तथा केतुरथस्याश्वा अप्यष्टौ वातरंहसः । पलालधूमवर्णाभा लाक्षारसनिभारुणाः
In the same way, the eight horses of Ketu’s chariot are swift as the wind, their appearance like the color of chaff-smoke, and they are reddish as lac-dye.
एते मया ग्रहाणां वै तवाख्याता रथा नव । सर्वे ध्रुवे महाभाग प्रबद्धा वायुरश्मिभिः
Thus, O fortunate one, I have described to you the nine chariots of the planets; all are bound to the Pole Star by reins of wind.
ग्रहर्क्षताराधिष्ण्यानि ध्रुवे बद्धान्यश्षोतः । भ्रमन्त्युचितचारेण मैत्रेयानिलरश्मिभिः
The abodes of the planets, stars, and constellations are all fastened to the Pole Star, O Maitreya, and revolve in their proper courses, drawn by the rays of the wind.
यावान्त्यश्चैव तारास्ता तावन्तो वातरश्मयः । सर्वे ध्रुवे निबद्धास्ते भ्रमन्तो भ्रामयन्ति तम्
As many as there are stars, so many are the rays of wind; all are bound to the Pole Star, and as they revolve, they cause it to revolve as well.
तैलपीडा यथा चक्रं भ्रमन्तो भ्रामयन्ति वै । तथा भ्रमन्ति ज्योतींषि वातविद्धानि सर्वशः
Just as drops of oil, when spinning a wheel, make it turn, so too do all the luminaries, driven by the wind, revolve completely.
अलातचक्रवद्यान्ति वातचक्रेरितानि तु । यस्माज्योतींषि वहति प्रवहस्तेन स स्मृतः
Indeed, like the turning of a firebrand wheel, the luminaries move, set in motion by the wheel of wind; because the wind carries the luminaries, it is called Pravaha.
शिशुमारस्तु यः प्रोक्तः स ध्रुवो यत्र तिष्ठति । सन्निवेशं च तस्यापि शृणुष्व मुनिसत्तम
That which is called Śiśumāra is where the Pole Star stands; now, best of sages, listen to its arrangement as well.
यदह्ना कुरुते पापं तं दृष्ट्वा निशि मुच्यते । यावन्त्यश्चैव तारास्ताः शिशुमाराश्रिता दिवि । तावन्त्येव तु वर्षाणि जीवत्यभ्यधिकानि च
Whatever sin one commits by day is released upon seeing it at night; and as many stars as are situated in the Śiśumāra in the sky, for that many years, and even more, one lives.
उत्तानपादस्तस्याधो विज्ञेयो ह्युत्तरो हनुः । यज्ञोऽधरश्च विज्ञेयो धर्मो मूर्द्धानमाश्रितः
Below it is Uttānapāda, to be known as the lower jaw; Yajña is the lower part, and Dharma is established at the head.
हृदि नारायणश्चास्ते अश्विनौ पूर्वपादयोः । वरुणश्चार्यमा चैव पश्चिमे तस्य सक्थिनी
Nārāyaṇa abides in the heart; the Aśvins are at the forefeet; Varuṇa and Aryaman are at the hind thighs.
शिश्नः संवत्सरस्तस्य मित्रोऽपानं समाश्रितः
The year is its phallus, and Mitra is established at the anus.
पुच्छेग्निश्च महेन्द्र श्च कश्यपोथ ततो ध्रुवः । तारका शिशुमारस्य नास्तमेति चतुष्टयम्
At the tail are Agni and Mahendra, then Kaśyapa, and then Dhruva; the four stars of the Śiśumāra never set.
इत्येष सन्निवेशोऽयं पृथिव्या ज्योतिषां तथा । द्वीपानामुदधीनां च पर्वतानां च कीर्तितः
Thus this arrangement of the earth, the luminaries, the continents, the oceans, and the mountains has been described.
वर्षाणां च नदीनां च ये च तेषु वसन्ति वै । तेषां स्वरूपमाख्यातं संक्षेपः श्रूयतां पुनः
And of the regions, the rivers, and those who dwell therein, their forms have been declared; now hear a summary once again.
यदम्बु वैष्णवः कायस्ततो विप्र वसुन्धरा । पद्माकारा समुद्भूता पर्वताब्ध्यादिसंयुता
O Brahmin, from the cosmic form of Viṣṇu arose the earth, lotus-shaped, together with mountains, oceans, and the like.
ज्योतींषि विष्णुर्भुवनानि विष्णुर्वनानि विष्णुर्गिरयो दिशश्च । नद्यः समुद्रा श्च स एव सर्वं यदस्ति यन्नास्ति च विप्रवर्य
The luminaries are Viṣṇu, the worlds are Viṣṇu, the forests are Viṣṇu, the mountains and directions too; the rivers and oceans are he alone—whatever exists or does not exist, O best of Brahmins.
ज्ञानस्वरूपो भगवान्यतोसावश्षोमूर्त्तिर्न तु वस्तुभूतः । ततो हि शैलाब्धिधरादिभेदाञ्जानीहि विज्ञानविजृम्भितानि
The Blessed Lord is of the nature of knowledge; therefore, he is not of material form, but not a substance; thus, know that all distinctions such as mountains and oceans are manifestations of knowledge.
