> Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 5
> Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> Canto 5

> **************

> Chapter Twenty-two: The Orbits of the Planets

> *******

> TEXT 1

> râjovâca

> yad etad bhagavata âdityasya merum dhruvam ca pradaksinena

> parikrâmato râsînâm abhimukham pracalitam câpradaksinam

> bhagavatopavarnitam amusya vayam katham anumimîmahîti.

> râjâ uvâca--the King (Mahârâja Parîksit) inquired; yat--which; etat--this; bhagavatah--of the most powerful; âdityasya--of the sun (Sûrya Nârâyana); merum--the mountain known as Sumeru; dhruvam ca--as well as the planet known as Dhruvaloka; pradaksinena--by placing on the right; parikrâmatah--which is going around; râsînâm--the different signs of the zodiac; abhimukham--facing toward; pracalitam--moving; ca--and; apradaksinam--placing on the left; bhagavatâ--by Your Lordship; upavarnitam--described; amusya--of that; vayam--we (the hearer); katham--how; anumimîmahi--can accept it by argument and inference; iti--thus.

> TRANSLATION

> King Pariksit inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami: My dear lord, you have already affirmed the truth that the supremely powerful sun-god travels around Dhruvaloka with both Dhruvaloka and Mount Sumeru on his right. Yet at the same time the sun-god faces the signs of the zodiac and keeps Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on his left. How can we reasonably accept that the sun-god proceeds with Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on both his left and right simultaneously?

> *******

> TEXT 2

> sa hovâca

> yathâ kulâla-cakrena bhramatâ saha bhramatâm tad-âsrayânâm

> pipîlikâdînâm gatir anyaiva pradesântaresv apy upalabhyamânatvâd

> evam naksatra-râsibhir upalaksitena kâla-cakrena dhruvam merum ca

> pradaksinena paridhâvatâ saha paridhâvamânânâm tad-âsrayânâm

> sûryâdînâm grahânâm gatir anyaiva naksatrântare râsy-antare

> copalabhyamânatvât.

> sah--Sukadeva Gosvâmî; ha--very clearly; uvâca--answered; yathâ--just as; kulâla-cakrena--a potter's wheel; bhramatâ--turning around; saha--with; bhramatâm--of those turning around; tat-âsrayânâm--being located on that (wheel); pipîlika-âdînâm--of small ants; gatih--the motion; anyâ--other; eva--certainly; pradesa-antaresu--in different locations; api--also; upalabhyamânatvât--due to being experienced; evam--similarly; naksatra-râsibhih--by the stars and signs; upalaksitena--being seen; kâla-cakrena--with the great wheel of time; dhruvam--the star known as Dhruvaloka; merum--the mountain known as Sumeru; ca--and; pradaksinena--on the right; paridhâvatâ--going around; saha--with; paridhâvamânânâm--of those going around; tat-âsrayânâm--whose shelter is that wheel of time; sûrya-âdînâm--headed by the sun; grahânâm--of the planets; gatih--the motion; anyâ--other; eva--certainly; naksatra-antare--in different stars; râsi-antare--in different signs; ca--and; upalabhyamânatvât--due to being observed.

> TRANSLATION

> Sri Sukadeva Gosvami clearly answered: When a potter's wheel is moving and small ants located on that big wheel are moving with it, one can see that their motion is different from that of the wheel because they appear sometimes on one part of the wheel and sometimes on another. 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.

> *******

> TEXT 3

> sa esa bhagavân âdi-purusa eva sâksân nârâyano lokânâm svastaya

> âtmânam trayîmayam karma-visuddhi-nimittam kavibhir api ca vedena

> vijijnâsyamâno dvâdasadhâ vibhajya satsu vasantâdisv rtusu

> yathopajosam rtu-gunân vidadhâti.

