Reading section 13

When the sun goes to Pushkara Dwipa, a thirtieth part of the circumference of the globe, his course is equal in time to one Muhurtta; and whirling round like the circumference of the wheel of a potter he alternately spreads day and night on the surface of the earth. At the beginning of his northern course the sun passes to Capricornus, thence to Aquarias, thence to Pisces, successively passing from one sign of the Zodiac to another. After he has gone through them the sun gets at the vernal equinox when he makes the day and night of equal duration. From then the length of the night decreases and the day grows longer until the sun reaches the end of Gemini when he follows a different course and entering Cancer begins his declension to the south. The sun moves quickly on his southern course like the circumference of a potter's wheel revolving respectively. He glides along his course with the velocity of the wind and traverses a great distance in a short time. In twelve Muhurttas it goes through thirteen lunar asterisms and a half during the day, and during the night, it goes through the same distance only in eighteen Muhurttas. As the centre of the potter's wheel revolves more slowly than the circumference so the sun in his northern course revolves with less rapidity and passes over a less space of the earth in a longer time, until at the end of his northern route the day is again eighteen Muhurttas long and the night twelve the sun passing through them by day and night respectively in those periods. As the lump of the clay on the centre of the potter's wheel revolves most slowly, so the polar star, which is the centre of the Zodiacal wheel, moves very slowly and always remains in the centre like the clay. The relative length of the day or night is dependant upon the greater or less motion with which the sun revolves through the degrees between the two points of horizon. During the midday when his diurnal course is quickest his nocturnal is slowest and when he moves quickly by night he moves slowly by day. The length of his journey in both the cases is the same; for during the day and night he travels through all the signs of the Zodiac or six by night and six by day. The length and shortness of the day are measured by the extent of the signs; and the duration of day and night is measured by the period which the sun takes to pass through them. When he declines towards the north the sun moves quickest by night and slowest by day and when he declines towards the south the case is thoroughly the reverse.

The night is called Ushā and the day is called Vyushta and the intervening time between them is called Sandhyā. When the dreadful Sandhya sets in, the awful Rākshasas named Mandehas attempt to devour the sun. O Maitreya, the Patriarch Brahmā imprecated this curse upon them that they should perish by day and revive at other times. For this reason a fierce contest takes place daily between them and the sun. At this time, O great Muni, the pious Brahmins scatter water purified by the mystical Omkāra and consecrated by the Gayatri[239] and by means of this water as by a thunder-bolt the dreadful Rākshasas are destroyed. While during the course of morning rites the first oblation is offered with solemn invocations, the sun, having thousand rays, appears with unclouded splendour. Omkāra is the glorious Vishnu, the essence of the three Vedas, the lord of speech; and by its mention the Rākshasas are slain. The sun is a principal portion of Vishnu and light is his immutable essence, the manifestation of which is made by the mystic syllable Om. Light, spread by the utterance of Omkāra, becomes radiant and burns up completely the Rākshasas denominated as Mandebas. Therefore one should not be dilatory in the performance of Sandhyā sacrifice; for he, who neglects it, is guilty of the murder of the sun. Being thus protected by the Brahmanas called Bālakhilyas the sun proceeds to protect the world.

Fifteen Nimeshas (twinkling of the eye) make a Kāshthā; thirty Kāshthās make one Kalā; thirty Kalās a Muhurtta and thirty Muhurttas a day and night; the divisions of the day become longer or shorter in the way explained before. But as regards increase or decrease Sandhyā is always the same for it is only one Muhurtta. From the time when half of the sun's orb is visible to the expiration of three Muhurttas the interval is called Prātar (morning) forming a fifth portion of the day. The next portion or three Muhurttas from morning is called Sangava (forenoon); the three next Muhurttas make the midday; the three next Muhurttas constitute the afternoon; the three next Muhurttas make the evening; and thus the fifteen Muhurttas of the day are divided into five portions of three each. But the day comprises fifteen Muhurttas only at the Equinoxes and increases and diminishes in number as the sun declines towards the north or the south, when the day encroaches upon the night and the night upon the day. The equinoxes take place during the spring and autumn when the sun enters the signs of Aries and Libra. When the sun enters Capricorn his progress towards the north begins and when he enters Cancer his progress towards the south commences. Fifteen days of thirty Muharttas each are called a Paksha (fortnight); two fortnights make one month and two months a solar season and three seasons make one Ayana (a northern or southern declination) and two Ayanas make one year. Years are made up of four kinds of months[240] and five years make one Yuga or cycle. The years are respectively called Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara. This is the time called a Yuga.

