स्वर्गापवर्गौ नरका रसौकांसि च सर्वशः । देवतिर्यङ्मनुष्याणां सरीसृपसवीरुधाम्
Heaven, liberation, hells, and all the regions of the waters, as well as the gods, animals, humans, reptiles, and plants—
सर्वजीवनिकायानां सूर्य आत्मा दृगीश्वरः । एतावान्भूमण्डलस्य सन्निवेश उदाहृतः
For all living beings, the sun is the self, the lord of sight; thus is described the arrangement of the earth's sphere.
एतेन हि दिवो मानं वर्णयन्ति च तद्विदः । द्विदलानां च निष्पावादीनां च दलयोर्यथा
By this, those who know describe the measure of the sky, just as with the two halves of split pulses and other seeds.
अन्तरेण तयोरन्तरिक्षं तदुभयसन्धितम् । यन्मध्यगश्च भगवान् भानुर्वै तपतां वरः
Between those two is the atmosphere, joined at both ends; and in the middle, the Blessed Sun, best among the shining ones, abides.
आतपेन त्रिलोकं च प्रतपत्येव भासयन् । उत्तरायणमासाद्य गतिमान्द्यं वितन्वते
With his heat, he illuminates and scorches the three worlds; upon reaching the northern course, he brings about slowness of movement.
आरोहणस्थानमसौ गत्वाहो दैर्ध्यमाचरेत् । दक्षिणायनमासाद्य गतिशैघ्र्यं वितन्वते
Having reached the ascending station, he increases the length of the day; upon reaching the southern course, he brings about swiftness of movement.
अवरोहस्थानमसौ गच्छन्ह्रस्वं दिनं चरेत् । विषुवत्संज्ञमासाद्य गतिसाम्यं वितन्वते
Going to the descending station, he makes the day shorter; upon reaching the equinoctial point, he brings about equality of movement.
समस्थानमथासाद्य दिनसाम्यं करोति च । यदा च मेषतुलयोः सञ्चरेद्धि दिवाकरः
Upon reaching the equal station, he causes equality of days; and when the sun moves through Aries and Libra—
समानानि त्वहोरात्राण्यातनोति त्रयीमयः । वृषादिपञ्चसु यदा राशिष्वर्को विरोचते
Then, day and night are made equal, composed of the three Vedas; when the sun shines in the five signs beginning with Taurus—
तदाहानि च वर्धन्ते रात्रयोऽपि ह्रसन्ति च । वृश्चिकादिषु सूर्यो हि यदा सञ्चरते रविः
Then, the days increase and the nights become shorter; when the sun moves through the signs beginning with Scorpio—
तदापीमान्यहोरात्राणि भवन्ति विपर्ययात्
Even then, these days and nights occur in reverse order.
भुवनकोशवर्णने सूर्यगतिवर्णनम् श्रीनारायण उवाच अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि भानोर्गमनमुत्तमम् । शीघ्रमन्दादिगतिभिस्त्रिविधं गमनं रवेः
Description of the cosmic spheres and the movement of the sun. Śrī Nārāyaṇa said: Now I will explain the excellent motion of the sun; its movement is threefold—swift, slow, and intermediate.
सर्वग्रहाणां त्रीण्येव स्थानानि सुरसत्तम । स्थानं जारद्गवं मध्यं तथैरावतमुत्तरम्
O best of the gods, all planets have only three positions: the Jāradgava, the middle, and the Airāvata, the northern.
वैश्वानरं दक्षिणतो निर्दिष्टमिति तत्त्वतः । अश्विनी कृत्तिका याम्या नागवीथीति शब्दिता
The Vaiśvānara is designated to the south, according to truth; the Ashvinī, Kṛttikā, and Yāmyā are called the Nāga path.
रोहिण्यार्द्रा मृगशिरो गजवीथ्यभिधीयते । पुष्याश्लेषा तथाऽऽदित्या वीथी चैरावती स्मृता
Rohiṇī, Ārdrā, and Mṛgaśiras are known as the Gaja path; Puṣya, Śleṣā, and Āditya are remembered as the Airāvata path.
