Chapter 38 - The Position of the Higher World

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-6. O descendant of Kura, the Sun’s disc is a hundred thousand Yojanas from the earth.^[1] The (height) of the chariot of the Sun is nine thousand Yojanas.

The shaft of the chariot is proclaimed as twice that (i.e. 18,000 Yojanas). The axle (of the chariot) of the Sun is fifteen million seven hundred thousand Yojanas long.

It has one wheel (i.e. year) fixed to it. It is described to have three navels (i.e. three parts of four months each), six tyres (viz. six seasons) and five spokes^[2](?)

There is a second large axle twenty-four thousand and five thousand five hundred (Yojanas) long (? 29,500), O son of Pāṇḍu.

The magnitude of the axle of the chariot is (equal to) the magnitude of the two half-yokes(?) The shorter axle and that half-yoke is fixed on the Polar Star.

The second axle on the left is placed on the Mānasottara mountain.^[3]

The horses are the seven chandas (Vedic metres). Listen to their names from me:

7. Gāyatrī, Bṛhatī, Uṣṇik, Jagatī, Triṣṭup, Anuṣṭup and Paṅkti; thus the metres, the horses of the Sun, have been recounted.

8. Since the Sun is always present, there is actually no rising or setting of the Sun. The appearance and disappearance of the Sun are called by the names ‘rising’ and ‘setting’.

9. Standing in the city of Śakra and others, he touches the three cities. Therefore stationed on the side of the triangle it is diffused everywhere as the cities are stationed in the form of a triangle(?)

10. In the beginning of the northern transit, the Sun goes to the zodiac of Makara (Capricorn). Thereafter he goes to Kumbha (Aquarius) and Mīna (Pisces) zodiacs as well as others too.

11. When he has passed over three of these zodiacs, he has the equinoctial transit. Then the Sun makes the day and the night equal to each other (in duration).

12. Then the night becomes shorter and the day longer. Then at the end of Mithuna (Gemini) he reaches his climax.

13-16. After reaching the zodiac Karkaṭaka (Cancer) he begins the transit to the South.

Just as the external ring of the potter’s wheel whirls quickly, so also in the course of the Southern transit the Sun moves quickly. On account of the excessive velocity, he moves with the support of the path of the wind. Hence, he passes over a great deal of ground in a short period.

Just as the middle part of the potter’s wheel moves slowly so also, during the Northern transit the Sun moves slowly. Hence he covers a smaller ground in the course of a greater period.

17. During dusk and dawn, the (demons) Mandehas desire to swallow the Sun.^[4] O Phālguna, this is a curse of Prajāpati (Brahmā) to the demons.

18. (On account of the curse) they have never ending successive bodies and death (thereof) everyday. Therefore, the battle between them and the Sun is extremely terrible.

19. As the Brāhmaṇas perform the Sandhyā prayer always, those sinners are burnt by the waters sanctified by Gāyatrī which they pour down.

20-22. Those who do not perform the Sandhyā rites are ungrateful. They fall into the Raurava hell.

Every month a separate Sun goes ahead with the horses, the sages, Gandharvas, Rākṣasas, the celestial damsels, the Grāmaṇīs (leaders) and Serpents.

The following are said to be the twelve Ādityas: Dhātā, Aryamā, Mitra, Varuṇa, Vivasvān, Indra, Pūṣan, Savitṛ,^[5] Aṃśa, Bhaga, Tvaṣṭṛ and Viṣṇu. They are the Suns in the months beginning from Caitra.

23-27. Beyond the abode of the Sun^[6] is the disc of the Moon. It is stationed a hundred thousand Yojanas (from the Sun). It is said that his chariot has three wheels. There are ten horses having the lustre of jasmine flowers. They have been yoked both on the left and the right side. A hundred thousand Yojanas from the Moon high above shines the entire stellar zone. It is proclaimed that the constellations (stars) are fourteen Arbudas (1 Arbuda =10⁸), eighty Jaladhis (1 Jaladhi = 10¹³) and twenty crores.

Budha (Mercury) is two hundred thousand Yojanas above the stellar zone.

The chariot of the son of the Moon (i.e. Budha) is evolved from Vāyu and Agni. It is fitted with eight reddish brown horses having the velocity of wind.

28. Uśanas (Venus) is said to be stationed two hundred thousand Yojanas beyond Mercury. The chariot of Śukra is fitted with eight horses originating from the earth.

29. It is proclaimed that two hundred thousand Yojanas above Mars (Bhauma) is stationed the preceptor of gods (Bṛhaspati or Jupiter). To his golden chariot are yoked eight yellowish white horses.^[7]

30. Śauri (Saturn) is stationed two hundred thousand Yojanas above Bṛhaspati. To his chariot are yoked eight brindled and spotted horses.

31. The horses of Svarbhānu (Rāhu) are eight in number. They resemble bees and are grey-coloured. They are yoked only once and they draw the chariot. They are always stationed beneath the Sun.

32. It is said that the zone of the Seven Sages (the Great Bear) is a hundred thousand Yojanas above Saturn. Dhruva (the Pole Star) is stationed a hundred thousand Yojanas above the Great Bear.

33. Dhruva is the pivot^[8] (central point) round which the entire group of the luminaries moves. Dhruva is fixed at the tail of a collection of stars in the formation of Gangetic porpoise.

34a. They say that this Śiśumāra (i.e. collection of stars in the form of the Gangetic porpoise) is the immutable form of Vāsudeva, the Ātman.

34b. O Phālguna, all this is tied to Dhruva by aerial cords.

35. It is said that the extent of the disc of the Sun is nine-thousand Yojanas. It is proclaimed that the extent of the disc of the Moon is twice that of the disc of the Sun.

