54 - Movements of Luminaries 

Sūta said: 

1. In order to comprehend the movements of the planets330 after observing the holy centres of the lord I shall mention the movements of luminaries within the Cosmic Egg succinctly. 

330. The system of stars, planets and constellations known as Simśhumira-chakra is conceived as rotating like the potter's wheel. In the vast space the stars are arranged like the body of an alligator. They move around Dhruva (i.e., the fixed centre). But it should be known that Dhruva is relatively fixed, for, in fact, it itself moves in the heavens. (Cf. Linga. 55. 10; Matsya 125.6) For detail, Matsya. Chs. 124-128. 

2-3. In the east of the Meru, the city of Mahendra is situated on the mountain Mānasa; in the south the city of the son of the sun (i.e., Yama); in the west is the city of Varuna and in the north the city of Soma (Moon). In all these directions, the deities of the quarters are stationed. They are the cities of Amarāvati, Samyamani, Shukha and Vibhã in order. 

4. Understand the movement of the sun when he has reached quarter over and above the guardians of the quarters in the course of his southern transit. 

5. In his southern transit the sun rushes on like an arrow that is shot. Taking the multitude of luminaries with him he revolves perpetually. 

6. O brahmins, when the lordly sun comes to the extremity of the city of Indra the sunrise is seen by all the people in Samyamani. 

7. At the same time in Shukhāvatî the sun is seen as at the close of the night. But in Vibhã, the lord, the eye of the universe, i.e., the Sun sets. 

8. It has been mentioned by me that just as he absorbs waters in Amarāvati so also, he the traverser of the firmament, after reaching Samyamani, Sukhā331 and Vibhā, absorbs waters.

331. Sukhā or Suşhā. It is the capital of Varuņa in the western direction and is the same as Sushå of the ancient Achemenian empire in Iran. 

9-11. When there is afternoon in Āgneyi (i.e., south-east), O brahmins, it is forenoon in the south-west. When it is terrible latter half of the night in the north-west, it is the earlier part of the night in the north-east. Similarly, when the sucker of waters (i.e., the sun) moves about in the middle of Pushkara332 the mountain to the north of Mānasa, he traverses a thirtieth part of the earth in a Muhurta (48 mts). Understand this number in yojanas travelled in a Muhurta. 

332. Pushkara or sky, atmospheric region. Cf. Vishva cited in ST, “Puşhkaram pankaje vyomni". 

12-17. The speed of the noble-souled sun per Muhurta is three million one hundred and fifty thousand yojanas. When the sun moves to the southern quarter with this speed from the north through the middle of Puşhkara during his northern transit and when he moves into the northern direction (from the south) through the Mānasa hill in the course of his southern transit, he, of great splendour, passes over one hundred and eighty mandalas (degrees of space). The northern and southern transits are called the exterior and interior (parts of the celestial sphere). The sun traverses through these (180) mandalas everyday (both ways). Just as the end of the potters' wheel whirls, more quickly (than its middle part), the lord (sun) traverses quickly in his southern transit.333 

333. The text here appears highly defective. Uttarayana or northern transit is the period from 22nd Dec to 21st June and Dakşhiņāyana or southern transit is from 22nd June to 21st Dec. During the former, the sun appears to travel from Chapricorn to Cancer (through Aquanus, Pisces etc.) and during the latter from Cancer to Capricorn. But as the earth revolves round all the signs of the Zodiac once a day, the sun is said to travel over these, every day. The word mandala is used in the peculiar sense of degree as no other meaning will suit the context. 

18-19 Hence he traverses a greater area in a short time. In the course of Dakşhiņāyana (southern transit) the sun traverses to the extent of thirteen and a half stars (i.e., star spaces) during the daytime in only twelve muhurtas, while during the nighttime of eighteen muhūrtas he covers as many stars as possible (star spaces).334

334. A star space is 360°27 or 13 1/9 13 1/2 Star space is thus equal to 180°. In other words, the whole consists of 360° which is the space of the 27 constellations Ašhvini etc. The sun is visible at any time only on half of the sphere (called day). Hence half of the sphere is 180° or 13 1/2-star spaces. The reference here is to that day when the daytime is shortest (i.e., 9 hours 36 minutes) and night longest (14 hours 24 minutes) which occurs in India in Kashmir. 

