Shloka 16

Uttarā-diśā Māhātmya — Suparṇa’s Praise of the Northern Quarter

Suparṇa–Gālava Saṃvāda

Devanagari script

अष्टाविंशतिरात्रं च चड्क्रम्य सह भानुना । निष्पतन्ति पुन: सूर्यात्‌ सोमसंयोगयोगतः

Transliteration

aṣṭāviṁśatirātraṁ ca cakramya saha bhānunā | niṣpatanti punaḥ sūryāt somasaṁyogayogataḥ ||

Translation

与太阳相伴行满二十八夜之轮回后，凭借与月亮的会合之力，于新月之后，他们又再度自日轮之域分离。故在二十二宿之中，阿毗阇特被说为每逢第二十八日便随日同行，而后复又离去——以此标示时序与祭仪所依的节律。

Word by Word

• अष्टाविंशति-रात्रम्: a period of twenty-eight nights
• अष्टाविंशति-रात्रम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अष्टाविंशति + रात्र
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• चक्राम्य: having gone/roamed (having traversed)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्रम्
• Form: ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage)

• सह: together with
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह

• भानुना: with the Sun (with Bhānu)
• भानुना: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भानु
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• निष्पतन्ति: they depart/come forth (separate out)
• निष्पतन्ति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: निष् + पत्
• Form: Present, Indicative, Parasmaipada, Third, Plural

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः

• सूर्यात्: from the Sun
• सूर्यात्: Apadana
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूर्य
• Form: Masculine, Ablative, Singular

• सोम-संयोग-योगतः: due to the conjunction with the Moon
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सोम + संयोग + योगतस्

Speaker

युपर्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

• युपर्ण (Yuparṇa)
• भानु (the Sun)
• सूर्य (the Sun)
• सोम (the Moon)
• अभिजित् (Abhijit nakṣatra)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights cosmic order: celestial cycles (Sun–Moon conjunctions and the 28-night circuit) structure time, which in turn underpins dharmic life through calendrical and ritual reckoning.

What is happening in the narrative?

Yuparṇa explains an astronomical/cosmological point: after moving with the Sun for a 28-night circuit, the relevant star/nakṣatra grouping (notably Abhijit as referenced in the received text) separates again from the Sun after amāvasyā, due to its relation with the Moon.