In the vast expanse of the sky, countless forms are seen shining—these are the stars, enduring and imperishable, along with the entire universe itself. Because they do not perish, they have come to be known as stars. Each of these celestial fields radiates with its own light, and from them, the sun receives the essence of the stars and constellations. When beings perform virtuous deeds in this world, at the completion of their good acts, their souls ascend to the planets. Because they cross over in this way, they are called stars; and due to their radiant whiteness, they are also so named. Among all the divine, earthly, and nocturnal bodies, without exception, the sun always draws their radiance—even from those that are dark. For the purposes of sacrifice and the movement of the cosmos, this luminous element is described. The sun is called Savitṛ, for he draws forth the brilliance of the waters. The full moon, meanwhile, is celebrated as the element of delight—perceived through its whiteness, its coolness, and its immortal nature. The orbits of the sun and the moon are luminous and auspicious, shining with radiance. These celestial spheres are round and bright, like well-formed pots, and are filled with watery brilliance. In these orbits, the moon’s sphere is said to be of condensed water, while the sun’s is filled with condensed, dazzling light—pure and white. All the gods dwell within these celestial realms. In every age of Manu, the gods find their support in the stars, the sun, and the planets. Thus, the planets are known as the houses of the gods. The sun entered its own solar abode, and the moon likewise entered the lunar abode. Venus took up residence in the house of Venus, shining with sixteen rays; Jupiter, the great teacher, entered the house of Jupiter, and Mars entered the house of Mars. Saturn too entered his own abode, as did the god Saturn himself; Mercury entered the house of Mercury, and Rāhu entered the house of Rāhu. All the stars find their places within the constellations, and all these planets and luminaries are the domain of souls of virtue. At the beginning of the kalpa, the Self-born set all these bodies in motion, establishing their positions until the final dissolution of the cosmos. In every manvantara, these celestial abodes remain the dwelling places of the gods, who, filled with their own glory, repeatedly occupy them. These abodes persist, along with the stationed gods, through all cycles—whether the gods have passed, are yet to come, or are presently existing. In this present manvantara, the planets are known as celestial. The Sun, son of Vivasvat and Aditi, shines in the Vaivasvata manvantara. The radiant moon, Soma, son of a sage, is both a god and a Vasu; while Śukra, worshipper of the Asuras, is known as Bhārgava. Bṛhaspati, the god of great brilliance and teacher of the gods, is the son of Aṅgiras; Budha, charming and delightful, is remembered as the son of a sage. Śanaiścara, of peculiar form, is born of Saṃjñā and Vivasvat; Agni was born from Vikeśī, and his youthful flames are red. The daughters of Dakṣa are known as the stars and constellations; Svarbhānu, son of Siṃhikā, is the Asura who brings distress to living beings. Among the moon, stars, planets, and sun, those who are self-possessed are spoken of. Their positions and the stationed deities have been described as before. The solar abode of Vivasvat, the thousand-rayed one, is fiery; the abode of the moon is watery and white. Budha’s abode is radiant, watery, dark, and delightful; Śukra’s is watery and white, shining with sixteen rays. Mars’s excellent abode is red, with nine rays; Bṛhaspati’s is yellow, great, and shines with sixteen flames. Saturn’s abode is black, with eight rays; Svarbhānu’s is a realm of darkness, the dwelling of the afflicter of beings. All the stars are to be known as Ṛṣis, each possessing a single ray. These are the abodes of the virtuous, and their nature is white. They are composed of condensed water, created at the dawn of the kalpa; by uniting with the rays of the sun, they are said to become luminous. The support of Savitṛ, the Sun, is measured at nine thousand yojanas, and its circumference is three times that, as measured by its disc. The moon is twice the extent of the sun; Svarbhānu is equal to both and moves beneath them. Having lifted the shadow of the earth, a circular form was created—the great station of Svarbhānu, which is composed of darkness. Svarbhānu emerges from the sun and moves equally during the lunar phases, traveling from the moon to the sun and returning again during each cycle. Because it pushes Svarbhānu, it is so named; the sixteenth part of the moon is given to Bhārgava. From the supports and circles, measured from the tip of a yojana, that which lacks a quarter from Bhārgava is known as Bṛhaspati. Both Vakra and Sauri are remembered as lacking a quarter from Bṛhaspati; from their extent and circles, Budha is lacking a quarter from those two. The forms of the stars and constellations, radiant as they are, are equal to Budha in extent and in their circuits. One who knows reality should understand that most of the stars are joined with the moon, and that the forms of stars and constellations are mutually deficient in extent. There are circles of stars at distances of four hundred, three hundred, and two hundred yojanas—these are the lowest of all. Among them, none measures less than half a yojana. Above these circles, three planets move at a great distance: Sauri, Angiras, and Vakra, known as the slow-moving ones, whose motions have already been described in their proper order.