36. Svarbhānu (Rāhu) is equal to them and moves beneath. He assumes the form of a circle and lifts (casts) up a pure shadow of the earth (?).

37-39. Venus has a mass that is one-sixteenth of that of the Moon. It should be known that Bṛhaspati (Jupiter) is one-fourth less than Venus. Mars, Saturn and Mercury are one-fourth less than Jupiter.

There are stars with various widths such as five hundred Yojanas, four hundred, three hundred, two hundred, hundred, one Yojana and even half a Yojana but not smaller than that. The Bhūmiloka, i.e. Bhūrloka can be traversed on foot.

40-42. The space between the earth and the Sun is proclaimed as Bhuvarloka.^[9] The space between Dhruva and the Sun is fourteen Niyutas (Niyuta = ten thousand crores) of Yojanas. This is called Svarloka by those who ponder on the configuration and structure of the universe. The space above Dhruva, a crore of Yojanas away, is glorified as Maharloka. Two crore Yojanas away from it, is the Janaloka where the four Sanas (i.e. Sanaka, Sanandana, Sanātana and Sanatkumāra) live.

Four crore Yojanas beyond it is what is called Tapas Loka.

43-45a. It is in the Tapas Loka that Devas named Vairājas live. They are free from the fear of being burnt.

Six times that distance away from Tapas Loka, shines Satya Loka where Apunarmarakas (‘those who do not die again’) live. It is called the world of Brahmā.

A matchless, auspicious and splendid abode shines eighteen crore eighty five lakh (Yojanas) above that.

45b-46. The three worlds named Bhūḥ, Bhuvaḥ and Svaḥ are Kṛtaka (‘created ones’). The three worlds Jana, Tapas and Satya are Akṛtakas (uncreated). It is said that Maharloka is in between the Kṛtaka and the Akṛtaka worlds.

47-48. It becomes void at the close of the Kalpa. It is not destroyed completely. These seven worlds that have been mentioned are attained by merits. They know that these worlds can be attained through performance of sacrifices, charitable gifts, Japas, Homas, pilgrimages to holy spots and multitudes of holy rites mentioned in the Vedas and other (scriptural texts).

49. From the top of the Cosmic Egg, a holy current of water flowed down and flooded all the worlds. Gaṅgā came to mount Meru.

50-52. Then it flowed over the whole of the earth and entered the nether worlds.

The goddess stationed on the top of the Egg always stays at the entrance. She is surrounded by crores and croresof goddesses and Piṅgala (Śiva). That splendid goddess stationed there protects the Egg always. She who has great strength and valour, kills multitudes of vicious people.

(Now) Listen to the seven Skandhas^[10] (Layers) of the winds and how they are stationed:

53-54. The first Vāyu called Pravaha has, after enveloping the earth, been stationed in the zone of clouds. It is very powerful and it carries (with it) the clouds. The clouds which are made of smoke and heat are filled with the waters of ocean. They become blue-coloured and they shower plenty of rain, O descendant of Bharata.

55. The second one is Āvaha by name. It is fixed to the disc of the Sun. The Solar disc tied with Dhruva by means of that (wind) is able to whirl.

56. The third one named Udvaha is fixed to the body of the Moon. Tied with Dhruva by means of that wind, the disc of the Moon whirls.

57. The fourth one, Saṃvaha by name is stationed in the stellar zone. United with Dhruva by means of gaseous cords, the stellar zone whirls.

58. The fifth wind named Vivaha is fixed with the Planets. United with Dḥruva by means of this wind, the group of Planets (is able) to whirl.

59. The sixth wind named Parivaha is stationed in the zone of the Seven Sages (the Great Bear). The Seven Sages wander in the firmament after being bound with Dhruva by means of this wind.

60-61. The seventh wind named Parāvaha is united with Dhruva. The Dhrauvya Cakra (i.e. the circle known after Dhruva) was established by this. O descendant of Bharata, others too have been established by this (wind).

It is by resorting to this wind that the ten thousand sons of Dakṣa, the Prajāpati, went to the end of the quarters quickly.

62. Thus these forty-nine (seven times seven) sons of Diti (known as Maruts) continuously blow on, going everywhere and carrying (i.e. bearing) everything.

63-64. Above Dhruva is the place devoid of the Sun, stars and constellations. They are always sustained and established by their own splendour, by their own power.

Thus the worlds above (the earth) have been recounted to you. Listen to the nether worlds from me.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

This chapter describes the crude Purāṇic astronomy. The description of the sun (vv 1-22) contains some modern ideas, e.g. that the sun never sets (v 8), the transits (ayanas) of the sun and equinoxes (vv 10-16). The rest is poetry or traditional concepts. Similar ideas are found in other Purāṇas also (e.g. MtP 124-128).

The smooth rhythmic motion of the sun is attributed to the seven musical Vedic metres as horses. A beautiful concept.

[2]:

BhP 21.13 reads dvādaśāram ‘Twelve spokes’ (viz. months).

[3]:

Cf. BhP 21.13.

[4]:

VV 17-22 explain the necessity of performing the Sandhyā (‘twilight prayer’).

[5]:

Parjanya in KP 1.42.2.

[6]:

VV 23-32 record the crude astronomical ideas before the age of Telescopes. The omission of the description of Mars shows the reliance of the editor on a defective MS.

[7]:

The description of Mars appears to be omitted here.

[8]:

The vast space contains stars which are arranged like a Gangetic porpoise. This is called Śiśumāracakra. The control pivot is Dhruva around which the stars move.

[9]:

VV 40-48 give the locations etc. of the worlds (lokas) above the earth (cf. BdP 3.4.2.8-46).

[10]:

The seven Skandhas or layers of winds described in vv 53-61 are the bonds or gravitational forces which make the heavenly bodies move round Dhruva.