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.
- yat
- of which (the intermediate space)
- madhya-gatah
- being situated in the middle
- bhagavan
- the most powerful
- tapatam patih
- the master of those that heat the whole universe
- tapanah
- the sun
- atapena
- by heat
- tri-lokim
- the three worlds
- pratapati
- heats
- avabhasayati
- lights
- atma-bhasa
- by its own illuminating rays
- sah
- that
- esah
- the sun globe
- udagayana
- of passing to the northern side of the equator
- daksina-ayana
- of passing to the southern side of the equator
- vaisuvata
- or of passing through the equator
- samjnabhih
- by different names
- mandya
- characterized by slowness
- saighrya
- swiftness
- samanabhih
- and by equality
- gatibhih
- by movement
- arohana
- of rising
- avarohana
- of going down
- samana
- or of staying in the middle
- sthanesu
- in positions
- yatha-savanam
- according to the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
- abhipadyamanah
- moving
- makara-adisu
- headed by the sign Makara (Capricorn)
- rasisu
- in different signs
- ahah-ratrani
- the days and nights
- dirgha
- long
- hrasva
- short
- samanani
- equal
- vidhatte
- makes
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.