Srimad Bhagavatam · Canto 5 · Chapter 21
श्रीशुक उवाच एतावानेव भूवलयस्य सन्निवेश: प्रमाणलक्षणतो व्याख्यात: ॥ १ ॥
sri-suka uvaca etavan eva bhu-valayasya sannivesah pramana-laksanato vyakhyatah.
Sukadeva Gosvami said: My dear King, I have thus far described the diameter of the universe (fifty crores of yojanas, or four billion miles) and its general characteristics, according to the estimations of learned scholars.
एतेन हि दिवो मण्डलमानं तद्विद उपदिशन्ति यथा द्विदलयोर्निष्पावादीनां ते अन्तरेणान्तरिक्षं तदुभयसन्धितम् ॥ २ ॥
etena hi divo mandala-manam tad-vida upadisanti yatha dvi-dalayor nispavadinam te antarenantariksam tad-ubhaya-sandhitam.
As a grain of wheat is divided into two parts and one can estimate the size of the upper part by knowing that of the lower, so, expert geographers instruct, one can understand the measurements of the upper part of the universe by knowing those of the lower part. The sky between the earthly sphere and heavenly sphere is called antariksa, or outer space. It adjoins the top of the sphere of earth and the bottom of that of heaven.
यन्मध्यगतो भगवांस्तपतपतिस्तपन आतपेन त्रिलोकीं प्रतपत्यवभासयत्यात्मभासा स एष उदगयनदक्षिणायनवैषुवतसंज्ञाभिर्मान्द्यशैघ्य्रसमानाभिर्गतिभिरारोहणावरोहणसमानस्थानेषु यथासवनमभिपद्यमानो मकरादिषु राशिष्वहोरात्राणि दीर्घह्रस्वसमानानि विधत्ते ॥ ३ ॥
yan-madhya-gato bhagavams tapatam patis tapana atapena tri-lokim pratapaty avabhasayaty atma-bhasa sa esa udagayana-daksinayana-vaisuvata-samjnabhir mandya-saighrya-samanabhir gatibhir arohanavarohana-samana-sthanesu yatha-savanam abhipadyamano makaradisu rasisv aho-ratrani dirgha-hrasva-samanani vidhatte.
In the midst of that region of outer space (antariksa) is the most opulent sun, the king of all the planes that emanate heat, such as the moon. By the influence of its radiation, the sun heats the universe and maintains its proper order. It also gives light to help all living entities see. While passing toward the north, toward the south or through the equator, in accordance with the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is said to move slowly, swiftly or moderately. According to its movements in rising above, going beneath or passing through the equator—and correspondingly coming in touch with various signs of the zodiac, headed by Makara (Capricorn)—days and nights are short, long or equal to one another.
यदा मेषतुलयोर्वर्तते तदाहोरात्राणि समानानि भवन्ति यदा वृषभादिषु पञ्चसु च राशिषु चरति तदाहान्येव वर्धन्ते ह्रसति च मासि मास्येकैका घटिका रात्रिषु ॥ ४ ॥
yada mesa-tulayor vartate tadaho-ratrani samanani bhavanti yada vrsabhadisu pancasu ca rasisu carati tadahany eva vardhante hrasati ca masi masy ekaika ghatika ratrisu.
When the sun passes through Mesa (Aries) and Tula (Libra), the durations of day and night are equal. When it passes through the five signs headed by Vrsabha (Taurus), the duration of the days increases (until Cancer), and then it gradually decreases by half an hour each month, until day and night again become equal (in Libra).
यदा वृश्चिकादिषु पञ्चसु वर्तते तदाहोरात्राणि विपर्ययाणि भवन्ति ॥ ५ ॥
yada vrscikadisu pancasu vartate tadaho-ratrani viparyayani bhavanti.
When the sun passes through the five signs beginning with Vrscika (Scorpio), the duration of the days decreases (until Capricorn), and then gradually it increases month after month, until day and night become equal (in Aries).
यावद्दक्षिणायनमहानि वर्धन्ते यावदुदगयनं रात्रय: ॥ ६ ॥
yavad daksinayanam ahani vardhante yavad udagayanam ratrayah.
Until the sun travels to the south the days grow longer, and until it travels to the north the nights grow longer.
एवं नव कोटय एकपञ्चाशल्लक्षाणि योजनानां मानसोत्तरगिरिपरिवर्तनस्योपदिशन्ति तस्मिन्नैन्द्रीं पुरीं पूर्वस्मान्मेरोर्देवधानीं नाम दक्षिणतो याम्यां संयमनीं नाम पश्चाद्वारुणीं निम्लोचनीं नाम उत्तरत: सौम्यां विभावरीं नाम तासूदयमध्याह्नास्तमयनिशीथानीति भूतानां प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिनिमित्तानि समयविशेषेण मेरोश्चतुर्दिशम् ॥ ७ ॥
evam nava kotaya eka-pancasal-laksani yojananam manasottara-giri-parivartanasyopadisanti tasminn aindrim purim purvasman meror devadhanim nama daksinato yamyam samyamanim nama pascad varunim nimlocanim nama uttaratah saumyam vibhavarim nama tasudaya-madhyahnastamaya-nisithaniti bhutanam pravrtti-nivrtti-nimittani samaya-visesena meros catur-disam.