The mountain that is situate in the north of Bhāratvarsa is called Sringavān for its having three principal horns or peaks, one to the north, one to the south and one in the centre. The last is called equinoctial for the sun goes there in the middle of the two seasons of spring and autumn, arriving at the equinoctical points in the first degrees of Aries and Libra and making day and night of equal duration of fifteen Muhurttas each. When the sun is in the first degree of Kirtikā and the moon in the fourth of Visakhā or when the sun is in the third degree of Visakhā and the moon is in the head of Kirtikā that equinoctial season is holy and is called the Mahāvishubha. At this time devout persons should make offering to the celestials and the manes and gifts to the Brahmans, for such gifts produce happiness. Liberality at the equinoxes is always fruitful to the donor, and day and night seconds, minutes and hours, intercalary months, the day at full moon (Paurnamāsi); the day of conjunction, when the moon rises invisible, the day when it is first seen, the day when it first disappears, the day when the moon is quite round and the day when one digit is deficient are the seasons when gifts prove meritorious.

The sun declines towards the north in the months of Tapas, Tapasya, Madhu, Mādhava, Sukra and Suchi and declines towards the south in the months of Nabhas, Nabhashya, Isha; Urja, Sahas, Sahasya.

There live four devout protectors of the world on the mount Lokāloka of which I had mentioned to you formerly. These are severally named Sudhāman, Sankhapād—the two sons of Kardama, Hiranyaroman and Ketumat. These four protectors of the world live around the mountain Lokāloka. They are devoid of malice, haughtiness, are active and have not taken to wives.

On the north of Agastya, and south of Ajabithi (the line of the Goat) and outside the Vaiswānarapath is situate the road of the Pitris. There live the great Rishis who offer oblations to the fire. They read those portions of the Vedas which contain injunctions for the multiplication of the progeny. They perform the duties of ministrant priests and at the end of yugas they make new rules of conduct and re-establish the interrupted ritual of the Vedas. And after their death they proceed by the southern course. Mutually descending from each other in successive births, progenitor coming from descendant and descendant from progenitor, they repeatedly appear in different houses and races along with their prosterity, austere practices and established rites, residing to the south of the solar orb as long as the moon and stars endure.

The path of the celestials is situate on the north of the solar sphere of the Nāgavithi and south of the seven Rishis. There reside the Siddhas of subdued senses, continent and pure, not desirous of having offspring and consequently victorious over death. Eighty-eight thousand of these continent ascetics live in the regions north of the Sun till the time of dissolution. They are freed from covetousness and concupiscence, love and hatred and are not engaged in the work of procreation. They always detect the deficiency of the properties of elementary matter and being freed from these desires they do not meet with any obstacle in the way of asceticism. For these reasons they are highly pure and have attained to immortality. By immortality is meant existence to the end of the Kalpa: living as long as three regions exist is exemption from death. The consequences of the acts of impiety or piety such as Brahmanicide and Aswamedha last until the end of a Kalpa when all within the interval between Dhruva and the earth is destroyed. The region between the seven Rishis and Dhruva, the third region of the sky is the excellent celestial path of Vishnu and is the splendid abode, O twice-borne one, of the ascetics, who have controlled their senses and are freed from sins and in whom virtue and vice are annihilated. Those in whom virtue and vice are annihilated and who are freed from the consequences of piety or iniquity go to this excellent place of Vishnu where they never suffer sorrow. There live Dharma, Dhruva and other spectators of the world radiant with the superhuman faculties of Vishnu obtained by virtue, of religious meditation. With this excellent place of Vishnu, O Maitreya, are interwoven all that is and all that ever shall be, animate or inanimate. The seat of Vishnu is being meditated upon by the wisdom of Yogis at one with supreme light as the radiant eye of heaven. In this portion the splendid Dhruva is stationed as the pivot of atmosphere. On Dhruva are placed the seven great planets and on them depend the clouds. O great Muni, from clouds, proceed the rains; from them the water which is the nutriment and delight of all the celestials and the rest. The celestials who receive oblations, being pleased by burnt offerings, cause the rain to fall for the support of created beings. This holy seat of Vishnu is the stay of the three worlds as it is the source of the rain.

