Bhagavatapurana 5.21: athaikaviṃśo'dhyāyaḥ

5.21.1

/0 śrī-śuka uvāca
etāvān eva bhū-valayasya sanniveśaḥ pramāṇa-lakṣaṇato vyākhyātaḥ //

Śrī Śuka said:
Only this much is the structure of the terrestrial sphere, explained according to measure and characteristics.

1. Sri Suka said:— The terrestrial system is only of this extent and it has been described with an account of its dimensions and characteristics. 2. In the same terms indeed (i.e., to be of the same symmetrical dimensions), the extent of the heavenly regions is described by those who know it, just as the two halves are of certain beans; and between them is placed the Antariksha or mid-air which is bounded by the line where both the halves meet (i.e., the horizon).

5.21.2

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etena hi divo maṇḍala-mānaṃ tad-vida upadiśanti yathā dvi-dalayor niṣpāvādīnāṃ te antareṇāntarikṣaṃ tad-ubhaya-sandhitam //

By this, those who know it describe the extent of the celestial orb, just as between the two halves of a flat bean, with the atmosphere between them joining both.

5.21.3

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yan-madhya-gato bhagavāṃs tapatāṃ patis tapana ātapena tri-lokīṃ pratapaty avabhāsayaty ātma-bhāsā sa eṣa udagayana-dakṣiṇāyana-vaiṣuvata-saṃjñābhir māndya-śaighrya-samānābhir gatibhir ārohaṇāvarohaṇa-samāna-sthāneṣu yathā-savanam abhipadyamāno makarādiṣu rāśiṣv aho-rātrāṇi dīrgha-hrasva-samānāni vidhatte //

Situated in the middle of which, the Lord, the master of heat, the burning sun, intensely heats the three worlds with his heat and illumines [them] with his own light; by his courses designated as northern solstice, southern solstice, and equinox, characterized by slow, rapid, and equal speeds, reaching higher, lower, and equal stations according to the times of sacrificial offering, in the zodiac signs beginning with Capricorn, he makes the days and nights long, short, and equal.

3. Placed at its centre, the glorious Sun, Lord of luminaries, warms the three worlds with his heat and lights them with his rays. Under the names of Uttarayana, Dakshinayana, and Vaishuvata (Vishuvat) on account of his slow, rapid and equal marches and in his positions of upward course, downward course, and his course in a straight line, which he attains in due seasons, namely, at the several signs of the Zodiac (commencing with the Capricorn), the Sun makes days and nights, longer, shorter, or equal, as the case may be.

5.21.4

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yadā meṣa-tulayor vartate tadāho-rātrāṇi samānāni bhavanti yadā vṛṣabhādiṣu pañcasu ca rāśiṣu carati tadāhāny eva vardhante hrasati ca māsi māsy ekaikā ghaṭikā rātriṣu //

When he is in Aries and Libra, then the days and nights become equal; when he moves through the five signs beginning with Taurus, then the days indeed increase and a ghaṭikā decreases in the nights month by month.

4. When he traverses the signs of the Goat and the Balance days and nights are of equal length; and when he traverses the five signs commencing with the Bull, days become longer, and nights shorter every month by an hour (of 24 minutes).

5.21.5

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yadā vṛścikādiṣu pañcasu vartate tadāho-rātrāṇi viparyayāṇi bhavanti //

When he is in the five signs beginning with Scorpio, then the days and nights become reversed.

5. When he traverses the five signs commencing with the Scorpion, days and nights are in the reverse order (in respect of length).

5.21.6

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yāvad dakṣiṇāyanam ahāni vardhante yāvad udagayanaṃ rātrayaḥ //

As long as the southward course continues, the days increase; as long as the northward course continues, the nights do.