> sah--that; esah--this; bhagavân--the supremely powerful; âdi-purusah--the original person; eva--certainly; sâksât--directly; nârâyanah--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana; lokânâm--of all the planets; svastaye--for the benefit; âtmânam--Himself; trayî-mayam--consisting of the three Vedas (Sâma, Yajur and Rg); karma-visuddhi--of purification of fruitive activities; nimittam--the cause; kavibhih--by great saintly persons; api--also; ca--and; vedena--by Vedic knowledge; vijijnâsyamânah--being inquired about; dvâdisa-dhâ--in twelve divisions; vibhajya--dividing; satsu--in six; vasanta-âdisu--headed by spring; rtusu--seasons; yathâ-upajosam--according to the enjoyment of their past activities; rtu-gunân--the qualities of the different seasons; vidadhâti--he arranges.

> TRANSLATION

> The original cause of the cosmic manifestation is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana. When great saintly persons, fully aware of the Vedic knowledge, offered prayers to the Supreme Person, He descended to this material world in the form of the sun 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 seasonal qualities, such as heat, cold and so on.

> *******

> TEXT 4

> tam etam iha purusâs trayyâ vidyayâ varnâsramâcârânupathâ

> uccâvacaih karmabhir âmnâtair yoga-vitânais ca sraddhayâ yajanto

> 'njasâ sreyah samadhigacchanti.

> tam--Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); etam--this; iha--in this world of mortality; purusâh--all people; trayyâ--having three divisions; vidyayâ--by the Vedic knowledge; varna-âsrama-âcâra--the practices of the varnâsrama system; anupathâh--following; ucca-avacaih--higher or lower according to the different positions in the varnâsrama-dharma (brâhmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sûdra); karmabhih--by their respective activities; âmnâtaih--handed down; yoga-vitânaih--by meditation and other yogic processes; ca--and; sraddhayâ--with great faith; yajantah--worshiping; anjasâ--without difficulty; sreyah--the ultimate benefit of life; samadhigacchanti--they attain.

> TRANSLATION

> According to the system of four varnas and four asramas, people generally worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, who is situated as the sun-god. With great faith they worship the Supreme Personality as the Supersoul according to ritualistic ceremonies handed down in the three Vedas, such as agnihotra and similar higher and lower fruitive acts, and according to the process of mystic yoga. In this way they very easily attain the ultimate goal of life.

> *******

> TEXT 5

> atha sa esa âtmâ lokânâm dyâv-âprthivyor antarena nabho-valayasya

> kâlacakra-gato dvâdasa mâsân bhunkte râsi-samjnân

> samvatsarâvayavân mâsah paksa-dvayam divâ naktam ceti

> sapâdar-ksa-dvayam upadisanti yâvatâ sastham amsam bhunjîta sa vai rtur ity

> upadisyate samvatsarâvayavah.

> atha--therefore; sah--He; esah--this; âtmâ--the living force; lokânâm--of all the three worlds; dyav-â-prthivyoh antarena--between the upper and lower portions of the universe; nabhah-valayasya--of outer space; kâla-cakra-gatah--positioned in the wheel of time; dvâdisa mâsân--twelve months; bhunkte--passes; râsi-samjnân--named after the zodiac signs; samvatsara-avayavân--the parts of the whole year; mâsah--one month; paksa-dvayam--two fortnights; divâ--a day; naktam ca--and a night; iti--thus; sapâda-rksa-dvayam--by stellar calculations, two and a quarter constellations; upadisanti--they instruct; yâvatâ--by as much time; sastham amsam--one sixth of his orbit; bhunjîta--pass; sah--that portion; vai--indeed; rtuh--a season; iti--thus; upadisyate--is instructed; samvatsara-avayavah--a part of a year.

