Chapter 8 - The movement of the sun; Time; The heavenly paths

Parāśara:

I’ve described the nature of the cosmic egg to you, sage of rigid vows. Now hear about the size and nature of the sun and other bodies.^[1] 1

The carriage of the sun is nine thousand leagues in length, best of sages, and its shaft is twice as long again. 2

The axle is more than fifteen million and seven hundred thousand leagues in length, to which a wheel is fixed. 3

This eternal wheel, with three hubs, six fellies and five spokes, forms a year, and on it rests the entire cycle of time. 4

The carriage’s second axle is forty-five thousand and five hundred leagues in length, wise sage. 5

The two halves of the yoke are the same length as the two axles, respectively. The carriage’s shorter axle and the shorter half of the yoke rest on the Pole Star. The longer axle, to which the wheel is fixed, rests on Mount Mānasa.^[2] 6

The carriage’s seven horses are the Vedic metres. Listen to their names: Gāyatrī, Bṛhatī, Uṣṇih, Jagatī, Triṣṭubh, Anuṣṭubh and Paṅkti. These are said to be the horses of the sun. 7

Indra’s city lies on the eastern side of Mount Mānasottara, Yama’s city lies southward, Varuṇa’s to the west and Soma’s to the north. Listen to their names: 8

Mighty Indra’s city is called Vasvokasārā, Yama’s is Saṃyamanī, that of Varunā, lord of waters, is Sukhā and Soma’s is Vibhāvarī. 9

During its southern passage, the lordly sun flies like an arrow, Maitreya, attended by the wheel of stars. 10

The sun is the cause of the difference between day and night. This divine vehicle is the highest resort for ascetics who’ve transcended worldly woes. 11

The sun is always overhead at midday on one continent, Maitreya, while on the others, it is midnight. 12

It always rises and sets at opposing cardinal and intermediate points on the horizon, Maitreya. 13

Those who see the sun appear think that it is rising, and when it disappears from sight, they believe that it is setting. 14

In fact, it doesn’t rise or set, and what we call its rising and its setting are merely its appearance and disappearance. 15

When the sun is directly over mighty Indra’s city, for example, it illuminates three cities and two intermediate points of the compass. When it’s located above one of the intermediate points, it shines on three other points and two cities. 16

When the sun has risen, its rays, growing ever stronger, become hotter until midday, after which they weaken as it nears its setting place. 17

The directions of east (pūrva, ‘before’) and west (apara, ‘after’) are named for the rising and the setting of the sun. The distance it shines towards the east is the same as the distance it shines westwards and on both sides. 18

(The only exception is the palace of Brahmā on the summit of divine Mount Meru, where the rays of the sun that reach that edifice are outshone by the city’s brilliance and are driven back.) 19

As a result, there’s always a distinction between day and night in northern parts, since Meru stands northward of the continents and other regions. 20

In the evening when the sun has set, its brilliance enters fire, and that’s why fire is brighter in the night. 21

During the day, one-quarter of fire’s brilliance joins the sun, brahmin, and, resulting from this union, the sun shines even brighter. 22

These two forms of brightness, the light and heat of the sun and fire, are strengthened during day and night, respectively, as they merge with one another. 23

When the sun is above the horizon, night enters the waters, filling them with darkness, and, after it has set, daylight fills the waters, imbuing them with light. 24

The ocean appears dark by day because it absorbs the night. Daylight imbues the waters when the sun goes down, and that’s why the ocean is brighter at night: it’s filled with light. 25

When the sun is in the middle of Puṣkara, the time taken to transit for one lunar mansion—one-thirtieth part of the circumference of the celestial globe—is one muhūrta. 26

Turning as if on the edge of a potter’s wheel, the sun brings day, brahmin, freeing the world from night. 27

During its passage to the north of the celestial equator, the sun first traverses Capricorn, then Aquarius and Pisces, brahmin, moving from one house to the next. 28

After it has passed through these three, the sun reaches the point of the equinox, making day and night of equal length. 29

The nights become thereafter shorter as the days grow longer. 30

Then when the sun reaches the end of Gemini, it takes a different course, and, reaching the sign of Cancer, begins its southern passage. 31