20. Just as the middle of the potter's wheel moves more slowly (than the end part) so also in the Uttarayana (northern transit) the sun moves slowly. 

21-25. Hence, he traverses a smaller area in the course of a longer time. That chariot of the sun is occupied by Adityas, sages, Gandharvas, Apsarases, Grāmaņis, Serpents, and Räkşhasas. The thousand-rayed sun emits his rays in front, behind, below and above. Thereby he illuminates the excellent assembly of Brahmā. During the sandhyās (dawn and dusk) the brahmins and sages offer water-libations. With these waters, the sun kills the demons as and when they come near him and then goes ahead. 

During the latter part of the uttarāyana the day extends to eighteen muhurtas, during which the sun moves slowly. He covers the extent of thirteen and a half stars during the night consisting of twelve muhurtas and as many stars during the day consisting of eighteen muhurtas. 

26. Just as the wheel whirls slowly at the nave, so also Dhruva whirls like the lump of clay in the middle. 

27-28. Those who know the ancient lore, say that thirty muhurtas constitute a day and a night during which the sun traverses the space in between the two limits (i.e., the solstitial points). Just as the nave of the wheel of the porter remains there alone (i.e., without moving) so also Auttanapada (i.e., Dhruva) rotates (without moving) as the leader of the luminaries along with the planets. 

29-33. The group of the sages and the luminaries moves in accordance with his will (inind). Presided over by him the sun, along with the wind, takes up water from everywhere. 

The son of Uttānapáda attained the state of Dhruva, thanks to the favour of Vişhnu. It was obtained by Auttanapada on account of his father. 

The waters drunk by the sun penetrate the moon gradually and from the moon they drip down to the clouds. On being tossed about by the wind, the cluster of clouds causes shower on the earth. The word bhāskara (sun) is derived as follows: - Bhāsayet tena bhāskarah- (He who illuminates is bhāskara). There is no destruction of water. The same water revolves. 

34-38. For the welfare of creatures, the waters have been evolved by lord Shiva as their ultimate resort. The waters alone constitute Bhū, Bhuvaḥ, Svah, anna (cooked rice) as well as nectar. The waters are the vital breaths of the worlds, the living beings, the worlds themselves. Or what avail is much talk? The world of mobile and immobile beings is constituted by the waters. 

Lord Shiva is the overlord of the waters. He is glorified as such. The universe is identical with him. What is there to wonder at in this? The designation Närayana was acquired by Vishņu by the grace of the waters. Vişhnu is the abode of worlds, and the waters constitute his abode. When the mobile and immobile beings are being burned by the fire and tossed up as smoke by the wind, the vapours that go up urged by the wind form the clouds. 

39-40. Hence the mixture of smoke, fire and wind is called cloud. The word abhra (cloud) is derived as follows: "that which showers water." The lord of the clouds is the thousand-eyed Indra. The cloud originating from sacrificial smoke is conducive to the welfare of the twice born. The cloud originating from the smoke of thc forest fires, is conducive to the welfare of the forests. 

41. O brahmins, the cloud originating from the smoke of the dead bodies brings about evil. The cloud originating from the sinoke of the fire during magic rites brings about the destruction of living beings. 

42. Thus there is weal or woe unto the words due to different kinds of smokes. Hence à man shall Stufle the smoke arising from the black magic rites. 

43. If a brahmin were to perform black magic rites without covering up the smoke thereof, he will wantonly become the cause of destruction of the world. 

44. O men of holy rites, the clouds that are receptables of waters shower waters at the behest of the wind for six months for the welfare of the worlds. 