> TRANSLATION

> The sun-god, who is Narayana, or Visnu, the soul of all the worlds, is situated in outer space between the upper and lower portions of the universe. Passing through twelve months on the wheel of time, the sun comes in touch with twelve different signs of the zodiac and assumes twelve different names according to those signs. The aggregate of those twelve months is called a samvatsara, or an entire year. According to lunar calculations, two fortnights--one of the waxing moon and the other of the waning--form one month. That same period is one day and night for the planet Pitrloka. According to stellar calculations, a month equals two and one quarter constellations. When the sun travels for two months, a season passes, and therefore the seasonal changes are considered parts of the body of the year.

> *******

> TEXT 6

> atha ca yâvatârdhena nabho-vîthyâm pracarati tam kâlam ayanam

> âcaksate.

> atha--now; ca--also; yâvatâ--by as long as; ardhena--half; nabhah-vîthyâm--in outer space; pracarati--the sun moves; tam--that; kâlam--time; ayanam--ayana; âcaksate--is said.

> TRANSLATION

> Thus the time the sun takes to rotate through half of outer space is called an ayana, or its period of movement [in the north or in the south].

> *******

> TEXT 7

> atha ca yâvan nabho-mandalam saha dyâv-âprthivyor mandalâbhyâm

> kârtsnyena sa ha bhunjîta tam kâlam samvatsaram parivatsaram

> idâvatsaram anuvatsaram vatsaram iti bhânor

> mândya-saighrya-samâgatibhih samamananti.

> atha--now; ca--also; yavât--as long as; nabhah-mandalam--outer space, between the upper and lower world; saha--along with; dyâv--of the upper world; âprthivyoh--of the lower world; mandalâbhyâm--the spheres; kârtsnyena--entirely; sah--he; ha--indeed; bhunjîta--may pass through; tam--that; kâlam--time; samvatsaram--Samvatsara; parivatsaram--Parivatsara; idâvatasaram--Idâvatsara; anuvatsaram--Anuvatsara; vatsaram--Vatsara; iti--thus; bhânoh--of the sun; mândya--slow; saighrya--speedy; sama--and equal; gatibhih--by the speeds; samâmananti--the experienced scholars describe.

> TRANSLATION

> The sun-god has three speeds--slow, fast and moderate. The time he takes to travel entirely around the spheres of heaven, earth and space at these three speeds is referred to, by learned scholars, by the five names Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Idavatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara.

> *******

> TEXT 8

> evam candramâ arka-gabhastibhya uparistâl laksa-yojanata

> upalabhyamâno 'rkasya samvatsara-bhuktim paksâbhyâm

> mâsabhuktim sapâdarksâbhyâm dinenaiva paksa-bhuktim agracârî

> drutatara-gamano bhunkte.

> evam--thus; candramâ--the moon; arka-gabhastibhyah--from the rays of the sunshine; uparistât--above; laksa-yojanatah--by a measurement of 100,000 yojanas; upalabhyamânah--being situated; arkasya--of the sun globe; samvatsara-bhuktim--the passage of one year of enjoyment; paksâbhyâm--by two fortnights; mâsa-bhuktim--the passage of one month; sapâda-rksâbhyâm--by two and a quarter days; dinena--by a day; eva--only; paksa-bhuktim--the passage of a fortnight; agracârî--moving impetuously; druta-tara-gamanah--passing more speedily; bhunkte--passes through.

> TRANSLATION

> Above the rays of the sunshine by a distance of 100,000 yojanas [800,000 miles] is the moon, which travels at a speed faster than that of the sun. In two lunar fortnights the moon travels through the equivalent of a samvatsara of the sun, in two and a quarter days it passes through a month of the sun, and in one day it passes through a fortnight of the sun.

> *******

> TEXT 9

> atha câpûryamânâbhis ca kalâbhir amarânâm ksîyamânâbhis ca

> kalâbhih pitrnâm aho-râtrâni pûrva-paksâpara-paksâbhyâm

> vitanvânah sarva-jîva-nivaha-prâno jivas caika m ekam naksatram

> trimsatâ muhûrtair bhunkte.