Just as the outer edge of the potter’s wheel moves more quickly, the sun hastens during this passage. 32

On account of its speed, it proceeds as quickly as the wind and traverses a great distance in but little time. 33

Because of its haste, while on its southern passage, the sun takes twelve muhūrtas to traverse an extent equivalent to thirteen and a half lunar mansions during the day, brahmin, but during the night it takes eighteen muhūrtas to travel the same distance. 34

Just as a point near the centre of a potter’s wheel moves more slowly, so does the sun during its northern passage. 35

For this reason, it traverses less space in longer time. When the sun reaches the end of its northern path, the length of the days is again eighteen muhūrtas. 36

Here, too, the sun is in the sky for a longer time. 37

Its path is as long as thirteen and a half mansions during the day, and the same distance is traversed in twelve muhūrtas at night. 38

Just as a lump of clay at the centre of a potter’s wheel turns more slowly still, this is the case with Dhruva, which stands at the celestial pole. 39

And just as the hub of a potter’s wheel turns on the spot, Maitreya, so it is with that star. 40

The relative length of day and night is a function of the length of the arc traversed by the sun between the points at which it rises and sets—that is, the length of time it appears in the sky. 41

When, during its journey, the daytime passage of the sun is long, the nights are short, and when its passage is long at night, the days are short. 42

The actual course of the sun is the same in either case, brahmin, because all signs of the zodiac appear to pass overhead in one day and night. 43

Six signs pass at night and the other six by day. 44

The length or shortness of a day is the result of the variation in the width of the signs of the zodiac, and, similarly, the length or shortness of the night is determined by the measure of the signs during that time. 45

The long and short durations of day and night are the result of the width of the signs. During its northern passage, the sun moves more quickly at night and slower by day. 46

During its southern passage, the opposite is the case. 47

The night is called uṣā, and the day is known as vyuṣṭi. The interval between day and night is called sandhyā, ‘twilight’. 48

When the cruel and pitiless twilit hours arrive, terrible rākṣasas known as mandehas attempt to swallow the sun. 49

Brahmā, lord of creation, pronounced a curse on these rākṣasas, Maitreya, such that they must die each day, but their bodies aren’t destroyed. 50

As a result, there’s a frightful daily struggle between the sun and them. That’s why eminent brahmins sprinkle water at such times, great sage, 51

While chanting the syllable Oṃ, consecrated with the Gāyatrī mantra. This water becomes thunderbolts and destroys those wicked beings. 52

The first offering, accompanied by mantras, made into the sacred fire each morning causes the brilliant light-giving sun of a thousand rays to shine. 53

The syllable Oṃ is Lord Viṣṇu, essence of the threefold Vedas and sovereign of each form of speech. By reciting it, those rākṣasas meet their doom. 54

The sun is the highest aspect of Viṣṇu, whose brilliance never fades. The syllable Oṃ is expressive of the sun and causes it to move. 55

The light brought forth by Oṃ begins to blaze and incinerates all those wicked mandehas. 56

That’s why the sandhyā twilight rituals must never be neglected. One who fails to perform them at that time is guilty of murdering the sun. 57

Protected by the brahmins and the Vālakhilya sages, the lordly sun then journeys on its way for the welfare of the world. 58

Divisions of time

Fifteen nimeṣas or ‘blinks of the eye’ make one kāṣṭhā. Thirty kāṣṭhās make one kalā. Thirty kalās make a muhūrta, and thirty muhūrtas, one day and night. 59

The periods into which a day is divided may be longer or shorter, as the days progress, but twilight always lasts one muhūrta. Even though the days are long or short, its duration stays the same. 60

The first three muhūrtas after sunrise are called morning, one-fifth part of the day. 61

The three muhūrtas after morning are the forenoon, and the three murhūrtas after forenoon are midday. 62

Following midday comes the afternoon. The wise consider that this also lasts for three muhūrtas. 63

When the afternoon is over, the next period is called the evening. In this manner, a day lasts for fifteen muhūrtas and consists of periods of three muhūrtas each. 64

