58 - Description of the planets 

Hari said: 

1. I shall now expound the measurements and situation of the Sun and other planets. The chariot of the sun is nine thousand yojanas in length. 

2-3. O Vrushabhadhvaja (Shiva), its shaft is twice that much long. The axle of the wheel is one and a half crores and seven million yojanas long. The wheel is fitted to it. It has three central joints (Nabhi), five spokes (Ara) and six nemis (encircling rims). 

4. All these constitute one year (when the wheel takes one round). The second axle of the sun is forty thousand yojanas long. 

5. The five other axles are sixty thousand yojanas long, each. The length of the axle is in proportion to that of the two ends of the yoke. 

6. The short axle is fixed to the pole of the circular wheel along with the end of the yoke. The second axle is fixed in the Manasa mountain. 

7. The seven horses of the Sun are the seven metres (chandas) Gayatri, Bruhati1 Ushnik2, Jagati3, Trishtup4, Anushtup5 and Pankti.6 

1. A metre with nine syllables in a quarter.

 2. A metre with twentyeight syllables (total).

3. A metre with twelve syllables in a quarter.

            4. A metre with eleven syllables in a quarter.

 5. A metre with eight syllables in a quarter.

6. A metre with five syllables in a quarter. 

8. In the month of Chaitra Dhata, (Aditya) Kratusthala, (Apsaras) Pulastya (Rushi) Vasuki (Serpent), Rathakrut (Yaksha), Gramani, Heti (Rakshasagana) and Tumburu (Gandharva) reside in the solar zone. 

9. In the month of Madhava (Vaishakha), Aryaman (Sun) Pulaha (Rushi), Rathanjas (Yakşha), Punjikasthala (Apsaras), Praheti (Rakshasagana) Kacchantra (Serpent) and Narada (Gandharva) (reside in the solar zone). 

10. In the month of Jyeshtha, Mitra (Sun), Atri (Sage), Takşhaka (Serpent), Paurusheya (Rakshasagaña) Menaka (Apsaras), Haha (Gandharva) an Rathasvana (Yaksha) reside in the chariot of the sun. 

11. In the month of Ashadha Varuna (Sun), Vasishtha (Sage) Rambha Sahajanya(Apsaras), Kuhu (Gandharva), Budha (Bhaskara), Rathachitra (Yaksha) and Shukra (Rakshasagana) reside in the solar zone. 

12. In the month of Shravana, Indra (Sun), Vishvavasu (Gandharva), Srota (Yaksha), Elapatra (Bhaskara), Angiras (Sage) Pramlocă (Apsaras) and the serpents reside in the solar zone. 

13. In the month of Bhadrapada, Vivasván (Sun), Ugrasena (Gandharva), Bhrugu (Sage), Apurana (Yaksha), Anumloca (Apsaras), Shankhapala (Serpent) and Vyaghra (Rakshasagaña) reside in the solar Zone. 

14. In the month of Ashvayuj (Ashvina), Puşhan (Sun), Suruchi (Gandharva), Dhätri (Rakshasagana), Gautama (Sage), Dhananjaya (Serpent), Sushena (Yaksha), and Ghrutāchi (Apsaras) reside in the sun. 

15. In the month of Kärttika, Vishvävasu, (Gandharva), Bharadvaja (Sage), Parjanya (Sun), Airāvata (Serpent), Vishvāchi (Apsaras), Senäji (Yaksha) and Apah (Rakshasagana) are rightful residents of the solar zone.

 16. The rightful possessors of the Märgashirsha month are Amshu (Sun), Kashyapa (Sage), Tarkshya (Yaksha), Mahapadma (Serpent), Urvashi, (Apsaras) Chitrasena (Gandharva) and Vidyut (Rakshasagana). 

17. In the month of Pausha Kratu (Sage), Bharga (Sun), Urnayu (Gandharva), Sphurja (Rakshasagana), Karkotaka (Serpent), Arishtanemi (Yaksha) and the excellent celestial damsel Purvachitti (Apsaras) these seven, reside in the solar zone. 

18. In the month of Magha Tvastr (Sun), Jamadagni (Sage), Kambala (Serpent), Tilottamā, (Apsaras), Brahmäpeta (Rakshasagana), Rutajit (Yaksha) and Dhrutarashtra (Gandharva)—these seven reside in the solar zone. 

19. In the month of Phålguna, Vishnu (Sun), Ashvatara (Serpent), Rambha (Apsaras), Saryavarchas (Gandharva), Satyajit (Yaksa), Vishvāmitra (Sage) and Yajñapéta (Rakshasagana) reside in the solar zone. 

20. O Brahman, in the solar zone the sages (mentioned above), whose power has been enhanced by Vişhnu's Shakti, pray to the sun. The Gandharvas sing songs in front. 

21. The celestial damsels dance. The demons walk behind the Sun. The serpents bear the yoke. The Yakshas catch hold of the reins. 

22. The Valakhilyas1 sit surrounding him. The chariot of the Moon has three wheels. His horses are as white as the Kunda flower. 

1. They are said to be pigmy in size and 60,000 in number. According to the legends they were born from the hair of Prajapati or from Sumati, the wife of Kratu. They move with the Sun.

23. Five horses are yoked to the left and five to the right. The Moon moves about by this. The chariot of the son of the Moon (Budha-Mercury) is evolved out of the substances wind and fire. 

24-25. He has eight tawny-coloured horses as fast as the wind. Shukra's great chariot has the fender and bottom pole. It is yoked with horses born of earth. It is adorned with banners. The chariot of the son of earth (Mars) is like heated gold in colour. 

26. It has eight horses. It is huge in size. 

27-29. The horses are crimson-coloured like Padmaräga gem. They are evolved out of fire. Bruhaspati (Jupiter) stays in each Zodiac for a year. His gold-coloured chariot is fitted with eight grey horses. Saturn moves very slowly seated on a chariot fitted with horses of variegated colours evolved out of the ether. The horses of Rahu are eight. They are bee coloured. The chariot is grey-coloured. 

30. They are yoked only once and they move constantly, O Shiva. The horses fitted to the chariot of Ketu are eight in number. They are as fast as the wind. 

31. Some are smoke-coloured, some straw-coloured, and some as crimson as the lac-juice. The islands, rivers, mountains and the ocean, nay the whole universe (consisting of many worlds) is the body of Lord Vishņu.