यदा तु शुद्धं निजरूपि सर्वं कर्मक्षये ज्ञानमपास्तदोषम् । तदा हि संकल्पतरोः फलानि भवन्ति नो वस्तुषु वस्तुभेदाः
But when, at the exhaustion of actions, knowledge becomes pure, free from defects, and true to its own nature, then, like the fruits of a wish-fulfilling tree, distinctions among objects do not arise.
वस्त्वस्ति किं कुत्रचिदादिमध्यपर्यन्तहीनं सततैकरूपम् । यच्चान्यथात्वं द्विज याति भूयो न तत्तथा तत्र कुतो हि तत्त्वम्
Is there any substance anywhere that is without beginning, middle, or end, that remains always the same? And, O twice-born, if something changes into something else and does not remain as it was, how can its true nature be established there?
मही घटत्वं घटतः कपालिका कपालिकाचूर्णरजस्ततोऽणुः । जनैः स्वकर्मस्तिमितात्मनिश्चयैरालक्ष्यते ब्रूहि किमत्र वस्तु
Earth becomes a pot, the pot becomes shards, the shards become dust, and from dust, atoms arise; people, due to their own limited understanding shaped by their actions, perceive these distinctions—tell me, what is the true substance here?
तस्मान्न विज्ञानमृतेस्ति किंचित्क्वचित्कदाचिद्द्विज वस्तुजातम् ।। विज्ञानमेकं निजकर्मभेदविभिन्नचित्तेर्बहुधाभ्युपेतम्
Therefore, O twice-born, there is never, anywhere, at any time, any real substance apart from consciousness; consciousness alone, appearing manifold due to the diversity of individual actions and thoughts, is accepted as many.
ज्ञानं विशुद्धं विमलं विशो कमश्षोलोभादिनिरस्तसङ्गम् । एकं सदैकं परमः परेशः स वासुदेवो न यतोन्यदस्ति
Knowledge that is pure, spotless, free from desire, anger, greed, and other attachments—this alone is eternal, one, and supreme; that is Vāsudeva, the highest Lord, and there is nothing else apart from Him.
सद्भाव एवं भवतो मयोक्तो ज्ञानं यथा सत्यमसत्यमन्यत् । एतत्तु यत्संव्यवहारभूतं तत्रापि चोक्तं भुवनाश्रितं ते
Thus I have explained to you the true nature of existence, and how knowledge is real while all else is unreal; as for that which is the basis of worldly dealings, I have also described to you how it is supported by the world.
यज्ञः पशुर्वह्निरश्षोऋत्विक्सोमः सुराः स्वर्गमयश्च कामः । इत्यादिकर्माश्रितमार्गदृष्टं भूरादिभोगाश्च फलानि तेषाम्
Sacrifice, the sacrificial animal, fire, the oblation, the officiating priests, soma, the gods, heaven, and desire—these and other results seen on the path of ritual action, and the enjoyments of earth and so forth, are their fruits.
यच्चैतद्भुवनगतं मया तवोक्तं सर्वत्र व्रजति हि तत्र कर्मवश्यः । ज्ञात्वैवं ध्रुवमचलं सदैकरूपं तत्कुर्याद्विशति हि येन वासुदेवम्
Whatever in this world I have told you about, all of it proceeds everywhere under the power of action; knowing this, one should perform that steadfast, unchanging, ever-same act by which one attains Vāsudeva.
श्रीमैत्रेय उवाच । भगवन् ! सम्यगाख्यातं यत् पृष्टोऽसि मयाखलम् । भूसमुद्रादिसरितां संस्थानं ग्रहसंस्थितिम्
Śrī Maitreya said: O Lord, you have properly explained, as I asked, the arrangement of the earth, oceans, rivers, and the positions of the planets.
विष्णवाधारं तथा चैतत् त्रैलोक्यं समवस्थितम् । परमार्थस्तु तेनोक्तो यथाज्ञानं प्रधानतः
You have also described how this threefold world is established upon Viṣṇu as its foundation; and you have explained the ultimate truth, according to knowledge, especially regarding the primary principle.
यत्त्वोतद्भगवानाह भरतस्य महीपतेः । कथयिष्यामि चरितं तन्माख्यातुमर्हसि
Now, whatever the Blessed Lord spoke about King Bharata, I wish to hear his story; please recount it to me.
भरतः स महीपालः शालग्रामेऽवसत् किल योगयुक्तः समाधाय वासुदेवे सदा मनः
That King Bharata once dwelled at Śālagrāma, always absorbed in yoga, with his mind constantly fixed on Vāsudeva.
पुण्यदेशप्रभावेण ध्यायतश्व सदा हरिम् । कथन्तु नाभवन्मुक्तिर्यदभूत् स द्रिजः पुनः
By the power of that holy place, he always meditated on Hari; yet, O twice-born, tell me how it happened that he did not attain liberation and was born again.