Far above the earth, at a vast distance of two hundred thousand yojanas, stands the priest of the gods—a celestial presence who marks the upper reaches of the cosmos. Beyond him, another hundred thousand yojanas away, shines the sacred circle of the Seven Sages, the Saptarṣis, whose radiance graces the heavens. Within this exalted realm abides Dharma himself, none other than the blessed Lord Viṣṇu, Nārāyaṇa, upholding righteousness at the heart of creation. The expanse of this circle, when measured, is found to be threefold in its extent. In this celestial order, Svarbhānu moves below, his course matching the measure of the circles above. Svarbhānu’s own station, the third in this sequence, is spoken of as being shrouded in darkness. Descending further, beneath the region of Bhārgava lies Bṛhaspati, whose distance is less than a foot’s length in cosmic terms. Likewise, the planet Budha’s orbit, measured from the expanse and circle, is also less than a foot’s length compared to those two. Budha, too, maintains distances and circles that are equal to these measures. The distances between these spheres are counted in hundreds of yojanas—five, four, three, and two hundred yojanas—along with half-yojana measures; no smaller divisions are known. Among the planets, Saturn, Aṅgiras, and Vakra are recognized as slow-moving, while the Sun, the Moon, Budha, and Bhārgava are swift in their courses. Of them all, the Sun travels in the path below the others. Above the Moon, the entire circle of stars moves, ever turning in the heavens. Vakra is situated above Bhārgava, and above Vakra is Bṛhaspati. Above the Seven Sages and the steadfast Dhruva, Bṛhaspati is established, presiding over the higher realms. The cosmic staff—slightly inclined and twice as long as the norm—supports the turning of the heavens. Its axle measures a yojana in length, and there the great wheel is fixed. This wheel is the complete wheel of time, marking the passage of a year. The chariot that carries this wheel measures five and a half yojanas more, and the axle at the support of the pole is shorter by half a yuga than the wheel. Drawing this chariot are seven horses, which are none other than the sacred Vedic metres. Their names are to be heard: the Anuṣṭubh and Triṣṭubh metres are said to be the horses of Hari, the Supreme Lord. To the south lies the realm of Yama, the lord of death; to the west, the domain of Varuṇa, the god of waters. Their cities are Amarāvatī, Saṃyamanī, Sukhā, and Vibhā, each in its proper order. The Lord of creatures, the god of gods, takes up the wheel of the luminaries, guiding their courses through the sky. In the midst of night, he faces all seven continents, his gaze encompassing every direction and the spaces between, without exception. Thus, by his movement, he brings forth day and night, drawing back and releasing the earth in his timeless dance. In this way, O wise ones, the three worlds—heaven, earth, and the nether regions—have been described by the virtuous. From this cosmic order arises the entire universe, with its gods, asuras, and humans. The radiance of all that shines, and the power of all beings, is universal and undivided. The Sun alone is the root and supreme deity of the three worlds. It is through the portions of Viṣṇu, manifest in the forms of the gods, that the Sun’s course is carried out. This order is composed of the sacred metres, of Brahman, and is ancient, reaching back to the dawn of time. The Sun is nourished, season by season beginning with spring, by the Gandharvas, Apsarases, chiefs of serpents, and Rakshasas, as well as by Vivasvat, Pūṣan, Parjanya, and Aṃśu. The sages Bharadvāja, Gautama, Kaśyapa, and Kratu, too, play their part in this grand sustainment of the Sun, ensuring the harmony and balance of the cosmos.