> atha--thus; ca--also; âpûryamânâbhih--gradually increasing; ca--and; kalâbhih--by the parts of the moon; amarânâm--of the demigods; ksîyamânâbhih--by gradually decreasing; ca--and; kalâbhih--by parts of the moon; pitrnâm--of those on the planet known as Pitrloka; ahah-râtrâni--the days and nights; pûrva-paksa-apara-paksâbhyâm--by the period of waxing and waning; vitanvânah--distributing; sarva jîva-nivaha--of the total living entities; prânah--the life; jîvah--the chief living being; ca--also; ekam ekam--one after another; naksatram--a constellation of stars; trimsatâ--by thirty; muhûrtaih--muhûrtas; bhunkte--passes through.

> TRANSLATION

> When the moon is waxing, the illuminating portions of it increase daily, thus creating day for the demigods and night for the pitas. When the moon is waning, however, it causes night for the demigods and day for the pitas. 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-god is considered the life of all living entities. He is consequently called Jiva, the chief living being within the universe.

> *******

> TEXT 10

> ya esa sodasa-kalah puruso bhagavân manomayo 'nnamayo 'mrtamayo

> deva-pitr-manusya-bhûta-pasu-paksi-sarîsrpa-vîrudhâm prânâpy

> âyana-sîlatvât sarvamaya iti varnayanti.

> yah--that; esah--this; sodasa-kalah--having all sixteen parts (the full moon); purusah--the person; bhagavân--having great power received from the Supreme Personality of Godhead; manah-mayah--the predominating deity of the mind; anna-mayah--the source of potency for food grains; amrta-mayah--the source of the substance of life; deva--of all the demigods; pitr--of all the inhabitants of Pitrloka; manusya--all human beings; bhûta--all living entities; pasu--of the animals; paksi--of the birds; sarîsrpa--of the reptiles; vîrudhâm--of all kinds of herbs and plants; prâna--life air; api--certainly; âyana-sîlatvât--due to refreshing; sama-mayah--all-pervading; iti--thus; varnayanti--the learned scholars describe.

> TRANSLATION

> Because the moon is full of all potentialities, it represents the influence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The moon is the predominating deity of everyone's mind, and therefore the moon-god is called Manomaya. He is also called Annamaya because he gives potency to all herbs and plants, and he is called Amrtamaya because he is the source of life for all living entities. The moon pleases the demigods, pitas, human beings, animals, birds, reptiles, trees, plants and all other living entities. Everyone is satisfied by the presence of the moon. Therefore the moon is also called Sarvamaya [all-pervading].

> *******

> TEXT 11

> tata uparistâd dvi-laksa-yojanato naksatrâni merum daksinenaiva

> kâlâyana îsvara-yojitâni sahâbhijitâstâ-vimsatih.

> tatah--from that region of the moon; uparistât--above; dvi-laksa-yojanatah--200,000 yojanas; naksatrâni--many stars; merum--Sumeru Mountain; daksinena eva--to the right side; kâla-ayane--in the wheel of time; îsvara-yojitâni--attached by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; saha--with; abhijitâ--the star known as Abhijit; astâ-vimsatih--twenty-eight.

> TRANSLATION

> There are many stars located 200,000 yojanas [1,600,000 miles] above the moon. By the supreme will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are fixed to the wheel of time, and thus they rotate with Mount Sumeru on their right, their motion being different from that of the sun. There are twenty-eight important stars, headed by Abhijit.

> *******

> TEXT 12

> tata uparistâd usanâ dvi-laksa-yojanata upalabhyate puratah pascât

> sahaiva vârkasya saighrya-mândya-sâmyâbhir gatibhir arkavac carati

> lokânâm nityadânukûla eva prâyena varsayams cârenânumîyate sa

> vrsti-vistambha-grahopasamanah.