Sukadeva Gosvami continued; My dear King, as stated before, the learned say that the sun travels over all sides of Manasottara Mountain in a circle whose length is 95,100,000 yojanas (760,800,000 miles). On Manasottara Mountain, due east of Mount Sumeru, is a place known as Devadhani, possessed by King Indra. Similarly, in the south is a place known as Samyamani, possessed by Yamaraja, in the west is a place known as Nimlocani, possessed by Varuna, and in the north is a place named Vibhavari, possessed by the moon-god. Sunrise, midday, sunset and midnight occur in all those places according to specific times, thus engaging all living entities in their various occupational duties and also making them cease such duties.
तत्रत्यानां दिवसमध्यङ्गत एव सदाऽऽदित्यस्तपति सव्येनाचलं दक्षिणेन करोति ॥ ८ ॥ यत्रोदेति तस्य ह समानसूत्रनिपाते निम्लोचति यत्र क्वचन स्यन्देनाभितपति तस्य हैष समानसूत्रनिपाते प्रस्वापयति तत्र गतं न पश्यन्ति ये तं समनुपश्येरन् ॥ ९ ॥
tatratyanam divasa-madhyangata eva sadadityas tapati savyenacalam daksinena karoti; yatrodeti tasya ha samana-sutra-nipate nimlocati yatra kvacana syandenabhitapati tasya haisa samana-sutra-nipate prasvapayati tatra gatam na pasyanti ye tam samanupasyeran.
The living entities residing on Sumeru Mountain are always very warm, as at midday, because for them the sun is always overhead. Although the sun moves counterclockwise, facing the constellations, with Sumeru Mountain on its left, it also moves clockwise and appears to have the mountain on its right because it is influenced by the daksinavarta wind. People living in countries at points diametrically opposite to where the sun is first seen rising will see the sun setting, and if a straight line were drawn from a point where the sun is at midday, the people in countries at the opposite end of the line would be experiencing midnight. Similarly, if people residing where the sun is setting were to go to countries diametrically opposite, they would not see the sun in the same condition.
यदा चैन्द्य्रा: पुर्या: प्रचलते पञ्चदशघटिकाभिर्याम्यां सपादकोटिद्वयं योजनानां सार्धद्वादशलक्षाणि साधिकानि चोपयाति ॥ १० ॥
yada caindryah puryah pracalate pancadasa-ghatikabhir yamyam sapada-koti-dvayam yojananam sardha-dvadasa-laksani sadhikani copayati.
When the sun travels from Devadhani, the residence of Indra, to Samyamani, the residence of Yamaraja, it travels 23,775,000 yojanas (190,200,000 miles) in fifteen ghatikas (six hours).
एवं ततो वारुणीं सौम्यामैन्द्रीं च पुनस्तथान्ये च ग्रहा: सोमादयो नक्षत्रै: सह ज्योतिश्चक्रे समभ्युद्यन्ति सह वा निम्लोचन्ति ॥ ११ ॥
evam tato varunim saumyam aindrim ca punas tathanye ca grahah somadayo naksatraih saha jyotis-cakre samabhyudyanti saha va nimlo-canti.
From the residence of Yamaraja the sun travels to Nimlocani, the residence of Varuna, from there to Vibhavari, the residence of the moon-god, and from there again to the residence of Indra. In a similar way, the moon, along with the other stars and planes, becomes visible in the celestial sphere and then sets and again becomes invisible.
एवं मुहूर्तेन चतुस्त्रिंशल्लक्षयोजनान्यष्टशताधिकानि सौरो रथस्त्रयीमयोऽसौ चतसृषु परिवर्तते पुरीषु ॥ १२ ॥
evam muhurtena catus-trimsal-laksa-yojanany asta-satadhikani sauro rathas trayimayo ’sau catasrsu parivartate purisu.
Thus the chariot of the sun-god, which is trayimaya, or worshiped by the words om bhur bhuvah svah, travels through the four residences mentioned above at a speed of 3,400,800 yojanas (27,206,400 miles) in a muhurta.
