The Orbits of Moon and Planets

Verse 1 (bhagavata.5.22.1)

राजोवाच यदेतद्भगवत आदित्यस्य मेरुं ध्रुवं च प्रदक्षिणेन परिक्रामतो राशीनामभिमुखं प्रचलितं चाप्रदक्षिणं भगवतोपवर्णितममुष्य वयं कथमनुमिमीमहीति ॥ १ ॥

rājovāca yad etad bhagavata ādityasya meruṁ dhruvaṁ ca pradakṣiṇena parikrāmato rāśīnām abhimukhaṁ pracalitaṁ cāpradakṣiṇaṁ bhagavatopavarṇitam amuṣya vayaṁ katham anumimīmahīti.

The King said: You have taught, my lord, that Bhagavan the sun, in circling Meru and Dhruva, keeps them ever to his right, and yet you have also described him as facing the zodiacal signs and moving in the opposite direction. How are we to make sense of this?

Verse 2 (bhagavata.5.22.2)

स होवाच यथा कुलालचक्रेण भ्रमता सह भ्रमतां तदाश्रयाणां पिपीलिकादीनां गतिरन्यैव प्रदेशान्तरेष्वप्युपलभ्यमानत्वादेवं नक्षत्रराशिभिरुपलक्षितेन कालचक्रेण ध्रुवं मेरुं च प्रदक्षिणेन परिधावता सह परिधावमानानां तदाश्रयाणां सूर्यादीनां ग्रहाणां गतिरन्यैव नक्षत्रान्तरे राश्यन्तरे चोपलभ्यमानत्वात् ॥ २ ॥

sa hovāca yathā kulāla-cakreṇa bhramatā saha bhramatāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ pipīlikādīnāṁ gatir anyaiva pradeśāntareṣv apy upalabhyamānatvād evaṁ nakṣatra-rāśibhir upalakṣitena kāla-cakreṇa dhruvaṁ meruṁ ca pradakṣiṇena paridhāvatā saha paridhāvamānānāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ sūryādīnāṁ grahāṇāṁ gatir anyaiva nakṣatrāntare rāśy-antare copalabhyamānatvāt.

He replied: Just as ants and the like, resting upon a turning potter's wheel, appear to move differently from the wheel itself, since they are found now in one place on it and now in another, so too the sun and the other planets, which travel together with the wheel of time marked by the constellations and signs, circling Dhruva and Meru to their right, appear to move differently from that wheel, since they are seen, at different times, among different constellations and different signs.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.5.22.3)

स एष भगवानादिपुरुष एव साक्षान्नारायणो लोकानां स्वस्तय आत्मानं त्रयीमयं कर्मविशुद्धिनिमित्तं कविभिरपि च वेदेन विजिज्ञास्यमानो द्वादशधा विभज्य षट्सु वसन्तादिष्वृतुषु यथोपजोषमृतुगुणान् विदधाति ॥ ३ ॥

sa eṣa bhagavān ādi-puruṣa eva sākṣān nārāyaṇo lokānāṁ svastaya ātmānaṁ trayīmayaṁ karma-viśuddhi-nimittaṁ kavibhir api ca vedena vijijñāsyamāno dvādaśadhā vibhajya ṣaṭsu vasantādiṣv ṛtuṣu yathopa-joṣam ṛtu-guṇān vidadhāti.

This same Bhagavan, the primeval Person, none other than Narayana Himself, manifests, for the welfare of the worlds, His own form embodying the three Vedas, as the very means by which ritual action is purified. Sought to be known even by the wise through the Veda, He divides Himself into twelve parts and establishes, each according to its own character, the distinguishing qualities of the six seasons beginning with spring.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.5.22.4)

तमेतमिह पुरुषास्त्रय्या विद्यया वर्णाश्रमाचारानुपथा उच्चावचैः कर्मभिराम्नातैर्योगवितानैश्च श्रद्धया यजन्तोऽञ्जसा श्रेयः समधिगच्छन्ति ॥ ४ ॥

tam etam iha puruṣās trayyā vidyayā varṇāśramācārānupathā uccāvacaiḥ karmabhir āmnātair yoga-vitānaiś ca śraddhayā yajanto ’ñjasā śreyaḥ samadhigacchanti.

