Vayu Purana

एकविंशतिभिश्चैव योजनैरधिकैर्हि ते। एतत्प्रमाणमाख्यातं योजनैर्मण्डलं हि तत् ॥ ५०.

And with twenty-one more yojanas added, this is declared as the measure of the circle in yojanas.

विष्कम्भो मण्डलस्यैष तिर्यक् स तु विधीयते। प्रत्यहञ्चरते तानि सूर्यो वै मण्डलक्रमम् ॥ ५०.

This is the diameter of the circle, measured across; the sun traverses these daily, following the order of the circles.

कुलालचक्रपर्यन्तो यथा शीघ्रं निवर्त्तते। दक्षिणे प्रक्रमे सूर्यस्तथा शीघ्रं निवर्त्तते ॥ ५०.

Just as a potter’s wheel quickly turns back at its limit, so too does the sun swiftly reverse at the southern turning point.

तस्मात् प्रकृष्टां भूमिञ्च कालेनाल्पेन गच्छति। सूर्यो द्वादशभिः शीघ्रं मुहूर्त्तेर्दक्षिणोत्तरे ॥ ५०.

Therefore, in a short time, the sun traverses a great distance on earth—swiftly, in twelve muhurtas, at the southern and northern solstices.

त्रयोदशार्द्धमृक्षाणामह्नानुचरते रविः। मुहूर्त्तैस्तावदृक्षाणि नक्तमष्टादशैश्चरन् ॥ ५०.

The sun moves through thirteen and a half lunar mansions by day; at night, it passes through the same number in eighteen muhurtas.

कुलालचक्रमध्यस्तु यथा मन्दं प्रसर्पति। तथोदगयने सूर्यः सर्पते मन्दविक्रमः ॥ ५०.

Just as the center of a potter’s wheel moves slowly, so the sun advances slowly in the northern course.

त्रयोदशार्द्धमर्द्धेन ऋक्षाणां चरते रविः। तस्माद्दीर्घेण कालेन भूमिमिल्पां निगच्छति ॥ ५०.

The sun moves through thirteen and a half lunar mansions at half speed; therefore, in a longer time, it traverses the earth’s expanse.

अष्टादशमुहूर्त्तैस्तु उत्तरायणपश्चिमम्। अहर्भवति तच्चापि चरते मन्दविक्रमः ॥ ५०.

With eighteen muhurtas, the day becomes the westernmost of the northern course, and the sun moves with slow progress.

त्रयोदशार्द्धमर्धेन ऋक्षाणाञ्चरते रविः। मुहूर्त्तैस्तावदृक्षाणि नक्तमष्टादशैश्चरन् ॥ ५०.

The sun moves through thirteen and a half lunar mansions at half speed; at night, it passes through the same number in eighteen muhurtas.

ततो मन्दतरं ताभ्याञ्चक्रं भ्रमति वै यथा। मृत्पिण्ड इव मध्यस्थो ध्रुवो भ्रमति वै यथा ॥ ५०.

Then, between those two, the wheel turns more slowly, just as a lump of clay placed in the center spins, so does the fixed point revolve.

त्रिंशन्मुहूर्त्ताने वाहुरहोरात्रं ध्रुवो भ्रमन् । उभयोः काष्ठयोर्मध्ये भ्रमते मण्डलानि सः ॥ ५०.

For thirty muhurtas, the fixed point revolves, marking the day and night, moving between the two extremities, and circles are formed.

कुलालचक्रनाभिस्तु यथा तत्रैव वर्त्तते। ध्रुवस्तथा हि विज्ञेयस्तत्रैव परिवर्त्तते ॥ ५०.

Just as the hub of a potter’s wheel remains in place, so too should the fixed point be understood; it revolves right there.

उभयोः काष्ठयोर्मध्ये भ्रमतो मण्डलानि तु। दिवा नक्तञ्च सूर्यस्य मन्दा शीघ्रा च वै गतिः ॥ ५०.

Between the two extremities, as the circles revolve, the Sun’s movement by day and night is sometimes slow and sometimes swift.

उत्तरे प्रक्रमे त्विन्दो र्दिवा मन्दा गतिः स्मृता। तथैव च पुनर्नक्तं शीघ्रा सूर्यस्य वै गतिः ॥ ५०.

In the northern course, the Sun’s movement by day is considered slow; likewise, at night, the Sun’s movement is swift.

दक्षिणे प्रक्रमे चैव दिवा शीघ्रं विधीयते । गतिः सूर्यस्य नक्तं वै मन्दा चापि तथा स्मृता ॥ ५०.

In the southern course, the Sun’s movement by day is swift, and at night, it is remembered as slow.

एवं गतिविशेषेण विभजन् रात्र्यहानि तु। तथा विचरते मार्गं समेन विषमेण च ॥ ५०.