यस्यैकं चक्रं द्वादशारं षण्नेमि त्रिणाभि संवत्सरात्मकं समामनन्ति तस्याक्षो मेरोर्मूर्धनि कृतो मानसोत्तरे कृतेतरभागो यत्र प्रोतं रविरथचक्रं तैलयन्त्रचक्रवद् भ्रमन्मानसोत्तरगिरौ परिभ्रमति ॥ १३ ॥
yasyaikam cakram dvadasaram san-nemi tri-nabhi samvatsaratmakam samamananti tasyakso meror murdhani krto manasottare krtetara-bhago yatra protam ravi-ratha-cakram taila-yantra-cakravad bhraman manasottara-girau paribhramati.
The chariot of the sun-god has only one wheel, which is known as Samvatsara. The twelve months are calculated to be its twelve spokes, the six seasons are the sections of its rim, and the three catur-masya periods are its three-sectioned hub. One side of the axle carrying the wheel rests upon the summit of Mount Sumeru, and the other rests upon Manasottara Mountain. Affixed to the outer end of the axle, the wheel continuously rotates on Manasottara Mountain like the wheel of an oil-pressing machine.
तस्मिन्नक्षे कृतमूलो द्वितीयोऽक्षस्तुर्यमानेन सम्मितस्तैलयन्त्राक्षवद् ध्रुवे कृतोपरिभाग: ॥ १४ ॥
tasminn akse krtamulo dvitiyo ’ksas turyamanena sammitas taila-yantraksavad dhruve krtopari-bhagah.
As in an oil-pressing machine, this first axle is attached to a second axle, which is one-fourth as long (3,937,500 yojanas, or 31,500,000 miles). The upper end of this second axle is attached to Dhruvaloka by a rope of wind.
रथनीडस्तु षट्त्रिंशल्लक्षयोजनायतस्तत्तुरीयभागविशालस्तावान् रविरथयुगो यत्र हयाश्छन्दोनामान: सप्तारुणयोजिता वहन्ति देवमादित्यम् ॥ १५ ॥
ratha-nidas tu sat-trimsal-laksa-yojanayatas tat-turiya-bhaga-visalas tavan ravi-ratha-yugo yatra hayas chando-namanah saptaruna-yojita vahanti devam adityam.
My dear King, the carriage of the sun-god’s chariot is estimated to be 3,600,000 yojanas (28,800,000 miles) long and one-fourth as wide (900,000 yojanas, or 7,200,000 miles). The chariot’s horses, which are named after Gayatri and other Vedic meters, are harnessed by Arunadeva to a yoke that is also 900,000 yojanas wide. This chariot continuously carries the sun-god.
पुरस्तात्सवितुररुण: पश्चाच्च नियुक्त: सौत्ये कर्मणि किलास्ते ॥ १६ ॥
purastat savitur arunah pascac ca niyuktah sautye karmani kilaste.
Although Arunadeva sits in front of the sun-god and is engaged in driving the chariot and controlling the horses, he looks backward toward the sun-god.
तथा वालिखिल्या ऋषयोऽङ्गुष्ठपर्वमात्रा: षष्टिसहस्राणि पुरत: सूर्यं सूक्तवाकाय नियुक्ता: संस्तुवन्ति ॥ १७ ॥
tatha valikhilya rsayo ’ngustha-parva-matrah sasti-sahasrani puratah suryam sukta-vakaya niyuktah samstuvanti.
There are sixty thousand saintly persons named Valikhilyas, each the size of a thumb, who are located in front of the sun-god and who offer him eloquent prayers of glorification.
तथान्ये च ऋषयो गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागा ग्रामण्यो यातुधाना देवा इत्येकैकशो गणा: सप्त चतुर्दश मासि मासि भगवन्तं सूर्यमात्मानं नानानामानं पृथङ्नानानामान: पृथक्कर्मभिर्द्वन्द्वश उपासते ॥ १८ ॥
tathanye ca rsayo gandharvapsaraso naga gramanyo yatudhana deva ity ekaikaso ganah sapta caturdasa masi masi bhagavantam suryam atmanam nana-namanam prthan-nana-namanah prthak-karmabhir dvandvasa upasate.
Similarly, fourteen other saints, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas, Yaksas, Raksasas and demigods, who are divided into groups of two, assume different names every month and continuously perform different ritualistic ceremonies to worship the Supreme Lord as the most powerful demigod Suryadeva, who holds many names.
लक्षोत्तरं सार्धनवकोटियोजनपरिमण्डलं भूवलयस्य क्षणेन सगव्यूत्युत्तरं द्विसहस्रयोजनानि स भुङ्क्ते ॥ १९ ॥
laksottaram sardha-nava-koti-yojana-parimandalam bhu-valayasya ksanena sagavyuty-uttaram dvi-sahasra-yojanani sa bhunkte.
My dear King, in his orbit through Bhu-mandala, the sun-god traverses a distance of 95,100,000 yojanas (760,800,000 miles) at the speed of 2,000 yojanas and two krosas (16,004 miles) in a moment.
