॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
Monday, 19 December 2022 V.22 - The Sun's glory and his trajectory to illumine our lives.
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King Parikshit asks how the sun moves in a Pradakshina direction with regard to Meru and Apradaikshina in respect of planets and stars, is this not contradictory?
Sage Shuka explains that what we observe is that all the constellations and planets have their respective movements and the sun's movement need not be synchronised. He gives the analogy of the spinning potter wheel and how ants and such moving on the wheel could very well appear to be moving in the opposite direction.
"Similarly, the signs and constellations, with Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on their right, move with the wheel of time, and the antlike sun and other planets move with them. The sun and planets, however, are seen in different signs and constellations at different times. This indicates that their motion is different from that of the zodiac and the wheel of time itself."
स एष भगवानादिपुरुष एव साक्षान्नारायणो लोकानां स्वस्तय आत्मानं त्रयीमयं कर्मविशुद्धिनिमित्तं कविभिरपि च वेदेन विजिज्ञास्यमानो द्वादशधा विभज्य षट्सु वसन्तादिष्वृतुषु यथोपजोषमृतुगुणान् विदधाति ॥
T: It was Bhagavan Narayana alone who manifested as the sun, in response to ardent prayers of the great sages, to benefit all the planets and purify fruitive activities. He divided Himself into twelve parts and created seasonal forms, beginning with spring. In this way, He created the seasons' qualities, such as heat, cold and so on. All four Varnas and Ashramas worship Narayana in the sun with great faith, observing their respective rituals such as agnihotra and similar higher and lower fruitive acts, according to the process of Yoga. In this way, they very easily attain the ultimate goal of life.
Sage Shuka goes on to explain the 12 months, six seasons, 30 day-months, the movement of the moon in the various star constellations in a lunar month, the bright and the dark halves of the lunar month and so on.
"In this way, the moon passes through each constellation of stars in thirty muhurtas [an entire day]. The moon is the source of nectarean coolness that influences the growth of food grains, and therefore the moon is considered the life of all living entities. He is consequently called Jiva, the chief living being within the universe."
"The moon is the predominating deity of everyone’s mind, called Manomaya. He is also called Annamaya because he gives potency to all herbs and plants, and he is called Amritamaya because he is the source of life for all living entities. Everyone is satisfied by the presence of the moon. Therefore the moon is also called Sarvamaya [all-pervading]".
Shuka also describes Budha, Shukra, Mangala and Brihaspati/Guru and their movements. He mentions Shani too. There is a reference to their positive and negative effects on people's lives.
"Situated above Saturn are the seven saintly sages, who are always thinking of the well-being of the inhabitants of the universe. These Sapta Rishis circumambulate the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, also known as Dhruvaloka, the polestar."
