॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Sunday, 18 December 2022 V.21 - The Sun's glory and his trajectory to illumine our lives.
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Sage Shuka says that what he has described as the universe is 4 billion miles big. He then describes the movements of the sun in Antariksha or what we call outer space.
यन्मध्यगतो भगवांस्तपतपतिस्तपन आतपेन त्रिलोकीं प्रतपत्यवभासयत्यात्मभासा स एष उदगयनदक्षिणायनवैषुवतसंज्ञाभिर्मान्द्यशैघ्य्रसमानाभिर्गतिभिरारोहणावरोहणसमानस्थानेषु यथासवनमभिपद्यमानो मकरादिषु राशिष्वहोरात्राणि दीर्घह्रस्वसमानानि विधत्ते ॥
T: The Lord of all the luminous and heat-giving life-giving objects is the Sun, moving in all majesty in Anatariksha. He illumines the three worlds and gives whatever light others like the planets and the moon send to us.
While passing toward the north, toward the south or through the equator, in accordance with the order of Bhagavan, Sun is said to move slowly, swiftly or moderately. According to his movements in rising above, going beneath or passing through the equator — and correspondingly coming in touch with various signs of the zodiac, headed by Makara [Capricorn] — days and nights are short, long or equal to one another.
What follows is a description of the planetary transitions in the northern journey called Uttarayana for the six months when the Sun is above the equator, and the southern journey called Dakshinayana for the six months when the Sun is below the equator. The detailed zodiac signs listed show our ancients' understanding of astronomy very well.
यस्यैकं चक्रं द्वादशारं षण्नेमि त्रिणाभि संवत्सरात्मकं समामनन्ति तस्याक्षो मेरोर्मूर्धनि कृतो मानसोत्तरे कृतेतरभागो यत्र प्रोतं रविरथचक्रं तैलयन्त्रचक्रवद् भ्रमन्मानसोत्तरगिरौ परिभ्रमति ॥
T: The chariot of the Sun has only one wheel, which is known as Samvatsara. The twelve months are calculated to be its twelve spokes, the six seasons are the sections of its rim, and the three chatur-masya periods are its three-sectioned hub. One side of the axle carrying the wheel rests upon the summit of Mount Sumeru, and the other rests upon Manasottara Mountain. Affixed to the outer end of the axle, the wheel continuously rotates on Manasottara Mountain like the wheel of an oil-pressing machine.
The various gods, celestials, and humans offer their prayers to the Sun round the year.
