Shloka 23
मन्दर-समुद्रमन्थन-वर्णनम् / Description of the Churning of the Ocean with Mount Mandara
अरुणो दृश्यते ब्रह्मन् प्रभातसमये सदा । आदित्यरथमध्यास्ते सारथ्यं समकल्पयत्,इस प्रकार विनताको शाप देकर वह बालक अरुण अन्तरिक्षमें उड़ गया। ब्रह्मन! तभीसे प्रातःकाल (प्राची दिशामें) सदा जो लाली दिखायी देती है, उसके रूपमें विनताके पुत्र अरुणका ही दर्शन होता है। वह सूर्यदेवके रथपर जा बैठा और उनके सारथिका काम सँभालने लगा
aruṇo dṛśyate brahman prabhātasamaye sadā | ādityarathamadhyāste sārathyaṃ samakalpayat ||
绍那迦说道：“婆罗门啊，拂晓之时总能见到一抹红光。那道光辉便被理解为毗那多之子阿鲁那的显现。他在诅咒之后离去，腾入空中，继而登上太阳神的战车，担任苏利耶的御者。”
शौनक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse links a visible natural rhythm (the red glow of dawn) to a moral-cosmic idea: beings take up roles within ṛta (order). Aruṇa, though affected by a curse, turns his condition into purposeful service by assuming the charioteer’s duty for Sūrya—suggesting that duty and right placement can transform adversity into meaningful function.
Śaunaka explains that the constant redness seen at daybreak is Aruṇa’s manifestation. After being cursed and departing into the sky, Aruṇa comes to reside on the Sun-god’s chariot and serves as Sūrya’s charioteer.