6. Till the beginning of the Dakshinayana, days grow longer and till the Uttarayana commences, nights grow longer.

5.21.7

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evaṃ nava koṭaya eka-pañcāśal-lakṣāṇi yojanānāṃ mānasottara-giri-parivartanasyopadiśanti tasminn aindrīṃ purīṃ pūrvasmān meror devadhānīṃ nāma dakṣiṇato yāmyāṃ saṃyamanīṃ nāma paścād vāruṇīṃ nimlocanīṃ nāma uttarataḥ saumyāṃ vibhāvarīṃ nāma tāsūdaya-madhyāhnāstamaya-niśīthānīti bhūtānāṃ pravṛtti-nivṛtti-nimittāni samaya-viśeṣeṇa meroś catur-diśam //

Thus, [teachers of astronomy] teach that the circumference of the Mānasottara mountain is ninety-five million one hundred thousand yojanas. Upon it, east of Meru, is the city of Indra named Devadhānī; to the south is Yamarāja's city named Saṃyamanī; to the west is Varuṇa's city named Nimlocanī; and to the north is the moon-god's city named Vibhāvarī. In these [cities], depending on the specific time on the four sides of Meru, sunrise, midday, sunset, and midnight occur, which are the causes for the activity and cessation of activity of living beings.

7. Thus they say that a distance of 9 crores and 51 lacs of Yojanas is traversed by the Sun in going round the Manasottara mountain. On that mountain, to the east of Meru there is the city of Indra known as Devadhani (abode of the gods); on the south is the city of Samyamani ruled over by Yama; on the west is the city of Varuna, known as Nimlochini; and on the North is the city of Soma called Vibhavari; on the four sides of Meru by the particular points of time, the conditions necessary for the activity and inactivity of beings are instituted by the Sun's passage through those cities and they are known as Sunrise, Midday, and Sunset and Midnight.

5.21.8

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tatratyānāṃ divasa-madhyaṅgata eva sadādityas tapati savyenācalaṃ dakṣiṇena karoti //

For those dwelling in each place, the sun shines always at midday; it keeps the mountain on its right as it circles.

8. The Sun is always at the Zenith for those who dwell there (on the mount Meru) and shines always to the left of the gods, while he has Mount Meru always on his right.

5.21.9

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yatrodeti tasya ha samāna-sūtra-nipāte nimlocati yatra kvacana syandenābhitapati tasya haiṣa samāna-sūtra-nipāte prasvāpayati tatra gataṃ na paśyanti ye taṃ samanupaśyeran //

Where it rises, it sets directly opposite along the same line; where it scorches with its rays at noon, directly opposite along the same line it puts beings to sleep; those who could see it do not see it when it has gone to the opposite side.

9. The Sun always sets at a point which is equi-distant from the point at which he appears to rise (i.e., every twelve hours lighting the same segment of the orbit). He sends the world to sleep when at that point which is diametrically opposed to the point where he shines so as to produce sweat (by his heat): and those that now see him do not see him when he is at the other point.

5.21.10

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yadā caindryāḥ puryāḥ pracalate pañcadaśa-ghaṭikābhir yāmyāṃ sapāda-koṭi-dvayaṃ yojanānāṃ sārdha-dvādaśa-lakṣāṇi sādhikāni copayāti //

And when it moves from the city of Indra to the city of Yamarāja in fifteen ghaṭikās, it traverses twenty-three million seven hundred and fifty thousand yojanas and a little more.

10. When he starts from the city of Indra he traverses in fifteen Ghatikas (six hours) a distance of two crores and a quarter, twelve lacs and a half and twenty five thousands of Yojanas and reaches the city of Yama.

5.21.11

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evaṃ tato vāruṇīṃ saumyām aindrīṃ ca punas tathānye ca grahāḥ somādayo nakṣatraiḥ saha jyotiś-cakre samabhyudyanti saha vā nimlo-canti //

In the same manner, [it moves] from there to the city of Varuṇa, to the city of the moon-god, and again to the city of Indra; likewise the other planets, such as the moon, along with the lunar mansions, rise together or set together in the wheel of stars.

11. Similarly he proceeds on to the cities of Varuna and Soma and Indra again. So also in the region of luminaries other planets as Soma (the Moon and others) rise and set together with stars.

5.21.12

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evaṃ muhūrtena catus-triṃśal-lakṣa-yojanāny aṣṭa-śatādhikāni sauro rathas trayīmayo 'sau catasṛṣu parivartate purīṣu //

Thus in one muhūrta this chariot of the sun, which is composed of the threefold Veda, travels three million four hundred thousand and eight hundred yojanas across the four cities.

12. Thus [having in an hour, muhurta, traversed thirty-four lacs and eight hundred Yojanas] the chariot of the Sun the embodiment of the three Vedas passes through the four cities.

