Linga Purana

सर्वोपरि निकृष्टानि तारकामण्डलानि तु योजनद्वयमात्राणि तेभ्यो ह्रस्वं न विद्यते

Above all are the lesser circles of stars, each measuring two yojanas; nothing is found smaller than these.

उपरिष्टात्त्रयस्तेषां ग्रहा ये दूरसर्पिणः सौरो ऽङ्गिराश् च वक्रश् च ज्ञेया मन्दविचारिणः

Above them are three planets, which move far: Saturn, Mars, and the retrograde planet, known as the slow-moving ones.

तेभ्यो ऽधस्तात्तु चत्वारः पुनरन्ये महाग्रहाः सूर्यः सोमो बुधश्चैव भार्गवश्चैव शीघ्रगाः

Below them are four other great planets: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, and Venus, all moving swiftly.

तावन्त्यस्तारकाः कोट्यो यावन्त्यृक्षाणि सर्वशः ध्रुवात् तु नियमाच्चैषाम् ऋक्षमार्गे व्यवस्थितिः

The number of stars is as many crores as there are constellations in all; their positions are fixed on the path of the constellations, according to the rule from the Pole Star.

सप्ताश्वस्यैव सूर्यस्य नीचोच्चत्वमनुक्रमात् उत्तरायणमार्गस्थो यदा पर्वसु चन्द्रमाः

The Sun, drawn by seven horses, rises and sets in order; when the Moon is on the northern path at the junctions,

उच्चत्वाद्दृश्यते शीघ्रं नातिव्यक्तैर्गभस्तिभिः तदा दक्षिणमार्गस्थो नीचां वीथिमुपाश्रितः

because of its height, it appears swiftly, not with very distinct rays; then, being on the southern path, it follows a lower course.

भूमिरेखावृतः सूर्यः पौर्णिमावास्ययोस् तदा ददृशे च यथाकालं शीघ्रमस्तमुपैति च

The Sun, encircled by the earth, is seen at the full and new moons; at the proper time, it quickly sets as well.

तस्मादुत्तरमार्गस्थो ह्य् अमावास्यां निशाकरः ददृशे दक्षिणे मार्गे नियमाद्दृश्यते न च

Therefore, when the Moon is on the northern path at new moon, it is seen; on the southern path, by rule, it is not seen.

ज्योतिषां गतियोगेन सूर्यस्य तमसा वृतः समानकालास्तमयौ विषुवत्सु समोदयौ

By the conjunction of the movements of the luminaries, the Sun is covered by darkness; at the equinoxes, sunrise and sunset occur at the same time.

उत्तरासु च वीथीषु व्यन्तरास्तमनोदयौ पौर्णिमावास्ययोर् ज्ञेयौ ज्योतिश्चक्रानुवर्तिनौ

In the northern courses, sunrise and sunset are intermediate; at full and new moons, they should be known to follow the wheel of light.

दक्षिणायनमार्गस्थो यदा चरति रश्मिवान् ग्रहाणां चैव सर्वेषां सूर्यो ऽधस्तात् प्रसर्पति

When the radiant Sun moves on the southern path, it passes below all the planets.

विस्तीर्णं मण्डलं कृत्वा तस्योर्ध्वं चरते शशी नक्षत्रमण्डलं कृत्स्नं सोमादूर्ध्वं प्रसर्पति

Having made a wide circle, the Moon moves above it; the entire circle of constellations moves above the Moon.

नक्षत्रेभ्यो बुधश्चोर्ध्वं बुधादूर्ध्वं तु भार्गवः वक्रस्तु भार्गवादूर्ध्वं वक्राद् ऊर्ध्वं बृहस्पतिः

Above the constellations is Mercury; above Mercury is Venus; above Venus is Mars; above Mars is Jupiter.

तस्माच्छनैश्चरश्चोर्ध्वं तस्मात्सप्तर्षिमण्डलम् ऋषीणां चैव सप्तानां ध्रुवस्योर्ध्वं व्यवस्थितिः

Therefore, above the slow-moving planets is the region of the Seven Sages, and above the seven sages is the fixed position of Dhruva.

तं विष्णुलोकं परमं ज्ञात्वा मुच्येत किल्बिषात् द्विगुणेषु सहस्रेषु योजनानां शतेषु च

Knowing that supreme realm of Vishnu, one is freed from sin; it is at a distance of two thousand and one hundred yojanas.