But only at the equinox does the day actually last for fifteen muhūrtas. 65

The days grow longer or shorter according to the sun’s southern or northern passage, when the day swallows part of the night or the night swallows part of the day. 66

The equinoxes occur in mid-autumn and mid-spring, and, when the sun reaches Libra and Aries, then night and day are equal. 67

When the sun enters Cancer, it begins its southern passage. Its northern passage starts when it enters Capricorn. 68

As I said, thirty muhūrtas make one day and night. Fifteen days and nights are called a half-month, brahmin. 69

Two half-months make a month and two months make a season. There are three seasons during each passage or ayana and two passages a year. 70

There are five kinds of years, made up of four kinds of months. The aggregate of all these divisions of time is called a yuga or a cycle. 71

The first year is the saṃvatsara, the second is parivatsara, idvatsara is the third and the fourth is the anuvatsara, with vatsara as the fifth. These five make one cycle. 72

The mountain to the north of Śveta is known as Śṛṅgavant, so called as it has three peaks (śṛṅga): 73

A southern, a northern and a central one. The central peak is also called the equinoctial summit, because the sun reaches this point at the equinoxes in the middle of autumn and spring, when it first enters Aries and Libra, Maitreya. 74

At such times, the sun, dispeller of the darkness, makes day and night of equal length, both being fifteen muhūrtas. 75

When the sun is in the first segment of the lunar mansion of Kṛttikā, and the moon stands in the fourth segment of Viśākhā, sage, 76

Or when the sun is in the third segment of Viśākhā and the moon is at the head of Kṛttikā, 77

It’s known as the time of the auspicious equinox, when self-restrained individuals make offerings to the deities, 78

Brahmins and ancestors, for at this time, donations give rise to an opening to the gods. One fulfils one’s obligations by making offerings at the equinox and at the following times: 79

During the day, night, half-month, kalā, kāṣṭhā and kṣaṇa of the full moon, new moon, the day of its first appearance, the first day of the first quarter, the actual day of full moon and one day before that. 80

The sun’s northern passage occupies the months of Tapas, Tapasya, Madhu, Mādhava, Śukra and Śuci. Nabhas, Nabhasya, Iṣa, Ūrja, Sahas and Sahasya constitute its southern passage. 81

I’ve already told you about Mount Lokāloka, where the four guardians of the world, firm in their vows, reside: 82

Kardama’s two sons Sudhāman and Śaṅkhapād, brahmin, as well as Hiraṇyaroman, with Ketumant as the fourth. 83

Indifferent to extremes, free from pride, vigilant and unencumbered, these global guardians dwell on that mountain, facing the four directions. 84

The path of the ancestors

North of Canopus and south of Aries, beyond the path of Vaiśvānara, lies Pitṛyāna, the path of ancestral spirits. 85

There reside great sages who maintain the sacred fires and eulogise the Vedas that began the process of creation, intent upon their priestly duties. The path of sages who cause the creation of the world lies southward. 86

In every age, they reestablish Vedic tradition, which has been interrupted, with its lineages, austerities, social limits and oral teachings. 87

The sages of the east are born in residences of the west, and the sages of the west are born in eastern mansions. 88

Alternating in this way, they remain upon this path until the destruction of the world. Their path lies southward of the sun and will endure as long as the moon and stars. 89

The path of gods

North of Aries and Taurus, south of the Great Bear and north of the sun lies the path of gods. 90

There reside the chaste and stainless siddhas, who have no thought of progeny, and have therefore conquered death. 91

Eighty-eight thousand ascetics, retaining their semen, reside on the northern path of the sun until the world is destroyed. 92

Because they’re free of greed and have renounced all sexual union, and because they abjure the creation of life, which is characterised by love and hate, 93

And further, because they’re free from desire and misapprehension of sound and other sensations—for all these reasons, they’re purified and immortal. 94

This deathless state persists until the destruction of the world, and they’re said to be free from death while the threefold worlds endure. 95

The results of wicked acts like brahminicide, brahmin, and of auspicious ones like the Aśvamedha sacrifice, will endure until universal dissolution. 96

At such a time, Maitreya, all that lies between the Pole Star and the earth will be destroyed. 97