From this region, O Brahman, proceeds the river Ganges, that removes ail sins, embrowned with the unguents of the nymphs of heaven. She issues from the nail of the great toe of Vishnu's left foot.

Dhruva, with devotion, holds her on his crown day and night. And thence the seven Rishis practise their devout austerities in her water wreathing their braided locks with her waves. The orb of the moon, surrounded by her accumulated current, increased in lustre by her contact. Having issued from the moon she falls on the mount Sumeru and thence to purify the world, flows to the four quarters of the earth. Sitā, Alakanandā, Chakshu and Bhadrā are only the four divisions of one river and are named so after the regions towards which it proceeds. Alakanandā, which flows towards the south, was borne delightedly on his head by Mahādeva for more than a hundred years. And having issued from the braided locks of Sambhu and washed the sins of the sinful sons of Sagara it raised them to heaven. O Maitreya, the iniquities of any man, who bathes in this river, are instantly removed and they obtain unprecedented virtue. And its water, if offered reverentially for three years by the sons to their manes, gives them rare gratification. Having worshipped the excellent Purusha, the lord of sacrifices, with sacrifices in this river, many, born in the race of twice-born ones, obtain whatever they desire either here or in heaven. Saints, who are purified by bathing in the waters of this river, and whose minds are devoted to Kesava, obtain final liberation. The sacred river, when heard of, desired, seen, touched, bathed in, or hymned, day by day purifies all beings. And those who living even at a distance of hundred yojanas exclaim "Gangā and Gangā" are relieved of the sins committed during the three previous existences. The place from which this river has issued for the purification of the three Worlds, is the third division of the celestial region—the seat of Vishnu.

SECTION IX.

Parāçara said:—The form of the glorious Hari containing the constellations, in the shape of a porpoise in the tail of which is attached Dhruva, is seen in heaven. As Dhruva revolves, it makes the moon, the sun and stars to revolve also, and all the planets follow in its circular path; for the sun, moon and all the luminaries are in sooth tied to the polar star by aerial cords. The porpoise figure of the celestial sphere, which has been described by me to you, is upheld by Nārāyana, who himself, the source of all radiance, is seated in its heart. And having worshipped the lord of people, Dhruva, the son of Uttānpāda shines in the tail of the steller porpoise. Janārddana, the lord of all, is the supporter of this porpoise-shaped sphere—and this sphere is the supporter of Dhruva; and by Dhruva the sun is upheld. O Brahman, I shall describe how this earth is upheld by the sun; do thou listen to it attentively.

During eight months of the year the sun attracts the waters of the earth, and during the remaining four months he pours them upon the earth: from rain grows corn and by corn the whole world is upheld. The sun absorbs the moisture of the earth by means of his scorching rays and nourishes the moon thereby. And the moon through tubes of air distributes them to the clouds which are made of smoke, fire and wind. The clouds are called Abhras because their contents are not dispersed. The waters in the clouds, being driven by the wind, and freed from impurities by the sweetening process of the time, descend (upon earth), O Maitreya. The glorious sun, O Maitreya, exhales moisture from four sources, namely—seas, rivers, the earth and the living creatures. He immediately pours down on earth, without turning it into cloud, the water that he absorbs from Gangā of the skies, and people who are touched by this water are freed from all iniquities and are not constrained to see hell. This is called celestial ablution. When the sun comes in view and the water comes down from the sky without cloud then the waters of the Gangā in the skies are sprinkled by the rays of the sun. And the water that falls from the sky when the sun is in the mansion of Kirtikā and the other asterisms counted by odd numbers, the water of the Gangā is scattered by the elephants of the spheres. The water, that falls from the bright and cloudless sky when the sun is in the mansion of Rohini and other even asterisms, is distributed by his own beams. O twice-born one, both the waters are holy and they wash away the sins of the people: it is the water of the Gangā in the skies and is termed celestial ablution.

