Taking the highest and most noble path, the Sun, by day and by night, radiates his heat throughout the world, reaching from all sides—above, below, and across the expanse—encompassing everything in his embrace. Just as a brilliant lamp suspended at the center of a house dispels darkness equally in every direction, so too does the Sun, lord of the planets and master of the world, with his thousand rays, illuminate the entire universe with his beams, shining in all directions. Of these thousand rays, seven are considered the foremost, and from these arise the principal planets. These best rays are known as Suṣumna, Harikeśa, Viśvakarman, Viśvavyacā, Ādya, Saṃnaddha, and Para. There are also rays named Sarvāvasu and Svarāṭ. Among them, Suṣumna, the Sun’s ray, enkindles the southern sign and moves downward, upward, and below. Harikeśa, who shines in front, is regarded as the source of the stars. Viśvakarman, to the right, strengthens the ray associated with Mercury, while Viśvavyacā, behind, is remembered by the wise as the origin of Venus. Saṃnaddha is the ray from which Mars draws its light, and Sarvāvasu is the source for Jupiter. Another ray nourishes Saturn, called Śanaiścara. Thus, by the radiance of the Sun, the stars, planets, and constellations all shine forth. All these celestial bodies are visible in the sky, and the universe itself is filled with their presence. Since they endure and do not perish, they are called stars. All these celestial fields gleam with their own rays. The Sun, in turn, receives the essence of the stars and constellations. Through virtuous deeds performed on earth, at the culmination of good acts, souls ascend to the planets; because they cross over, they are called stars, and because of their brightness, they are so named as well. Among the divine, the earthly, and the nocturnal stars—none are excepted—the Sun always draws their radiance, even from the darker ones. For the sake of sacrifice and movement, this element is described; and because the Sun draws forth the brightness from the waters, he is known as Savitṛ. The full moon is called the element of delight, recognized by its whiteness, immortality, and coolness. In the radiant, luminous orbits of the Sun and Moon—shining, watery, bright, round, and auspicious like a perfect vessel—the orb of the Moon is said to be of condensed water, while the Sun’s orb is filled with condensed, brilliant, and white light. All the gods dwell in these shining abodes; in every Manvantara, they depend upon the stars, the Sun, and the planets. Therefore, the planets are called their houses. The Sun entered the solar abode, and the Moon entered the lunar abode. Venus entered the abode of Venus, gleaming with sixteen rays; Jupiter, the great teacher, entered Jupiter’s abode; Mars entered the abode of Mars; Saturn entered the abode of Saturn, as did the god Saturn himself; Mercury entered Mercury’s abode; and Rāhu entered the abode of Rāhu. All the stars entered their respective constellations. All these planets and luminaries belong to those of virtuous soul. At the dawn of the kalpa, the Self-born set all these in motion; their positions remain unchanged until the time of cosmic dissolution. In every Manvantara, these abodes are the dwellings of the gods, who, full of their own splendor, repeatedly occupy them. These abodes persist along with the gods stationed there—those who have passed, those yet to come, those who will not come, and those currently existing. In this present Manvantara, the planets are called celestial. The Sun, son of Vivasvat and Aditi, is known as such in the Vaivasvata Manvantara. The radiant Soma, son of a sage, is called a god and a Vasu. Śukra, the deity, is known as the Bhārgava, worshipper of the Asuras. The god of great brilliance, teacher of the gods, son of Aṅgiras, is called Bṛhaspati; Budha, charming and delightful, is remembered as the son of a sage. Śanaiścara, of strange form, is the son of Saṃjñā and Vivasvat; Agni was born from Vikeśī, and the youthful one has red flames. The daughters of Dakṣa are known as the stars and constellations, while Svarbhānu, son of Siṃhikā, is the Asura who brings distress to beings. Among the Moon, stars, planets, and Sun, those with self-radiance are mentioned. Their positions have been described as before, and the deities are stationed there. The solar abode of Vivasvat, the thousand-rayed one, is fiery; the Moon’s abode is watery and white. Budha’s radiant abode is watery, dark, and delightful; Śukra’s is watery and white, gleaming with sixteen rays. The excellent abode of Bhauma (Mars) is red, with nine rays; Bṛhaspati’s is yellow, great, and has sixteen flames. The abode of Śanaiścara (Saturn) is black, with eight rays; the abode of Svarbhānu is darkness itself, the dwelling of the afflicter of beings. All the stars are to be known as Ṛṣis, each with a single ray; they are the abodes of those of virtuous fame and are white by nature. They are composed of condensed water, created at the beginning of the kalpa, and by union with the rays of the Sun, they are said to be of luminous nature. The support of Savitṛ, the Sun, is measured at nine thousand yojanas, and its circumference is three times that, according to the measure of the disc. The Moon’s extent is twice that of the Sun; Svarbhānu is equal to both and moves below them. Thus, the celestial order is revealed: the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars, each shining in their appointed place, sustaining the universe with their eternal light and presence.