The Sun, resplendent in the heavens, is constantly replenished with radiance by the brilliant beings that surround him. It is their supreme brilliance that sustains his light, and the sages, with devotion and wisdom, praise the Sun using hymns of their own composition. Around him, celestial musicians—the Gandharvas and the graceful Apsarases—offer worship through enchanting dance and melodious song. The noble Yakṣas and various spirits gather offerings in his honor, contributing to the sacred service. The mighty serpents carry the Sun on his journey, while the formidable Yātudhānas follow in his wake. The diminutive yet powerful Vālakhilyas lead the Sun toward his setting, encircling him as he rises each day. Among these divine hosts, each shines according to their own radiance, asceticism, suitability, mastery of mantras, righteousness, and strength. It is through the combined brilliance of these gods that the Sun blazes forth so magnificently. These groups of beings—sages, gods, Gandharvas, serpents, Apsarases, leaders, Yakṣas, and especially the Yātudhānas—dwell with the Sun, each pair taking their turn for two months at a time. In this way, throughout the year, twelve pairs of these divine hosts reside in the Sun, maintaining the cosmic order. Together, they shine, bring rain, illuminate the world, stir the winds, and create—removing inauspicious deeds from living beings. They take away fortune from some and misfortune from others, and at times, they even remove the misdeeds of the virtuous. All these beings dwell in a celestial, wish-fulfilling chariot, driven by the wind, journeying with the Sun as he follows the course of the days. By causing rain, shining forth, and bringing delight, they protect all creatures from the decline of the heavenly realms. This is the ordained station of these divine beings, fixed in their roles across all past, present, and future cycles of creation—known as Manvantaras. There are seven groups, each with fourteen members, who dwell in the Sun, and in every one of the fourteen Manvantaras, these hosts are present. Thus, O best of sages, this is the account of the wise Lord of the gods, as it has been revealed and heard—both in brief and in detail. These gods, steadfast in their stations, reside in the Sun, each group of seven taking their two-month turn, forming twelve such groups throughout the year. The Sun, the great illuminator of the day, moves swiftly with a single-wheeled chariot drawn by green, immortal horses. Rotating thus, the Sun traverses the sky day and night, his chariot borne by seven horses, encircling the seven continents and the oceans. Now, as the Sun rules the day, so does the Moon, lord of the night, journey among the stars along his own path. The Moon’s chariot is unique, having three wheels and teams of horses on either side. It is yoked with three hundred excellent, pure white horses—ten of them slender, divine, tireless, and as swift as thought. With this splendid chariot, the Moon, known also as Soma, travels accompanied by gods and ancestors, shining with radiant white rays, drawn by watery, white cows. Beginning with the bright fortnight, the Moon rises above the Sun and is gradually filled from within as the days progress. During the waning phase, the Soma—the nectar within the Moon—is consumed by the gods, but is constantly replenished. The Sun, with a single ray called Suṣumnā, drinks from the Moon for fifteen days, filling it part by part with his energy. Thus, at the full moon, the Moon appears complete and radiant, as the Soma is filled during the bright half of the month. Then, from the second to the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight, the gods drink the sweet, gentle nectar of the Moon. In half a month, the nectar gathered by the Sun’s radiance is consumed. At the full moon, the gods worship Soma, desiring to partake of this celestial drink. For one night, all the gods, together with ancestors and sages, drink Soma at the start of the dark fortnight, when the Moon faces the Sun. Gradually, as the nectar is consumed, the digits of the Moon diminish within him—there are three hundred thirty, and also thirty-three. The gods, numbering thirty-three thousand, drink Soma in this way, and by the course of days, the Moon wanes as the gods partake of his nectar. After half a month, at the new moon, the gods depart, and the ancestors approach the Moon. When only a small portion remains of the fifteenth part, in the afternoon, the hosts of ancestors worship and drink from the lowest portion of the Moon. They drink for two portions of time, and the remaining portion, which flows out at the new moon from the Moon’s rays, becomes the nectar of offerings for rituals. Having been satisfied for a month by drinking the best nectar, the ancestors depart, and the portion of the fifteenth day that they drank begins to be replenished. As long as this fifteenth part is diminished, it is again filled at the new moon. Thus, the waxing and waning of the Moon at the beginning of each fortnight and on the sixteenth day is remembered, for the Moon waxes by the Sun’s influence. The son of Soma, too, has a chariot yoked with eight horses made of water and light, adorned with beautiful tawny ones. Shukra’s chariot is drawn by ten slender horses of various colors, yoked with earthly steeds, belonging to the wise preceptor of the Daityas. Mars rides in a splendid golden chariot with eight horses, as does Jiva, whose chariot is also golden and drawn by eight horses; Saturn’s chariot, in contrast, is made of iron. Rahu’s chariot is pulled by ten horses of water, white and other colors. Likewise, Ketu’s and the Sun’s chariots are said to have eight horses. All these planets are fixed to the pole star and move by the power of the wind’s rays; thus, they revolve in their proper order. As many as there are stars in the sky, so many are the rays that hold them, all tethered to the pole star, revolving and causing it, too, to turn in the celestial dance. Thus, the cosmic order is maintained, with the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars all moving in harmony, guided by divine beings and the eternal laws of the universe.