The water that the clouds distribute upon earth is in fact the ambrosia of living beings, for it sustains the plants which are the support of their existence. By this water all vegetables grow and are matured and become the means of bringing about the well being of mankind, seen and unseen. Those men, who have got holy scriptures as their eyes, perform sacrifices with them and give gratification to the celestials. In this wise all sacrifices, all celestials, Brāhmanas and other castes, all infernal creatures, all animals and the whole world are supported by the rains which produce food. O great Muni, this rain, which is the source of manifold blessings, proceeds from the sun. And the sun, O foremost of Munis, is upheld by Dhruva, which is again supported by the porpoise-shaped sphere which is at one with Nārāyana; for the ever-existing glorious Nārāyana, the supporter of the universe and the primary deity, is seated in the heart of the porpoise-shaped steller sphere.

SECTION X.

Parāçara said:—Between the extreme northern and southern points the sun has to travel in a year one hundred and eighty degrees, ascending and descending. His car is guided by divine Adityas, Rishis, Gandharvas, Apsarās, Yakshas, serpents, and Rākshasas. The Aditya Dhatri, the sage Pulastya, the Gandharva Tumburu, the nymph Kratusthalā, the Yaksha Rathakrit, the serpent Vāsuki and the Rākshasas Heti, live in the sun's car as its seven guardians, in the month of Madhu or Chaitra. In the month of Vaisākha or Mādhava the seven are Aryamat, Pulaha, Nāreda, Punjikāsthali Rathaujas, Kachanira and Praheti. In the month of Suchi or Jaistha they are Mitra, Atri, Hāhā Menā, Rathaswana, Takshaka, and Paurusheya. In the month of Sukra or Ashādha they are Varuna, Vasishtha, Huhu, Sahajanyā, Rathachitra, Nāga and Budha. In the month of Nabhas or Srāvana they are Indra, Angiras, Viswāvasu, Pramlochā, Srotas and Elapatra. In the month of Bhādrapada they are Vivaswat, Bhrigu, Ugrasena, Anumlocha, Apurana, Sankhapāla and Vyāghra. In the month of Aswin they are Pushan, Gautama, Suruchi, Ghritachi, Sushena, Dhananjaya and Vāta. In the month of Kārtik they are Parjanya, Bharadwāja, (another) Viswāvasu, Viswāchi, Senajit, Airāvata and Chāpa. In Agrahāyana or Mārgasirsha they are Ansu, Kasyapa, Chitrasena, Urvasi Tarkshya, Mahapadma and Vidyut. In the month of Pausha, Bhaga, Kratu, Urnayu, Purvachitti, Arishtanemi, Karkotaka, and Sphurja are the seven who live in the sun's orbit and distribute light throughout the universe. In the month of Māgha the seven are, Twashtri, Jāmadagni, Dhritarāshtra, Tillattamā, Ritajit, Kambala, and Brahmāpeta. In the month of Phālghuna those living in the sun are Vishnu, Visvamitra, Suryaverchchas, Rambhā, Satyajit, Aswatara and Yajnāpeta.

In this wise, O Maitreya, a group of seven celestial beings supported by the energy of Vishnu lives, during the several months, in the orb of the sun. The sage chants his glory, the Gandharva sings and the nymph dances before him; the night-rangers attend upon his steps; the serpent harnesses his horses and the Yaksha trims the reins and the Bālakhilyas surround his chariot. O foremost of Munis, these seven groups, residing in the suns, orb at their respective seasons, become the instrumentals in the distribution of cold, heat and rain.

SECTION XI.

Maitreya said:—I have heard as described by you, O holy preceptor, the seven groups of beings who are present in the sun's orb and are the agents in the distribution of heat and cold. You have also described the individual functions of the Gandharvas, serpents, Rākshasas, sages, Bālakhilyas Apswarās and Yakshas who, supported by the energy of Vishnu, remain as guardians in the sun's car but you have not described the function of the sun himself. If the seven beings stationed in the sun's ear are the agents in the distribution of heat, cold and rain, how can it also be true, as mentioned by you before, that rain proceeds from the sun? If the act of the collective seven be same then why the people say that the sun rises, reaches the meridian or sets?

Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, hear what you have asked The sun, though at one with seven beings in his orbit, is separate from them being their head. The whole and great energy of Vishnu, which is called the three Vedas,—Rich Yajush and Sāman lightens the whole universe and destroys its iniquity. This energy exists as Vishnu for the preservation of the universe and abiding as the three Vedas within the sun. And wherever in every month the sun exists there is the Vishnu-energy composed of the three Vedas. The Richas shine in the morning, the hymns of Yajush at noon and Vrihadrathantara and other portions of the Sāman in the afternoon. This threefold manifestation of Vishnu designated under the three Vedas is the energy of Vishnu that Influences the divine positions of the sun.

The energy of Vishnu docs not exist only in the rob of the sun but is also manifest in Brahmā, Vishnu and Kudra. At the time of creation it is Brahmā consisting of the Rig-veda in the work of preservation it is Vishnu composed of the Yajur-Veda;—and in the work of destruction it is Rudra formed of the Sāma-Veda, the utterance of which is therefore inauspicious.

In this way the energy of Vishnu composed of the three Vedas exists in the sun encircled by the seven beings. And the glorious sun becomes radiant by that energy of Vishnu and destroys the entire darkness of the universe. The sages chant his glories, the Gandharvas sing and the nymphs dance before him; the Rākshasas follow his steps, the serpents harness his steeds and the Yakshas trim his reins and the Bālakhilyas are seated around him. The seven beings in the sun's orb rise and set every month, but Vishnu, in the shape of his energy, never rises nor sets and is at once the sevenfold sun and distinct from it. As a man, nearing a mirror kept on a stand, observe in it his own image so the energy of Vishnu is never disjoined but remains month by month in the sun which he there placed.

The sovereign sun gratifying the manes, gods and men, revolves being the instrument of day and night. The moon is cherished by the Sushumna ray of the sun. And in the dark fortnight of the month the ambrosia of its substance is drunk by the celestials. And at the last day of the half month the two remaining digits are drunk by the manes; then the celestials and the progenitors are nourished by the sun. The moisture which the sun attracts from the earth he again distributes for the nourishment of animals and plants and thus the sun is the source of subsistance to every living being—gods, manes, mankind and the rest. The sun gratifies the celestials for a fortnight, the progenitors once a month, and men and other animals every day.

SECTION XII.

Parāçara said—The car of the moon has three wheels and is drawn by ten steeds white as the Jasmine—five on the right half and five on the left. The asterisms upheld by Dhruva move before the sun. And the cords that fasten the moon are tightened or relaxed in the same manner like those of the sun. O foremost of Munis, like the steeds of the sun, the horses of the moon, sprung from the waters, drag its car for a whole Kalpa. O Maitreya, when the moon is reduced, having its rays drunk up by the celestials, to a single Kalā, the radiant sun supplied it with a single ray. And as the moon is gradually exhausted by the celestials it is replenished in the same way every day with his rays by the sun, the plunderer of waters. Thus, O Maitreya, when in the half month the ambrosia is deposited in the moon, the celestials drink it for it constitutes their food, Thirty-six thousand three hundred and thirty three divinities drink the ambrosia of the moon. When two kalās remain the moon enters the orbit of the sun and lives in the ray called Amā and the period is accordingly called Amavasyā. During this period the moon is first immersed for a day and night in the water; thence it enters the branches and shoots of the trees and thence it proceeds to the sun. Hence any person, who cuts off a branch or casts down a leaf when the moon is in the trees is guilty of the crime consequent upon the destruction of a Brāhmin. When the remainder of the moon contains but a fifteenth portion the manes near it in the afternoon and drink the last but sacred Kalā which is composed of ambrosia and contained in the two digits. The nectar that comes from the rays of the moon on the day of conjunction is drunk by the progenitors—and they remain satisfied thereby for a month. The progenitors are divided into three classes:—Saumyas, Varhishadas, and Agnishwātta. In this wise, the moon, with its cooling rays, nourishes the celestials in the light fortnight and Pitris in the dark fortnight. It nourishes the plants with its cool nectary aqueous atoms. And through the development of those plants it sustains men, animals and insects and satisfies them with its radiance.