Among the celestial beings, there are those of remarkable beauty and radiance—Pūrvacitti and Tilottamā—whose presence delights the great god, the Sun, the imperishable Self. These luminous beings, with their own brilliance, nourish the Sun, who is the very repository of radiance. Around him, the Gandharvas and Apsarases gather, attending with graceful dance and melodious song, honoring his divine splendor. The serpents carry the Lord of the gods, and even the demons proceed in his service. All these beings, by their actions, are said to remove the inauspicious deeds of the world’s creatures. The Sun, ever abiding in his celestial chariot, moves freely with the speed of the wind, traversing the heavens at his will. Within this realm, a protective force watches over all beings until the very end of the age. As is proper and according to their nature, the Lord shines forth, illuminating all existence. The Sun always nourishes the ancestors, gods, humans, and all other beings, sustaining the cycles of life. Among those who know the Vedas, the eternal blue-throated one—Shiva—shines with particular brilliance. The knowers of the Vedas recognize that place as the Sun himself, the embodiment of the sacred Vedas. The Lord of time, whose form is divine, regulates the passage of time. Among his manifestations, the seven rays—sources of the planets—are the foremost. Another ray is called Viśvavyacā, and yet another supreme one is Saṃyadvasu. The sun’s ray named Supumna nourishes the cool radiance, while Harikeśa is said to nourish the stars. Viśvavyacā always sustains Venus, and the seventh ray, Surāṭ, nourishes Saturn as well. These rays continually increase, and as they grow, they bring nourishment to all. The Sun, lord of both brilliance and darkness, absorbs and radiates all these energies. He touches all beings, both immobile and mobile, and even the waters of rivers and similar places. From these, four hundred channels pour forth, each possessing a wondrous form. All these rays are called ‘nectar’, for they produce showers that sustain life. Those rays named ‘moon’ are golden-hued, while those called ‘shukra’ are of three kinds and generate heat. Through this nectar, the Sun satisfies all the gods in three ways. In winter and the cold season, he releases frost with three rays. During the month of Chaitra, the ray called Dhata predominates; in Vaishakha, it is Tapana. In Shravana, the ray is Vivasvan; in Praushthapada, Bhaga. In Margashirsha, Mitra shines forth; in Pausha, it is Vishnu the eternal. The god Pushan possesses six thousand rays, and the ray called Saptabhis shares this abundance. Vivasvan protects with ten rays, and Bhaga with eleven. Vishnu, the creator of the world, shines with six thousand rays, spreading his light throughout creation. In winter, the Sun is copper-colored; in the cold season, he appears red. The Sun bestows immortality, nectar, and threefold qualities in three distinct ways. Mars, Mandha, Rahu, and Ketu are also counted as the eighth among the celestial bodies. These revolve in their proper order, moving even without the Sun. Because the wind carries them, it is known as Pravaha. Ten are joined on the left and right, and thus, the moon receives its name. Such is the wondrous interplay of the Sun, his rays, and the celestial beings who serve and are nourished by him, sustaining the order and beauty of the cosmos.