ग्रहनक्षत्रतारासु उपरिष्टाद्यथाक्रमम् ग्रहाश् च चन्द्रसूर्यौ च युतौ दिव्येन तेजसा

Above the planets, stars, and constellations, in due order, are the planets, and the Moon and Sun, both endowed with divine brilliance.

नित्यमृक्षेषु युज्यन्ते गच्छन्तो ऽहर्निशं क्रमात् ग्रहनक्षत्रसूर्यास् ते नीचोच्चऋजुसंस्थिताः

They are always joined to the constellations, moving day and night in sequence; the planets, stars, and Sun are situated in low, high, and straight positions.

समागमे च भेदे च पश्यन्ति युगपत्प्रजाः ऋतवः षट् स्मृताः सर्वे समागच्छन्ति पञ्चधा

At their conjunction and separation, people witness them simultaneously; all six seasons are said to come together in fivefold ways.

परस्परास्थिता ह्येते युज्यन्ते च परस्परम् असंकरेण विज्ञेयस् तेषां योगस्तु वै बुधैः

These are mutually established and unite with each other; their conjunctions are to be understood by the wise as occurring without confusion.

एवं संक्षिप्य कथितं ग्रहाणां गमनं द्विजाः भास्करप्रमुखानां च यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम्

Thus, the movement of the planets, led by the Sun, has been briefly described, O twice-born, as seen and as heard.

ग्रहाधिपत्ये भगवान् ब्रह्मणा पद्मयोनिना अभिषिक्तः सहस्रांशू रुद्रेण तु यथा गुहः

In the lordship over the planets, the Blessed One was anointed by Brahma, the lotus-born, and the thousand-rayed one by Rudra, just as Guha was.

तस्माद्ग्रहार्चना कार्या अग्नौ चोद्यं यथाविधि आदित्यग्रहपीडायां सद्भिः कार्यार्थसिद्धये

Therefore, worship of the planets should be performed, and offerings made into the fire as prescribed, by the virtuous, for the accomplishment of desired aims during affliction by the Sun or planets.

अभ्यषिञ्चत्कथं ब्रह्मा चाधिपत्ये प्रजापतिः देवदैत्यमुखान् सर्वान् सर्वात्मा वद सांप्रतम्

How did Brahma, the lord of creatures, anoint all beings, including gods and demons? Tell this now, O all-pervading one.

ग्रहाधिपत्ये भगवान् अभ्यषिञ्चद्दिवाकरम् ऋक्षाणामोषधीनां च सोमं ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः

In the lordship over the planets, the Blessed One anointed the Sun; Brahma, the lord of creatures, anointed Soma over the stars and plants.

अपां च वरुणं देवं धनानां यक्षपुङ्गवम् आदित्यानां तथा विष्णुं वसूनां पावकं तथा

He anointed Varuna as lord of the waters, Kubera as chief of the Yakshas, Vishnu among the Adityas, and Pavaka among the Vasus.

प्रजापतीनां दक्षं च मरुतां शक्रमेव च दैत्यानां दानवानां च प्रह्लादं दैत्यपुङ्गवम्

He made Daksha lord of the progenitors, Shakra of the Maruts, and Prahlada, the foremost of Daityas, lord of the Daityas and Danavas.

धर्मं पितॄणाम् अधिपं निरृतिं पिशिताशिनाम् रुद्रं पशूनां भूतानां नन्दिनं गणनायकम्

He made Dharma lord of the ancestors, Nirriti of the flesh-eaters, Rudra of the animals, and Nandi, the leader of the hosts, of the spirits.

वीराणां वीरभद्रं च पिशाचानां भयंकरम् मातॄणां चैव चामुण्डां सर्वदेवनमस्कृताम्

He made Virabhadra lord of the heroes, the terrifying one of the Piśācas, and Chamunda, honored by all the gods, of the Mothers.

रुद्राणां देवदेवेशं नीललोहितमीश्वरम् विघ्नानां व्योमजं देवं गजास्यं तु विनायकम्

He made the blue-red Ishvara, lord of the Rudras and gods, and Vinayaka, the elephant-faced god born of the sky, lord of obstacles.