5.21.13

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yasyaikaṃ cakraṃ dvādaśāraṃ ṣaṇ-nemi tri-ṇābhi saṃvatsarātmakaṃ samāmananti tasyākṣo meror mūrdhani kṛto mānasottare kṛtetara-bhāgo yatra protaṃ ravi-ratha-cakraṃ taila-yantra-cakravad bhraman mānasottara-girau paribhramati //

Its single wheel has twelve spokes, six rims, and three hubs, and is taught to be the year itself; its axle is placed with one end atop Meru and the other end on Mānasottara. Fastened to this, the wheel of the sun's chariot, rotating like the wheel of an oil-press, revolves around Mount Mānasottara.

13. The chariot has but one wheel of twelve spokes, six tyres and three navels, thus constituting a year, they say; and its axle-tree is (at one end) fixed on the summit of Meru while its other end rests on the Manasottara; fixed on to which, the wheel of the Sun's chariot revolves like the wheel of an oil mill and rotates on the Mount Manasottara.

5.21.14

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tasminn akṣe kṛtamūlo dvitīyo 'kṣas turyamānena sammitas taila-yantrākṣavad dhruve kṛtopari-bhāgaḥ //

Fixed upon that axle is a second axle, measuring one-fourth its length; like the upper post of an oil-press, its upper part is attached to Dhruva.

14. Next to that axle is attached a second axle (axle-tree) measuring one-fourth of the first and it is like the axle of an oil-mill joined to Dhruva on the upper side.

5.21.15

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ratha-nīḍas tu ṣaṭ-triṃśal-lakṣa-yojanāyatas tat-turīya-bhāga-viśālas tāvān ravi-ratha-yugo yatra hayāś chando-nāmānaḥ saptāruṇa-yojitā vahanti devam ādityam //

The chariot-seat is thirty-six hundred thousand yojanas long, and its width is one-fourth of that; such too is the yoke of the sun's chariot, to which the seven horses named after Vedic meters, harnessed by Aruṇa, convey the divine sun.

15. Further the seat in the Sun's chariot is thirty-six lacs of Yojanas in extent: the yoke also of the Sun's chariot is a fourth of it in extent; to this yoke seven horses bearing the names of metres are yoked by Aruna; and they convey the god Aditya.

5.21.16

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purastāt savitur aruṇaḥ paścāc ca niyuktaḥ sautye karmaṇi kilāste //

Appointed to the office of charioteer, Aruṇa sits in front of the sun, facing backward.

16. In front of the Sun and at the back, Aruna sits appointed to the duty of a Charioteer (they say).

5.21.17

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tathā vālikhilyā ṛṣayo 'ṅguṣṭha-parva-mātrāḥ ṣaṣṭi-sahasrāṇi purataḥ sūryaṃ sūkta-vākāya niyuktāḥ saṃstuvanti //

Likewise, sixty thousand Vālikhilya sages, each the size of a thumb-joint, appointed in front of the sun to recite Vedic prayers, offer praise.

17. Also the sages called Valakilyas sixty thousand in number who are of the stature of the fore-part of the thumb, and placed in the front sing the praises of the Sun, as they are appointed to sing the Vedic Hymns.

5.21.18

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tathānye ca ṛṣayo gandharvāpsaraso nāgā grāmaṇyo yātudhānā devā ity ekaikaśo gaṇāḥ sapta caturdaśa māsi māsi bhagavantaṃ sūryam ātmānaṃ nānā-nāmānaṃ pṛthaṅ-nānā-nāmānaḥ pṛthak-karmabhir dvandvaśa upāsate //

Similarly, other sages, Gandharvas, Apsarases, Nāgas, troop-leaders, Yātudhānas, and gods—seven groups of two, making fourteen in all—worship the Lord, the sun, who is their self, month by month, each having distinct names, under different names and by their distinct functions.

18. Similarly other sages, Gandharvas, Apsaras women, Nagas mechanics (V. Yakshas. D. Carpenters), Yatudhanas and the gods, who are in each class fourteen taken one by one, and seven when taken two at a time, have different and distinct names and they, two at a time, do their several duties and wait upon Atman in the form of the glorious Surya, who bears various names.