People here, worshiping this same Lord with faith, following the conduct proper to their varna and ashrama, through the threefold knowledge of the Vedas, through the various higher and lower ritual actions handed down in scripture, and through the practice of yoga, easily attain the highest good.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.5.22.5)

अथ स एष आत्मा लोकानां द्यावापृथिव्योरन्तरेण नभोवलयस्य कालचक्रगतो द्वादश मासान् भुङ्क्ते राशिसंज्ञान् संवत्सरावयवान्मासः पक्षद्वयं दिवा नक्तं चेति सपादर्क्षद्वयमुपदिशन्ति यावता षष्ठमंशं भुञ्जीत स वै ऋतुरित्युपदिश्यते संवत्सरावयवः ॥ ५ ॥

atha sa eṣa ātmā lokānāṁ dyāv-āpṛthivyor antareṇa nabho-valayasya kālacakra-gato dvādaśa māsān bhuṅkte rāśi-saṁjñān saṁvatsarāvayavān māsaḥ pakṣa-dvayaṁ divā naktaṁ ceti sapādarkṣa-dvayam upadiśanti yāvatā ṣaṣṭham aṁśaṁ bhuñjīta sa vai ṛtur ity upadiśyate saṁvatsarāvayavaḥ.

Now, this same Self of all the worlds, moving on the wheel of time within the round of the sky, between heaven and earth, passes through twelve months, called by the names of the zodiacal signs, which together make up the parts of the year. A month consists of two fortnights, reckoned as day and night; and it is taught that a month corresponds to two and a quarter constellations. That portion of the year during which the sun passes through a sixth part of the zodiac, that is, through two signs, is taught to be one ritu, a season, itself a part of the year.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.5.22.6)

अथ च यावतार्धेन नभोवीथ्यां प्रचरति तं कालमयनमाचक्षते ॥ ६ ॥

atha ca yāvatārdhena nabho-vīthyāṁ pracarati taṁ kālam ayanam ācakṣate.

And further, the time during which it travels through half of the celestial pathway is called an ayana, a solstitial course.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.5.22.7)

अथ च यावन्नभोमण्डलं सह द्यावापृथिव्योर्मण्डलाभ्यां कार्त्स्न्येन स ह भुञ्जीत तं कालं संवत्सरं परिवत्सरमिडावत्सरमनुवत्सरं वत्सरमिति भानोर्मान्द्यशैघ्र्यसमगतिभिः समामनन्ति ॥ ७ ॥

atha ca yāvan nabho-maṇḍalaṁ saha dyāv-āpṛthivyor maṇḍalābhyāṁ kārtsnyena sa ha bhuñjīta taṁ kālaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ parivatsaram iḍāvatsaram anuvatsaraṁ vatsaram iti bhānor māndya-śaighrya-sama-gatibhiḥ samāmananti.

And further, the time it takes to traverse the entire circle of the sky, together with the spheres of heaven and earth, moving now slow, now swift, now at a moderate pace, is what the learned reckon under the five names: Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.5.22.8)

एवं चन्द्रमा अर्कगभस्तिभ्य उपरिष्टाल्लक्षयोजनत उपलभ्यमानोऽर्कस्य संवत्सरभुक्तिं पक्षाभ्यां मासभुक्तिं सपादर्क्षाभ्यां दिनेनैव पक्षभुक्तिमग्रचारी द्रुततरगमनो भुङ्क्ते ॥ ८ ॥

evaṁ candramā arka-gabhastibhya upariṣṭāl lakṣa-yojanata upalabhyamāno ’rkasya saṁvatsara-bhuktiṁ pakṣābhyāṁ māsa-bhuktiṁ sapādarkṣābhyāṁ dinenaiva pakṣa-bhuktim agracārī drutatara-gamano bhuṅkte.