एतास्तु वीथयस्तिस्र उत्तरो मार्ग उच्यते । तथा द्वे चापि फल्गुन्यौ मघा चैवार्षभी मता
These three paths are called the northern route; likewise, the two Phalgunīs and Maghā are considered the Vṛṣabha path.
हस्तश्चित्रा तथा स्वाती गोवीथीति तु शब्दिता । ज्येष्ठा विशाखानुराधा वीथी जारद्गवी मता
Hasta, Citrā, and Svātī are called the Go path; Jyeṣṭhā, Viśākhā, and Anurādhā are known as the Jāradgava path.
एतास्तु वीथयस्तिस्रो मध्यमो मार्ग उच्यते । मूलाषाढोत्तराषाढा अजवीथ्यभिशब्दिता
These three paths are called the middle route; Mūla, Āṣāḍha, and Uttarāṣāḍha are named the Aja path.
श्रवणं च धनिष्ठा च मार्गी शतभिषक् तथा । वैश्वानरी भाद्रपदे रेवती चैव कीर्तिता
Śravaṇa and Dhaniṣṭhā, as well as Mārgī and Śatabhiṣak, are called the Vaiśvānara path; Bhādrapada and Revatī are also mentioned.
एतास्तु वीथयस्तिस्रो दक्षिणो मार्ग उच्यते । उत्तरायणमासाद्य युगाक्षान्तर्निबद्धयोः
These three paths are called the southern route; when the sun reaches the Uttarāyaṇa, it is bound within the pair of yokes.
कर्षणं पाशयोर्वायुबद्धयो रोहणं स्मृतम् । तदाभ्यन्तरगान्मण्डलाद्रथस्य गतेर्भवेत्
The pulling of the yokes by wind is called ascent; then, the movement of the chariot occurs within the inner sphere.
मान्द्यं दिवसवृद्धिश्च जायते सुरसत्तम । रात्रिह्रासश्च भवति सौम्यायनक्रमो ह्ययम्
O best of the gods, then slowness and the increase of the day arise; the decrease of night occurs—this is the order of the northern course.
दक्षिणायनके पाशे प्रेरणादवरोहणम् । बहिर्मण्डलवेशेन गतिशैघ्र्यं तदा भवेत्
In the southern course, due to the urging of the yoke, descent occurs; then, because of the outer sphere, the movement becomes swift.
तदा दिनाल्पता रात्रिवृद्धिश्च परिकीर्तिता । वैषुवे पाशसाम्यात्तु समावस्थानतो रवेः
Then, the day becomes short and the increase of night is described; at the equinox, due to the equality of the yokes, the sun attains a balanced state.
मध्यमण्डलवेशश्च साम्यं रात्रिदिनादिके । आकृष्येते यदा तौ तु ध्रुवेण समधिष्ठितौ
With the arrangement of the middle sphere, there is equality in day and night; when both are drawn and established by the pole.
तदाभ्यन्तरतः सूर्यो भ्रमते मण्डलानि च । ध्रुवेण मुच्यमानेन पुना रश्मियुगेन तु
Then, the sun moves within, along with the spheres; when released by the pole, again by the pair of rays.
तथैव बाह्यतः सूर्यो भ्रमते मण्डलानि च । तस्मिन्मेरौ पूर्वभागे पुर्यैन्द्री देवधानिका
Likewise, the sun moves externally, along with the spheres; on the eastern side of Meru is the city called Puryāindrī, abode of the gods.
दक्षिणे वै संयमनी नाम याम्या महापुरी । पश्चान्निम्लोचनी नाम वारुणी वै महापुरी
To the south is the great city called Saṃyamanī, the Yāmyā; to the west is the great city called Nimlocanī, the abode of Varuṇa.
तदुत्तरे पुरी सौम्या प्रोक्ता नाम विभावरी । ऐन्द्रपुर्यां रवेः प्रोक्त उदयो ब्रह्मवादिभिः
Next to that is the gentle city called Vibhavari; in the city of Indra, the sunrise of the sun is said to occur there, according to the knowers of Brahman.
संयमन्यां च मध्याह्ने निम्लोचन्यां निमीलनम् । विभावर्यां निशीथः स्यात्तिग्मांशोः सुरपूजितः
At Samyamani, it is midday; at Nimlocani, it is sunset; in Vibhavari, it is midnight, when the blazing sun is worshipped by the gods.