Shloka 15

आत्मदर्शन-उपदेशः (Ātma-darśana Upadeśa) — Mind, Senses, and the All-pervading Self

Devanagari script

अहोरात्रे विभजते सूर्यो मानुषलौकिके । रात्रि: स्वप्लाय भूतानां चेष्टायै कर्मणामह:,मनुष्यलोकके दिन-रातका विभाग सूर्यदेव करते हैं। रात प्राणियोंके सोनेके लिये है और दिन काम करनेके लिये

Transliteration

ahorātre vibhajate sūryo mānuṣalaukike | rātriḥ svaplāya bhūtānāṁ ceṣṭāyai karmaṇām ahaḥ |

Translation

毗耶娑说：在人间，太阳分配两种界限——昼与夜。夜为众生安眠与复元之时；昼为行动与履行诸业之时。由是可知，时间本身亦被安排，以扶持有序的行持与自律的生活。

Word by Word

• अहोरात्रे: day and night (the two)
• अहोरात्रे: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहोरात्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Dual

• विभजते: divides, apportions
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भज् (विभज्)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• सूर्यः: the Sun
• सूर्यः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मानुषलौकिके: in the human world
• मानुषलौकिके: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानुषलौकिक
• Form: Neuter, Locative, Singular

• रात्रिः: night
• रात्रिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• स्वप्नाय: for sleep
• स्वप्नाय: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वप्न
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• चेष्टायै: for activity/effort
• चेष्टायै: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेष्टा
• Form: Feminine, Dative, Singular

• कर्मणाम्: of actions/works
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन्
• Form: Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• अहः: day
• अहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहन्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vyāsa
• Sūrya (Sun)
• mānuṣa-loka (human world)
• bhūta (living beings)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Time is structured by cosmic order: night supports rest and recovery, and day supports purposeful action. Ethical living aligns with this rhythm—rest at the proper time and perform one’s duties when it is time to act.

What is happening in the narrative?

In Śānti Parva’s instruction on right conduct and order, Vyāsa explains how the Sun regulates human experience by dividing day and night, indicating their intended functions—sleep at night and work by day.