In this way, the moon, seen at a distance of a hundred thousand yojanas above the sun's rays, moving ahead of the sun and traveling more swiftly, covers what takes the sun a full year in just two fortnights, what takes the sun a month in two and a quarter constellations, and what takes the sun a fortnight in a single day.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.5.22.9)

अथ चापूर्यमाणाभिश्च कलाभिरमराणां क्षीयमाणाभिश्च कलाभिः पितृणामहोरात्राणि पूर्वपक्षापरपक्षाभ्यां वितन्वानः सर्वजीवनिवहप्राणो जीवश्चैकमेकं नक्षत्रं त्रिंशता मुहूर्तैर्भुङ्क्ते ॥ ९ ॥

atha cāpūryamāṇābhiś ca kalābhir amarāṇāṁ kṣīyamāṇābhiś ca kalābhiḥ pitṝṇām aho-rātrāṇi pūrva-pakṣāpara-pakṣābhyāṁ vitanvānaḥ sarva-jīva-nivaha-prāṇo jīvaś caikam ekaṁ nakṣatraṁ triṁśatā muhūrtair bhuṅkte.

Now, marking out day and night for the gods and for the ancestors through its waxing and waning phases in the bright and dark fortnights, the moon, the very life-breath of the entire assembly of living beings, and hence called Jiva, passes through each single constellation in thirty muhurtas.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.5.22.10)

य एष षोडशकलः पुरुषो भगवान्मनोमयोऽन्नमयोऽमृतमयो देवपितृमनुष्यभूतपशुपक्षिसरीसृपवीरुधां प्राणाप्यायनशीलत्वात्सर्वमय इति वर्णयन्ति ॥ १० ॥

ya eṣa ṣoḍaśa-kalaḥ puruṣo bhagavān manomayo ’nnamayo ’mṛtamayo deva-pitṛ-manuṣya-bhūta-paśu-pakṣi-sarīsṛpa-vīrudhāṁ prāṇāpy āyana-śīlatvāt sarvamaya iti varṇayanti.

This Person of sixteen digits, Bhagavan, is described as composed of mind, of food, and of nectar; and since he sustains and nourishes the life-breath of gods, ancestors, human beings, creatures, animals, birds, reptiles and plants alike, he is described, further, as composed of all things.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.5.22.11)

तत उपरिष्टात्द्वि्लक्षयोजनतो नक्षत्राणि मेरुं दक्षिणेनैव कालायन ईश्वरयोजितानि सहाभिजिताष्टाविंशतिः ॥ ११ ॥

tata upariṣṭād dvi-lakṣa-yojanato nakṣatrāṇi meruṁ dakṣiṇenaiva kālāyana īśvara-yojitāni sahābhijitāṣṭā-viṁśatiḥ.

Above that, at a distance of two hundred thousand yojanas, are the constellations, set by the Lord upon the wheel of time, which circle Meru keeping it to their right, twenty-eight in number, together with Abhijit.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.5.22.12)

तत उपरिष्टादुशना द्विलक्षयोजनत उपलभ्यते पुरतः पश्चात्सहैव वार्कस्य शैघ्र्यमान्द्यसाम्याभिर्गतिभिरर्कवच्चरति लोकानां नित्यदानुकूल एव प्रायेण वर्षयंश्चारेणानुमीयते स वृष्टिविष्टम्भग्रहोपशमनः ॥ १२ ॥

tata upariṣṭād uśanā dvi-lakṣa-yojanata upalabhyate purataḥ paścāt sahaiva vārkasya śaighrya-māndya-sāmyābhir gatibhir arkavac carati lokānāṁ nityadānukūla eva prāyeṇa varṣayaṁś cāreṇānumīyate sa vṛṣṭi-viṣṭambha-grahopaśamanaḥ.

Above that, at a distance of two hundred thousand yojanas, is found Ushanas, the planet Venus, which moves sometimes ahead of the sun, sometimes behind it, and sometimes together with it, traveling much as the sun does, through speeds swift, slow and moderate. Being nearly always favorable to the worlds, it is inferred, from the manner of its motion, that it brings rain and pacifies those planets that would otherwise obstruct the rains.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.5.22.13)

उशनसा बुधो व्याख्यातस्तत उपरिष्टाद्विलक्षयोजनतो बुधः सोमसुत उपलभ्यमानः प्रायेण शुभकृद्यदार्काद् व्यतिरिच्येत तदातिवाताभ्रप्रायानावृष्ट्यादिभयमाशंसते ॥ १३ ॥

uśanasā budho vyākhyātas tata upariṣṭād dvi-lakṣa-yojanato budhaḥ soma-suta upalabhyamānaḥ prāyeṇa śubha-kṛd yadārkād vyatiricyeta tadātivātābhra-prāyānāvṛṣṭy-ādi-bhayam āśaṁsate.

