Chapter 12 - The moon and planets

Parāśara:

The three-wheeled carriage of the moon is drawn by horses, ten in number, white as jasmine, harnessed left and right. 1

With that swift carriage, it traverses lunar mansions on the way, ruled by Dhruva, when the reins are loosed or drawn back, just like the sun. 2

As with the horses of the sun, the moon’s own steeds, born of water, are harnessed together and draw its chariot for an aeon, best of sages. 3

When the moon, drunk up by gods, has been reduced to just one sliver, the blazing sun replenishes it with a ray, Maitreya. 4

The deities reduce the moon, who makes the night, by stages as it wanes, but the water-stealing sun restores it day by day. 5

The deities drink nectar, which gathers while it waxes, Maitreya, and with this nectar as their sustenance, they, too, become immortal. 6

All thirty-six thousand, three hundred and thirty-three gods drink from the night-making moon. 7

When two slivers alone remain, the moon draws near the sun and abides (vasati) in a ray of light called Amā, hence this phase is known as Amāvāsyā. 8

During that day and night, the moon first enters the waters and, after dwelling among the plants, draws closer to the sun. 9

One who cuts a plant while the moon is in that state, or causes a single leaf to fall, is guilty of brahminicide. 10

When just one-fifteenth of the moon remains, a host of ancestors attend it in the afternoon. 11

And from this moon of two mere slivers, sage, they drink the auspicious nectar of immortality until just one remains. 12

Having drunk the finest nectar shed by the moon’s own rays at the phase of Amāvāsyā, the ancestors—these Saumyas, Barhiṣads and Agniṣvāttas—are sustained all month and are satisfied. 13

Thus, the waxing moon sustains the gods and, when it wanes, it succours ancestors and plants with cooling drops of nectar. 14

By bringing forth both plants and herbs, the cool-rayed moon quickens man and beast and creeping things, refreshing them with light. 15

The planets and stars

The chariot of Mercury, the moon’s own son, composed of wind and fire, is drawn by eight bay horses, swift as wind itself. 16

The great chariot of pure Venus, with fender, floor, bench and banner, is drawn by horses born of earth. 17

Eight golden horses, ruby-red and fire-born, draw the chariot of Mars, glorious and huge. 18

Jupiter rides throughout the year from one star sign to another in a chariot made of gold, drawn by eight steeds, swift and white. 19

Sluggish Saturn moves at leisure on a chariot yoked to dappled horses born of air. 20

Eight steeds, black as bees and hitched together, draw the dusky carriage of Svarbhānu, demon of eclipses; they never rest, Maitreya. 21

At times, this demon, also known as Rāhu, leaves the sun to hide the moon, then from the moon he blocks the sun again to bring eclipses. 22

Likewise, the carriage of the shadow-planet Ketu is drawn by horses, eight in number, swift as wind and dark as the smoke of burning straw, or red as cochineal. 23

I’ve described to you the chariots of nine planets, lucky sage, all bound to Dhruva by bonds of air. 24

The planets, mansions and constellations, all tied to Dhruva, circle in their proper orbits, restricted by these ties, Maitreya. 25

For every star, there is a bond and, as they move, the Pole Star rotates with them. 26

Just as workers pressing oil turn the wheel by pacing round it, similarly, the stars revolve, all bound with aerial bonds. 27

The stars turn like a disk of fire driven by a wheel of wind. Because it carries (vahati) the stars, this force is called Pravaha. 28

The constellation where Dhruva stands is Śiśumāra, as I mentioned. Now I’ll tell you, best of sages, about its stars as well. 29

If you see it in the evening, you’re freed from misdeeds done by day. As many stars are seen in Śiśumāra in the heavens, that’s how many years you’ll live, or maybe more. 30

Uttānapāda is thought to be its upper jaw, the lower one is Yajña, while Dharma is standing at its head. 31

At its heart sits Nārāyaṇa, the Aśvins are its two front feet, with Varuṇa and Āryaman behind them. 32

Saṃvatsara is at Śiśumāra’s penis, with Mitra at its anus. 33

At its tail are Agni, Mahendra, Kaśyapa and Dhruva—Śiśumāra’s quartet of stars, which never set. 34

The universal nature of Viṣṇu

I’ve described the nature of the earth, the planets, continents, seas and mountains, 35

And lands and rivers, as well as those who dwell there. Now listen while I summarise all this once more. 36

From the waters, Viṣṇu’s body, arose the world in lotus form, brahmin, replete with seas and ranges. 37

The stars are Viṣṇu, as are the worlds, the forests, lands and mountains, as are streams and oceans. He is all that is and all that isn’t, best of brahmins. 38

Because the lord is knowledge, and is all forms but has no substance, understand that distinctive forms of mountains, oceans, earth and so on give rise to a misconception. 39

When knowledge is pure, natural, complete, independent of action and free from faults, then the distinction between manifold substances, which are the fruits of the tree of longing, is no more. 40

What is substance? Where is an entity without beginning, middle or end, and eternally uniform? Where is the reality of that which proceeds again to a state of otherness and doesn’t stay the same, brahmin? 41

Clay is shaped into a pot; the pot is broken into pieces; the pieces ground to dust; the dust reduced to atoms. This is clearly seen by folk whose notions are informed by personal experience. But tell me, what is substance? 42

Therefore, except for truest knowledge, there is never anything anywhere, brahmin, that arises from such substances. This knowledge is uniform but appears manifold to those who perceive it as differentiated, as the result of the varied nature of their own actions. 43

Knowledge is pure, unblemished, painless, free from the influence of greed and other faults. It’s uniform, ever one, supreme, the highest lord. It’s Vāsudeva, other than whom no thing exists. 44

I’ve explained this verity to you: this knowledge is truth, all else is false and I’ve spoken of the mundane aspects of the world. 45

I’ve shown the sacrifice to you, the beasts, the fire, the ministrants, the soma, sacrificial liquor and the wish for heaven—all these and other aspects related to the rites—and all the worlds and pleasures that arise therefrom. 46

Driven by one’s actions, a being moves alone among the worlds that I’ve described to you. Knowing Vāsudeva to be firm, unmoving and unchanging, one may still do his duty and, doing so, may enter the divine. 47

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