श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम् पञ्चम: स्कन्ध: एकविंश: अध्याय: श्री शुक उवाच - Shree Shuka said - एतावनेव भूवलस्य संनिवेश: प्रमाणलक्षणतो व्याख्यात: ॥१॥
एतावान्-एव this much only is
भूवलस्य संनिवेश: of the terrestrial globe the disposition प्रमाण-लक्षणत: in extent and characteristics व्याख्यात: described (by the learned) Only this much of the disposition of the terrestrial globe is described by the learned in terms of the extent and the characteristics.


एतेन हि दिवो मण्डलमानं तद्विद उपदिशन्ति यथा द्विदलयोर्निष्पावादीनां ते अन्तरेणान्तरिक्षं तदुभयसन्धितम् ॥२॥
एतेन हि दिव: by this indeed heavenly sphere
मण्डल-मानम् by globe's extent तत्-विद: उपदिशन्ति that knowers describe यथा द्वि-दलयो:- just as two halves of निष्पाव-आदीनाम् peas, pulse ते अन्तरेण-अन्तरिक्षम् in them between the sky (the Ariel region) तत्-उभय-सन्धितम् that both binds By describing this, the globe's extent, the learned have also described the extent of the heavenly sphere, just as the two parts of the peas and pulse are the same. In between them is the sky, the Ariel region which binds them both.


यन्मध्यगतो भगवांस्तपाम्पतिस्तपन आतपेन त्रिलोकीं प्रतपत्यवभासयत्यात्मभासा स एष उदगयनदक्षिणायनवैषुवतसंज्ञाभिर्मान्द्यशैघ्र्यसमानाभिर्गतिभिरारोहणावरोहणसमानस्थानेषु यथासवनमभिपद्यमानो मकरादिषु राशिष्वहोरात्राणि दीर्घह्रस्वसमानानि विधत्ते ॥३॥
यत्-मध्य-गत: in whose middle part
भगवान्-तपाम्-पति:- the glorious of the luminaries the lord तपन आतपेन Sun by its heat त्रिलोकीम् प्रतपति- the three worlds heats अवभासयति-आत्म-भासा illumines by its light स: एष: उदगयन- that this, by the Uttaraayana, दक्षिणायन-वैषुवत-संज्ञाभि:- Dakshinaayana, Vaishuvata named मान्द्य-शैघ्र्य-समानाभि:- slow, fast, regulated गतिभि:-आरोहण-अवरोहण- paces, ascending and descending समान-स्थानेषु यथा-सवनम्- in the right places, as per time अभिपद्यमान: मकर-आदिषु coursing in Makara and other राशिषु-अहो-रात्राणि zodiac signs, the days and nights दीर्घ-ह्रस्व-समानानि विधत्ते long and short, equal, causes In the middle part of which is the glorious Sun, the lord of the luminaries, who by its heat, heats the three worlds, and illumines them by its light. That this sun by the courses named as Uttaraayana, Dakshinaayana, and Vaishuvata, in slow fast and regulated paces, courses, ascending and descending in the right places and as per time passes through the Makara and other zodiac signs, causing the days and nights to be short and long and equal.


यदा मेषतुलयोर्वर्तते तदाहोरात्राणि समानानि भवन्ति यदा वृषभादिषु पञ्चसु च राशिषु चरति तदाहान्येव वर्धन्ते ह्रसति च मासि मास्येकैका घटिका रात्रिषु ॥४॥
यदा मेष-तुलयो:-वर्तते when (the sun) in Mesha and Tulaa traverses
तदा-अहो-रात्राणि then the days and nights समानानि भवन्ति equal are यदा वृषभ-आदिषु पञ्चसु when in Vrishabha and other five च राशिषु चरति and signs traverses तदा-आहानि-एव वर्धन्ते then days only are longer ह्रसति च मासि becomes short and in month मासि-एका-एका (after) month, one (after another)one घटिका रात्रिषु (nearly) half hour in the night When the Sun is in the Mesha and Tulaa zodiac signs, then the days and nights are equal in length. When it is in the Vrishabha and other five signs, the days become longer and the nights become shorter every month by half an hour.


यदा वृश्चिकादिषु पञ्चसु वर्तते तदाहोरात्राणि विपर्ययाणि भवन्ति ॥५॥
यदा वृश्चिक-आदिषु when in Vrishchika and others
पञ्चसु वर्तते in the five is present तदा-अहो-रात्राणि then day and night विपर्ययाणि भवन्ति opposite become When the Sun is present in Vrishchika and the others, then the days and night become opposite.