The realm of Viṣṇu

North of the Great Bear and extending as far as the Pole Star is the third division of the sky, Viṣṇu’s brilliant, heavenly realm. 98

This is the highest state for self-controlled ascetics who’ve washed away the stains of sin, brahmin, and for whom vice and virtue are no more. 99

When ideas of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ cease and the cause of further birth is gone—when they attain all this, they grieve no more; that’s Viṣṇu’s highest state. 100

Where Dharma, Dhruva and other witnesses of the world abide, blazing in their union with the majesty that imbues the god—that’s Viṣṇu’s highest state. 101

The warp and weft of all creation, of all moving and unmoving things and of all that will arise in future, Maitreya—that’s Viṣṇu’s highest state. 102

That which the wise regard as the great heavenly eye and that which appear as knowledge and discernment—that’s Viṣṇu’s highest state. 103

Brilliant Dhruva himself, serving as the axis of the heavens, is located there. All the heavenly luminaries depend on him, brahmin, as do water-yielding clouds. 104

Rain is born in them, and all creation, including deities and the other beings, great sage, are nourished and refreshed by rain. 105

The gods who consume the offerings are sustained by oblations of butter, and they send rain for the further sustenance of the world. 106

Such is the third portion of the sky, the pure abode of Viṣṇu, foundation of the threefold worlds and source of rain. 107

The origin of the Gaṅgā

Hence arises the river Gaṅgā, brahmin, which removes all sins and is itself suffused with lotions washed from the limbs of the deities’ wives. 108

Her torrents, which flow from the nail of the big toe of Viṣṇu’s lotus-like left foot, are devoutly borne by Dhruva on his head by day and night. 109

Downstream, the Seven Sages, intent on breath control, their matted locks swept along by her wreath-like waves, stand amid her waters. 110

The disk of the hare-marked moon, washed by her spreading currents, acquires still greater loveliness as her waters remove its stain. 111

Descending from the moon, she cascades upon Mount Meru’s summit, and, to purify the world, flows forth in four directions. 112

In the forms of Sītā, Alakanandā, Cakṣu and Bhadrā, she’s a fourfold stream in one, according to the path she takes. 113

Śiva kindly bore the southern branch of Alakanandā on his head for more than a hundred years. 114

Emerging from the deity’s mass of matted locks, she bathed the shattered bones of Sagara’s wicked sons and raised them up to heaven. 115

The sins of those who bathe in her are instantly expunged, and they taste good fortune as they never have before. 116

Ancestors, offered her waters by faithful sons, are nourished for three years, Maitreya—a feat of no mean achievement. 117

Worshipping Viṣṇu, lord of sacrifice and highest spirit, with great rituals on her banks, kings and brahmins reap supreme rewards in this world and the next. 118

Cleansed of sin by bathing in her waters, ascetics and those whose minds are set on Keśava reach ultimate extinction. 119

When heard, desired, seen or touched, imbibed or bathed in, or praised each day, she purifies all beings. 120

Those who summon her by name—‘Gaṅgā! Gaṅgā!’—even at a distance of a hundred leagues, are cleansed of all the deeds they’ve done in three previous lives. 121

The place whence Gaṅgā flows to purify the worlds is the third division of the sky, the supreme abode of Viṣṇu. 122

So ends Chapter Eight in Book Two of the glorious Viṣṇu Purāṇa.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

This chapter presents several unique challenges. Beautiful and fanciful imagery (four-sided Mount Meru, the daylight filling the ocean, and so on) is intermixed with verifiable astronomical observation, but even much of that is expressed in mythological terms. Some verses simply remain obscure.

[2]:

In a long footnote, Wilson states: ‘The contrivance is commonly compared to an oil mill, and was probably suggested by that machine as constructed in India’ (1961: 179, n.5). See also: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Oil_Mill_India.jpg.

Other Purana Concepts:

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Discover the significance of concepts within the article: ‘The movement of the sun; Time; The heavenly paths’. Further sources in the context of Purana might help you critically compare this page with similair documents:

Muhurta, Great sage, Lord Vishnu, Sacred fire, Cosmic egg, River Ganga, Eastern side, Ultimate extinction, Darkness and light, Vedic metre.