Mercury behaves much as Venus does; above that, at a distance of two hundred thousand yojanas, Mercury is found, son of the moon, mostly a bringer of good fortune. But when it departs from moving alongside the sun, it forebodes excessive wind, clouds of dust, and drought and its accompanying dangers.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.5.22.14)

अत ऊर्ध्वमङ्गारकोऽपि योजनलक्षद्वितय उपलभ्यमानस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभिः पक्षैरेकैकशो राशीन्द्वादशानुभुङ्क्ते यदि न वक्रेणाभिवर्तते प्रायेणाशुभग्रहोऽघशंसः ॥ १४ ॥

ata ūrdhvam aṅgārako ’pi yojana-lakṣa-dvitaya upalabhyamānas tribhis tribhiḥ pakṣair ekaikaśo rāśīn dvādaśānubhuṅkte yadi na vakreṇābhivartate prāyeṇāśubha-graho ’gha-śaṁsaḥ.

Above that again is Angaraka, the planet Mars, found at a further two hundred thousand yojanas. It passes through each of the twelve signs, one after another, in three fortnights apiece, unless it moves in a retrograde course; it is, for the most part, an inauspicious planet, a foreteller of misfortune.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.5.22.15)

तत उपरिष्टाद्विलक्षयोजनान्तरगता भगवान् बृहस्पतिरेकैकस्मिन् राशौ परिवत्सरं परिवत्सरं चरति यदि न वक्रः स्यात्प्रायेणानुकूलो ब्राह्मणकुलस्य ॥ १५ ॥

tata upariṣṭād dvi-lakṣa-yojanāntara-gatā bhagavān bṛhaspatir ekaikasmin rāśau parivatsaraṁ parivatsaraṁ carati yadi na vakraḥ syāt prāyeṇānukūlo brāhmaṇa-kulasya.

Above that, at a distance of two hundred thousand yojanas, Bhagavan Brihaspati, the planet Jupiter, moves, spending one full Parivatsara in each sign in turn. If its course is not retrograde, it is, for the most part, favorable to the community of brahmanas.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.5.22.16)

तत उपरिष्टाद्योजनलक्षद्वयात्प्रतीयमानः शनैश्चर एकैकस्मिन् राशौ त्रिंशन्मासान् विलम्बमानः सर्वानेवानुपर्येति तावद्भिरनुवत्सरैः प्रायेण हि सर्वेषामशान्तिकरः ॥ १६ ॥

tata upariṣṭād yojana-lakṣa-dvayāt pratīyamānaḥ śanaiścara ekaikasmin rāśau triṁśan māsān vilambamānaḥ sarvān evānuparyeti tāvadbhir anuvatsaraiḥ prāyeṇa hi sarveṣām aśāntikaraḥ.

Above that, perceived at a distance of two hundred thousand yojanas, Shanaishchara, the planet Saturn, moving slowly, passes through each sign in thirty months, and travels through the whole zodiac in as many Anuvatsaras. It is, for the most part, a bringer of unrest to all.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.5.22.17)

तत उत्तरस्मादृषय एकादशलक्षयोजनान्तर उपलभ्यन्ते य एव लोकानां शमनुभावयन्तो भगवतो विष्णोर्यत्परमं पदं प्रदक्षिणं प्रक्रमन्ति ॥ १७ ॥

tata uttarasmād ṛṣaya ekādaśa-lakṣa-yojanāntara upalabhyante ya eva lokānāṁ śam anubhāvayanto bhagavato viṣṇor yat paramaṁ padaṁ pradakṣiṇaṁ prakramanti.

From there, further to the north, at a distance of eleven hundred thousand yojanas, are found the seven sages, who, ever holding the welfare of the worlds in their thoughts, circle, keeping it always to their right, the supreme abode of Bhagavan Vishnu.