Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c9.2860

c9.2860

4) *The direction of the sun.* The Sun starts from the east and goes to the western ocean. The directions east and west originate from this rising and setting. As a matter of fact when the sun rises in the east it is bright in places behind it. But it does not shine in the palace of Brahmā on the top of Mahāmeru. The rays of the sun which enter the palace are driven back by the radiance of the palace. The Mountain Meru is north to all islands and countries. So on one side of that mount it is always day and on the other side it is always night. When the Sun sets his light enters fire. So at night the light of fire goes far. In the same way, at day time, the light of fire enters the sun. So the sun shines more. Thus because the light of the sun and fire enter each other the day and night wax when the sun shines on the southern and northern hemi-spheres. The dark nights and bright days enter water gradually. The water seems a little red, in day time because darkness has entered it in the night. After sunset the water seems a little white because the day has entered the water.