (Ravi) regulates day-night and functions as the devayāna for yogins seeking release

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas (worlds)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Ravi, as Bhagavān and regulator of time, is also the devayāna—an upward path by which yogins move toward the cessation of kleśas and release.

Vedantic Theme: Moksha

Application: Contemplate time’s order as divine governance and align practice (japa/dhyāna) with sunrise-noon-sunset disciplines to cultivate kleśa-kṣaya.

Vishishtadvaita: The cosmic function of the Sun is treated as a mode of the Lord’s governance (niyamanatva), supporting Vishnu’s immanence as antaryāmin within cosmic order.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Narayana (cosmic)

Bhakti Type: Shanta (peaceful)

Antaryamin: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Ravi (Sun)
• Devayāna

FAQs

What is the significance of the Sun (Ravi) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Ravi as the cosmic regulator establishing the order of day and night, showing how universal time and rhythm are upheld through a divine principle.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the Devayāna path here?

Parāśara identifies Devayāna as the higher course associated with ascent, framing it as a spiritual pathway connected with the Sun and oriented toward release for disciplined yogins.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when the verse names Ravi, the Purāṇic framework treats such cosmic powers as operating under the Supreme Reality’s sovereignty—Vishnu as the ultimate ground of order, time, and liberation.