45. The thunder pertains to the world: the lightning arises from file. O leading sages, the origin of snow from those clouds is in three ways. 

46-48. The word abhra is derived; thus, - na bhashyanti yatah since they do not become destroyed. 

The word megha is derived as meghanat meghah. It is called Megha because it makes waters. 

The clouds are of different kinds, viz., Kashthāvahas, Vairineyas and Pakshas. 

When kaşhthas (sacrificial wigs) soaked in ghee come into contact with fire, smoke is generated (and this smoke forms the clouds). The origin of the second type of clouds is from the (exhaled breath of Brahma. The origin of the third type of clouds is from the wings of mountains chopped off by Indra. 

The clouds arising from fires are auspicious and their place of resort is Āvaha (a particular region of wind). 

49-53a. All those clouds arising from the breath of Brahma are in the layer of the wind Pravaha, while the clouds originating from Paksha (wings) 335 --Pushkara and others -shower water. They are respectively silent, noisy and destructive336. The different clouds behave differently-Some rain in showers; some have cool winds blowing for a long time, some are en liveners; some are weak being devoid of lightning and thunder. Some stay here and there in the sky within a krośha (3 kms) from the surface of the earth. All the clouds clinging to the mountains are within half a krośha. The clouds (called) meghas stay within a yojana from the surface of the earth. They shower much water on the earth because it is possible for them to do so. They are equipped with lightning. 

335. Puşhkarádyāḥ: Puşhkara, Avarta, etc. cotnprise a class of clouds that rain in torrents at the dissolution of the world. 

336. duşhtãśháh-duşhtā āśhā yeşhām, pralayakarāh ST. of wicked intention since they cause destruction of the world. 

53b-56. Their way of making downpours of three types has thus been narrated to you. The clouds of the Pakşhaja type originate from the clipped wings of the mountains. They are called kalpajas (born in the kalpas). These autumnal clouds shower at night towards the close of the kalpa bringing about destruction. 

When the Pakşhaja, Puşhkara and other clouds shower water, everything becomes a vast sea of water. During the night, the lord lies down there. 

O leading brahmins, the smoke of the clouds arising from fire, from the exhaled breath and from the clipped wings, is refreshingly enlivening. 

57. The showers of the clouds Pauņdras, (i.e., those falling in the land of Pundra) are accompanied by lightning, are cool and hence conducive to plant (growth). They are ice-cool and look like the spray of waters from elephants' trunks. 

58. The clouds called Gängas originate from the waters of Gangă. Through the wind in the Parāvaha region these agitate the mountains, rivers and elephants of the quarters. 

59. The water separated from the clouds goes from one mountain to another. The wind Paravaha takes the cloud to the Himavat mountain. 

60. O brahmins, the remaining shower after crossing the Himavat approaches the sub-continent Bhărata in order to make the other side flourish. 

61. The showers have been recounted now. They are of two types being conducive to the increase of two types of vegetation. I shall mention them briefly according to my knowledge. 

62. The sun of great splendour, the lord with the eye of the universe is the creator of rains. O excellent brahmins, he is the great Ishāna, Shiva himself. 

63-64. He alone is the splendour, power and strength, O brahmins. He is fame himself. He is the eye, ear, mind, Mrutyu, soul, Manyu, the quarters and the interstices, truth, order, discipline, wind, firmament, planets, the guardians of the quarters, Vişhnu, Brahmä, Rudra and Maheśhvara himself. 

65-68. This glorious thousand-rayed deity lord Shiva is very auspicious. He has eight hands, a body semi-female and three eyes. He is the overlord of Devas. O brahmins, it is due to his favour alone that rain of various kinds occurs. The sun takes up water by his rays in order to give it back thousandfold. There is neither increase nor decrease of water, if we consider it duly. The wind presided over by Dhruva withdraws the rain. It falls off the planet Sun and spreads through the sphere of the stars. At the close of the movement, it re-enters the sun and is presided over by Dhruva.