यावद्दक्षिणायनमहानि वर्धन्ते यावदुदगयनं रात्रय: ॥६॥
यावद्-दक्षिणायनम्- till it is Dakshinaayana,
अहानि वर्धन्ते the days increase यावद्-उदगयनम् till the Uttaraayana रात्रय: the nights (increase) Uptill when it is Dakshinaayana, the days increase and uptill when it is Uttaraayana, the nights increase.


एवं नव कोटय एकपञ्चाशल्लक्षाणि योजनानां मानसोत्तरगिरिपरिवर्तनस्योपदिशन्ति तस्मिन्नैन्द्रीं पुरीं पूर्वस्मान्मेरोर्देवधानीं नाम दक्षिणतो याम्यां संयमनीं नाम पश्चाद्वारुणीं निम्लोचनीं नाम उत्तरत: सौम्यां विभावरीं नाम तासूदयध्याह्नास्तमयनिशीथानीति भूतानां प्रवृत्तिनिवृत्तिनिमित्तानि समयविशेषेण मेरोश्चतुर्दिशम् ॥७॥
एवम् नव कोटय: like this, nine crores
एक-पञ्चाशत्-लक्षाणि one fifty lakhs योजनानाम् मानसोत्तर-गिरि- Yojanas of the Maanasottara mountain परिवर्तनस्य-उपदिशन्ति revolution suggest (the learned) तस्मिन्-ऐन्द्रीम् पुरीम् in that Indra's city पूर्वस्मात्-मेरो:- to the east of Meru, देवधानीम् नाम is Devadhaanee named दक्षिणत: याम्याम् southern of Yaama संयमनीम् नाम Samyamanee named पश्चात्-वारुणीम् western of Varuna निम्लोचनीम् नाम Nimlochanee named उत्तरत: सौम्याम् northern of Soma (the moon) विभावरींम् नाम Vibhaavaree named तासु-उदय-मध्याह्न- in them sunrise, mid-day अस्तमय-निशीथानि-इति sun set, and mid night, these भूतानाम् प्रवृत्ति-निवृत्ति of the living beings activity and non-activity निमित्तानि समय-विशेषेण causing, by time according to मेरो:-चतुर्दिशम् of Meru's four sides The learned suggest that the course of the sun's traversing around Mount Maanasottara is nine cores and fifty one lakhs of Yojanas. On the eastern side of which is Indra's city named Devadhaanee, on the Southern side is Yaama's city Samyamaanee, on the western side is Varuna's city named Nimlochanee, and on the northern side is Soma's (moon) city named as Vibhaavari. There according to the time of the sun's movement take place the sunrise, midday, sunset and midnight, which are the causes of the activities and non activities of the beings.


तत्रत्यानां दिवसमध्यङ्गत एव सदाऽऽदित्यस्तपति सव्येनाचलं दक्षिणेन करोति ॥८॥
तत्रत्यानाम् for those living there
दिवस-मध्यङ्गत in the day's mid time एव सदा-आदित्य:-तपति only always the Sun shines सव्येन-अचलम् on the left the mountain दक्षिणेन करोति on the right keeps For those who live there, the Sun only shines in the middle of the day, and the Mount Meru which is on the left, the Sun keeps it on the right when it moves.


यत्रोदेति तस्य ह समानसूत्रनिपाते निम्लोचति यत्र क्वचन स्यन्देनाभितपति तस्य हैष समानसूत्रनिपाते प्रस्वापयति तत्र गतं न पश्यन्ति ये तं समनुपश्येरन् ॥९॥
यत्र-उदेति तस्य ह where rises (the Sun) its indeed
समान-सूत्र-निपाते absolutely opposite side निम्लोचति यत्र क्वचन sets, where once स्यन्देन-अभितपति with perspiration shines very much तस्य ह समान-सूत्र-निपाते its indeed, absolutely opposite side प्रस्वापयति makes (people) sleep तत्र गतं न पश्यन्ति there living (people) do not see ये तं समनुपश्येरन् who him had seen well The Sun rises in absolutely the opposite side of where it sets. Where, in the mid-day, it shines the utmost so as to cause the people to perspire, directly in its opposite side He makes the people sleep. People living there do not see Him where they had seen Him very well.


