Thus, O twice-born, the movements of the planets, led by the radiant Sun, have been briefly recounted—both as they are seen and as they are heard from tradition. In the governance of these celestial bodies, it was the Blessed One who was anointed by Brahma, the lotus-born creator, and the thousand-rayed Sun was similarly consecrated by Rudra, just as Guha was before them. For this reason, it is prescribed that the virtuous should worship the planets and offer oblations into the sacred fire as directed by the scriptures, especially when afflicted by the influences of the Sun or other planets, so that their desired ends may be accomplished. At this point, the sages, eager for deeper understanding, asked, “How did Brahma, the lord of all creatures, anoint all beings—gods and demons alike? Please tell us, O all-pervading one.” In response, it was explained: In the lordship over the planets, the Blessed One anointed the Sun as their chief. Brahma, the lord of creatures, made Soma, the Moon, sovereign over the stars and plants. Varuna was appointed as lord of the waters, Kubera as chief of the Yakshas, Vishnu among the Adityas, and Pavaka among the Vasus. Daksha was made lord of the progenitors, Shakra (Indra) of the Maruts, and Prahlada, foremost among Daityas, was given rule over the Daityas and Danavas. Dharma was made lord of the ancestors, Nirriti of the flesh-eaters, Rudra of the animals, and Nandi, leader of the hosts, of the spirits. Virabhadra became lord of the heroes, the terrifying one of the Piśācas, and Chamunda—honored by all gods—of the Mothers. The blue-red Ishvara was made lord of the Rudras and gods, and Vinayaka, the elephant-faced deity born of the sky, was appointed lord of obstacles. Uma was made the goddess of women, Sarasvati of speech, Vishnu of the magicians, and Brahma himself became the soul of the worlds. Himavat was made lord of the mountains, Jahnavi (Ganga) of the rivers, and the ocean—the great repository of waters—became lord of all the seas. Among trees, the Lord of ancestors appointed the aśvattha and the plakṣa as foremost. Citraratha was made lord of the Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, and Kinnaras, while Vasuki, of great strength, became king of the serpents, and Takṣaka, also of fierce strength, became lord of the snakes. Suparṇa (Garuda) was made lord of birds, and Uccaiḥśravas, the celestial steed, king of horses. The lion became lord of beasts, the bull of cows, the śarabha of wild animals, Guha—immeasurable in might—was made commander of armies, and Lakulīśa was appointed lord of the Vedas and Smṛtis. Sudharmā, Śaṅkhapada, Ketumanta, and Hemaromā were each anointed in due order. On earth, Pṛthu was made lord, Maheśvara lord of all, and among the four-formed, the all-knowing Śaṅkara, bearer of the bull-banner, was appointed. By the grace of the blessed Śambhu, all these great beings were consecrated, and having been thus anointed, the virtuous lord of the world shone resplendent. O foremost of sages, all this has been told to you in detail—how these illustrious ones were anointed by the source of the universe and thus distinguished among all beings. Yet, hearing all this, the sages remained filled with questions and turned again to Romaharṣaṇa, seeking further clarity. “O best of speakers,” they said, “you have recounted these matters, but now, please tell us in detail about the determination regarding the luminaries.” Composed and serene, the Sūta replied, “What the wise and tranquil-minded have spoken on this subject, I shall now declare—the course of the Sun and the Moon. How the Sun, Moon, and other planets dwell in the abodes of the gods, I will explain, and also the threefold origin of fire.” He continued, “There are three types of fire: divine, material, and earthly, as well as fire belonging to earth. At the end of night, from Brahman of unmanifest birth, all was covered by darkness. When only a quarter remained, the world was especially lost in obscurity. In that darkness, the self-born Lord, wishing to manifest the purposes of all worlds, moved about like a firefly, awaiting the moment of revelation. Then, at the dawn of creation, the Lord brought forth fire, establishing it in earth and water, and divided it threefold for the sake of illumination. The wind in this world is known as earthly fire; that pure fire which abides in the sun since the beginning is remembered as Agni. Of these, three should be understood: the electric, the aquatic, and the lotus-born fires. The electric, the digestive, the solar, and the aquatic—these are the three fires, each with its own characteristics. Thus, the Sun, by drinking up the waters, shines forth with its rays. The lotus-born fire is established in water, yet fire is not extinguished by water. Within the bellies of beings, fire is not extinguished; this blazing fire, accompanied by wind, is called the digestive fire, though it gives no visible light. That which appears as a white, circular, and cool form when the Sun has set is the solar radiance. At night, fire enters the Sun’s orb, causing it to shine from afar; when the Sun rises again, the heat of fire enters it anew. By the foot of the terrestrial fire, that fire burns; both in their forms of light and heat, the solar and terrestrial fires are radiant. By mutual interpenetration, they nourish each other. In the northern half of the earth is water; in the southern, fire. The Sun rises again and again, and again enters the waters; thus, the waters become coppery by day and night due to the Sun’s presence. When the Sun sets, the waters enter the day, and so, at night, the waters appear white and shining. By this continual process, in both the southern and northern halves of the earth, at sunrise and sunset, day and night, the waters ever enter in their appointed order.” Thus was the sacred order of the cosmos, the anointing of the lords of all beings, and the mysteries of fire and the luminaries revealed to the devoted listeners.