Thus, by the distinction in movement, day and night are divided, and the path is traversed both evenly and unevenly.

लोकालोके स्थिता ये ते लोकपालाश्चतुर्दिशम्। अगस्त्यश्चरते तेषामुपरिष्टाज्जवेन तु । भजन्नसावहोरात्रमेवङ्गतिविशेषणैः ॥ ५०.

Those who are established in Lokāloka, the guardians of the worlds in the four directions, Agastya moves above them swiftly, dividing day and night by these distinctions in movement.

दक्षिणे नागवीथ्यायां लोकालोकस्य चोत्तरम्। लोकसन्तारको ह्येष वैश्वानरपथाद्बहिः ॥ ५०.

In the southern Nāga path and the northern part of Lokāloka, this sustainer of worlds is outside the Vaiśvānarapatha.

पृष्ठे यावत् प्रभा सौही पुरस्तात् सम्प्रकाशते। पार्श्वयोः पृष्ठतस्तावल्लोकालोकस्य सर्वतः ॥ ५०.

As long as the light shines behind, it appears in front; likewise, on both sides and behind, throughout Lokāloka.

योजनानां सहस्राणि दशोर्द्द्वन्तूच्छ्रितो गिरिः। प्रकाशश्चाप्रकाशश्च सर्वतः परिमण्डलः ॥ ५०.

A mountain rises ten thousand yojanas high; light and darkness surround it in a complete circle.

नक्षत्रचन्द्रसूर्याश्च ग्रहास्तारागणैः सह। अभ्यन्तरं प्रकाशन्ते लोकालोकस्य वै गिरेः ॥ ५०.

The stars, Moon, Sun, planets, and groups of stars illuminate the interior of the Lokāloka mountain.

एतावानेव लोकस्तु निरालोकस्त्वतः परम्। लोकालोक एकधा तु निरालोकस्त्वनेकधा ॥ ५०.

Only this much is the world; beyond it is darkness. Lokāloka is one, but darkness is manifold.

लोकालोकन्तु सन्धत्ते यस्मात् सूर्यः परिग्रहम्। तस्मात्सन्ध्येति तामाहुरुषाव्युष्ट्योर्यदन्तरम् । उषा रात्रिः स्मृता विप्रैर्व्युष्टिश्चापि त्वहः स्मृतम् ॥ ५०.

Lokāloka forms the boundary because the Sun encircles it; therefore, the interval between dawn and daybreak is called 'sandhya.' Dawn is remembered as night by the sages, and daybreak is remembered as day.

सूर्यं हि ग्रसमानानां सन्ध्याकाले हि रक्षसाम्। प्रजापतिनियोगेन शापस्तेषां दुरात्मनाम् । अक्षयत्वञ्च देहस्य प्रापिता मरणं तथा ॥ ५०.

At the time of sandhya, when the demons attempt to swallow the Sun, by the command of Prajapati, a curse was placed upon those evil ones, granting them immortality of body and also death.

तिस्रः कोट्यस्तु विख्याता मन्देहा नाम राक्षसाः। प्रार्थयन्ति सहस्रांशुमुदयन्ति दिने दिने। तापयन्तो दुरात्मानः सूर्यमिच्छन्ति खादितुम् ॥ ५०.

Three crores of demons known as Mandehas are famous; they seek the thousand-rayed one, rising day after day, tormenting the wicked and desiring to devour the Sun.

अथ सूर्यस्य तेषाञ्च युद्धमासीत् सुदारुणम्। ततो ब्रह्मा च देवाश्च ब्राह्मणाश्चैव सत्तमाः। सन्ध्येति समुपासन्तः क्षेपयन्ति महाजलम् ॥ ५०.

Then, a fierce battle arose between them and the Sun; thereafter, Brahma, the gods, and the foremost Brahmins, worshipping at sandhya, pour forth great waters.

ओङ्कारब्रह्मसंयुक्तं गायत्र्या चाभिमन्त्रितम्। तेन दह्यन्ति ते दैत्या वज्रभूतेन वारिणा ॥ ५०.

Combined with the syllable Om and empowered by the Gayatri, with this, those demons are burned by water made as hard as thunder.

ततः पुनर्महातेजा महाद्युतिपराक्रमः. योजनानां सह स्राणि ऊर्द्ध्वमुत्तिष्ठते शतम् ॥ ५०.

Then again, the one of great radiance and immense might rises upward for a hundred yojanas together with the rays.

ततः प्रयाति भगवान् ब्राह्मणैः परिवारितः। वालखिल्यैश्च मुनिभिः कृतार्थैः समरीचिभिः ॥ ५०.

Then the Blessed One proceeds, surrounded by Brahmins and by accomplished sages called Valakhilyas, shining like rays.