यदा चैन्द्र्या: पुर्या: प्रचलते पञ्चदशघटिकाभिर्याम्यां सपादकोटिद्वयं योजनानां सार्धद्वादशलक्षाणि साधिकानि चोपयाति ॥१०॥
यदा च-इन्द्र्या: पुर्या: when and Indra city
प्रचलते proceeds from पञ्च-दश-घटिकाभि:- five and ten Ghatikas याम्याम् सपाद-कोटि-द्वयम् to Yaamas (city) quarter crores two योजनानाम् Yojanas सार्ध-द्वादश-लक्षाणि half and twelve lakhs स-अधिकानि च-उपयाति more than and traverses When the Sun proceeds from the city of Indra, to the city of Yaama, it traverses in the course of fifteen Ghatikas a distance of two and a quarter crores, twelve and a half lakhs and more Yojanas.


एवं ततो वारुणीं सौम्यामैन्द्रीं च पुनस्तथान्ये च ग्रहा: सोमादयो नक्षत्रै: सह ज्योतिश्चक्रे समभ्युद्यन्ति सह वा निम्लोचन्ति ॥११॥
एवम् तत: like this from there
वारुणीम् सौम्याम्- to Varuna's (city) (and) Soma's (city) ऐन्द्रीम् च पुन:- to Indra's (city) again (goes) तथा-अन्ये च ग्रहा: the other and planets सोम-आदय: नक्षत्रै: सह moon and others, with the lunar mansions ज्योतिश्चक्रे in the stellar sphere समभ्युद्यन्ति together rise सह वा निम्लोचन्ति together and set Like this, the sun then goes to the city of Varuna and to the city of Soma and then back to the city of Indra. The other planets, the moon and the others, in the stellar sphere rise together and also set together.


एवं मुहुर्तेन चतुर्स्त्रिंशल्लक्षयोजनान्यष्टशताधिकानि सौरो रथस्त्रयीमयोऽसौ चतसृषु परिवर्तते पुरीषु ॥१२॥
एवम् मुहुर्तेन and in one Muhurta,
चतु:-त्रिंशत्-लक्ष-योजनानि- thirty four lakhs Yojanas अष्ट-शत-अधिकानि eight hundred more सौर: रथ: the Sun's chariot त्रयीमय:-असौ the three (Vedas) representing this चतसृषु परिवर्तते पुरीषु on the four goes round, the cities The chariot of the Sun which represents the three Vedas keeps going round the four cities, in the course of one Muhurta, a distance of thirty four and eight hundred lakhs of Yojanas.


यस्यैकं चक्रं द्वादशारं षण्नेमि त्रिणाभि संवत्सरात्मकं समामनन्ति तस्याक्षो मेरोर्मूर्धनि कृतो मानसोत्तरे कृतेतरभागो यत्र प्रोतं रविरथचक्रं तैलयन्त्रचक्रवद् भ्रमन्मानसोत्तरगिरौ परिभ्रमति ॥१३॥
यस्य-एकम् चक्रम् whose one wheel
द्वादश्-आरम् षट्-नेमि त्रि-नाभि of twelve spokes, six segments, a three piece hub संवत्सर-आत्मकम् an year in the shape of सम-आमनन्ति तस्य-अक्ष: like compare, its axel-tree मेरो:-मूर्धनि कृत: on Meru's head (top) fixed मानसोत्तरे कृत- on Maanasottara fixed इतर-भाग: यत्र प्रोतम् the other part, where is fixed रवि-रथ-चक्रम् the Sun's chariot wheel तैल-यन्त्र-चक्र-वत् भ्रमन्- oil press wheel like rotating मानसोत्तर-गिरौ परिभ्रमति on Maanasottara Mountain revolves As the wise say, one wheel of the chariot of the Sun has twelve spokes, (as months), six segments (as seasons) and a three piece hub, (four months parts), which is in comparison of the shape of an year. Its axel tree is fixed on the top of the Mount Sumeru, and the other part where it is fixed, is on Mount Maanasottara, where it keeps rotating like an oil press wheel and revolves over the length of the mountain.


तस्मिन्नक्षे कृतमूलो द्वितीयोऽक्षस्तुर्यमानेन सम्मितस्तैलयन्त्राक्षवद् ध्रुवे कृतोपरिभाग: ॥१४॥
तस्मिन्-अक्षे कृत मूल: in that axle tree being joined
द्वितीय:-अक्ष:-तुर्यमानेन second axle tree, of one quarter part सम्मित:-तैलयन्त्र- like the oil press अक्षवत् ध्रुवे axle like to the pole star कृत-उपरिभाग: joined the upper part A second axle, one quarter in size of the first one, its one part is joined to the axle, and like that of the oil press, the upper part is joined to the pole star.


