Bhagavatapurana 5.21

English (machine translation) 5.21

Language: English

5.21.1

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

5.21.2

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.

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.

5.21.4

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.

5.21.5

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

5.21.6

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

5.21.7

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.

5.21.8

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

5.21.9

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.

5.21.10

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.

5.21.11

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.

5.21.12

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.

5.21.13

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.

5.21.14

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.

5.21.15

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.

5.21.16

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

5.21.17

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

5.21.18

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.

Translations (1)

The Srimad Bhagavatam — S. Subba Rau 1928, English

Linked texts (1)

Bhāgavatapurāṇa — Vyāsa, Sanskrit