रथनीडस्तु षट्त्रिंशल्लक्षयोजनायतस्तत्तुरीयभागविशालस्तावान् रविरथयुगो यत्र हयाश्छन्दोनामान: सप्तारुणयोजिता वहन्ति देवमादित्यम् ॥१५॥
रथ-नीड:-तु the chariot interior is of
षट्त्रिंशत्-लक्ष-योजन-आयत:- thirty six lakh Yojanas long तत्-तुरीय-भाग- its one fourth part विशाल:-तावान् large (wide) that (much) रवि-रथ-युग: is the Sun chariot's yoke यत्र हया:- where the horses छन्द:-नामान: by the metres names सप्त-अरुण-योजिता: seven, by Aruna joined वहन्ति देवम्-आदित्यम् carry the Sun god The interior of the chariot is of thirty six lakhs of Yojanas in length and a quarter of it in width, the yoke of the chariot of the Sun is also of that size, to which Aruna has joined seven horses named after the seven meters of the Vedas. This carries the Sun god.


पुरस्तात्सवितुररुण: पश्चाच्च नियुक्त: सौत्ये कर्मणि किलास्ते ॥१६॥
पुरस्तात्-सवितु:- in front of the Sun
अरुण: पश्चात्-च Aruna towards west and नियुक्त: सौत्ये employed in charioteer कर्मणि किल-आस्ते role indeed sits In front of the Sun, facing west, sits Aruna, i.e.., facing the Sun, indeed, engaged in the role of a charioteer.


तथा वालखिल्या ऋषयोऽङ्गुष्ठपर्वमात्रा: षष्ठिसहस्राणि पुरत: सूर्यं सूक्तवाकाय नियुक्ता: संस्तुवन्ति ॥१७॥
तथा वालखिल्या: ऋषय:- and Vaalkhilya sages
अङ्गुष्ठ-पर्व-मात्रा: a thumb's forepart in size षष्ठि-सहस्राणि sixty thousand पुरत: सूर्य सूक्त-वाकाय in front of the Sun, by uttering praises नियुक्ता: संस्तुवन्ति employed to chant And, sixty thousand Vaalkhilya and other sages, of the size of the forepart of a thumb, sitting in front of the Sun, are employed to chant the praises of the Sun god.


तथान्ये च ऋषयो गन्धर्वाप्सरसो नागा ग्रामण्यो यातुधाना देवा इत्येकैकशो गणा: सप्त चतुर्दश मासि मासि भगवन्तं सूर्यमात्मानं नानानामानं पृथङ्नानानामान: पृथक्कर्मभिर्द्वन्द्वश उपासते ॥१८॥
तथा-अन्ये च ऋषय: and the other sages,
गन्धर्व-अप्सरस: नागा: Gandharvas, Apsaras, Naagas, ग्रामण्य: यातुधाना: देवा: Yakshas, Yaatudhaanas, Devas इति-एक-एकश: thus one, one each, गणा: सप्त चतुर्दश groups seven fourteen मासि मासि month after month भगवन्तम् सूर्यम्-आत्मानम् The Lord, the Sun as Himself नाना-नामानम् of various names पृथक्-नाना-नामान: of different various names having पृथक्-कर्मभि:- by different services द्वन्द्वश: उपासते as pairs, wait upon And the other Rishis, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Naagas, Yakshas, Yaatudhaanas, Devas, thus, each one group of seven, singly fourteen, wait upon The Lord as the Sun Himself, by having different various names, as pairs, and different various names singly, performing different services.


लक्षोत्तरं सार्धनवकोटियोजनपरिमण्डलं भूवलयस्य क्षणेण सगव्यूत्युत्तरं द्विसहस्रयोजनानि स भुङ्क्ते ॥१९॥
लक्ष-उत्तरम् from lakhs more
स-अर्ध-नव-कोटि- with half nine thousand योजन-परिमण्डलम् yojana circumference भूवलयस्य क्षणेण of the globe, in one second सगव्यूति-उत्तरम् the distance more द्विसहस्र-योजनानि than two thousand Yojanas स: भुङ्क्ते he (the Sun) covers The global circumference, is nine crores and fifty one lakhs, of which the distance covered by the sun, in one second, is twenty two thousand Yojanas.


श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां पञ्चमे स्कन्धे ज्योतिश्चक्र सूर्यरथ मण्डल वर्णनं नाम एक विंशोऽध्याय: ॥२१॥ Thus ends the twenty-first discourse entitled 'A description of the stellar sphere as well as of the chariot of the Sun-god and his entourage' in Book Five of the great and glorious Bhaagavata-Puraana.