> tatah--from that bunch of stars; uparistât--above; usanâ--Venus; dvi-laksa-yojanatah--200,000 yojanas (1,600,000 miles); upalabhyate--is experienced; puratah--in front; pascât--behind; saha--along with; eva--indeed; vâ--and; arkasya--of the sun; saighrya--speedy; mândya--slow; sâmyâbhih--equal; gatibhih--the movements; arkavat--exactly like the sun; carati--rotates; lokânâm--of all the planets within the universe; nityadâ--constantly; anukûlah--offering favorable conditions; eva--indeed; prâyena--almost always; varsayan--causing rainfall; cârena--by infusing the clouds; anumîyate--is perceived; sah--he (Venus); vrsti-vistambha--obstacles to rainfall; graha-upasamanah--nullifying planets.

> TRANSLATION

> Some 1,600,000 miles above this group of stars is the planet Venus, which moves at almost exactly the same pace as the sun according to swift, slow and moderate movements. Sometimes Venus moves behind the sun, sometimes in front of the sun and sometimes along with it. Venus nullifies the influence of planets that are obstacles to rainfall. Consequently its presence causes rainfall, and it is therefore considered very favorable for all living beings within this universe. This has been accepted by learned scholars.

> *******

> TEXT 13

> usanasâ budho vyâkhyâtas tata uparistâd dvi-laksa-yojanato budhah

> soma-suta upalabhyamânah prâyena subha-krd yadârkâd vyatiricyeta

> tadâtivâtâbhra-prâyânâvrsty-âdi-bhayam âsamsate.

> usanasâ--with Venus; budhah--Mercury; vyâkhyâtah--explained; tatah--from that (Venus); uparistât--above; dvi-laksa-yojanatah--1,600,000 miles; budhah--Mercury; soma-sutah--the son of the moon; upalabhyamânah--is situated; prâyena--almost always; subha-krt--very auspicious to the inhabitants of the universe; yadâ--when; arkât--from the sun; vyatiricyeta--is separated; tadâ--at that time; ativâta--of cyclones and other bad effects; abhra--clouds; prâya--almost always; anâvrsti-âdi--such as scarcity of rain; bhayam--fearful conditions; âsamsate--expands.

> TRANSLATION

> Mercury is described to be similar to Venus, in that it moves sometimes behind the sun, sometimes in front of the sun and sometimes along with it. It is 1,600,000 miles above Venus, or 7,200,000 miles above earth. Mercury, which is the son of the moon, is almost always very auspicious for the inhabitants of the universe, but when it does not move along with the sun, it forbodes cyclones, dust, irregular rainfall, and waterless clouds. In this way it creates fearful conditions due to inadequate or excessive rainfall.

> *******

> TEXT 14

> ata ûrdhvam angârako 'pi yojana-laksa-dvitaya upalabhyamânas

> tribhis tribhih paksair ekaikaso râsîn dvâdasânubhunkte yadi na

> vakrenâbhivartate prâyenâsubha-graho 'gha-samsah.

> atah--from this; ûrdhvam--above; angârakah--Mars; api--also; yojana-laksa-dvitaye--at a distance of 1,600,000 miles; upala-bhyamânah--is situated; tribhih tribhih--with each three and three; paksaih--fortnights; eka-ekasah--one after another; râsîn--the signs; dvâdasa--twelve; anubhunkte--passes through; yadi--if; na--not; vakrena--with a curve; abhivartate--approaches; prâyena--almost always; asubha-grahah--an unfavorable, inauspicious planet; aghasamsah--creating trouble.

> TRANSLATION

> Situated 1,600,000 miles above Mercury, or 8,800,000 miles above earth, is the planet Mars. If this planet does not travel in a crooked way, it crosses through each sign of the zodiac in three fortnights and in this way travels through all twelve, one after another. It almost always creates unfavorable conditions in respect to rainfall and other influences.

> *******

> TEXT 15

> tata uparistâd dvi-laksa-yojanântara-gatâ bhagavân brhaspatir

> ekaikasmin râsau parivatsaram parivatsaram carati yadi na vakrah syât

> prâyenânukûlo brâhmana-kulasya.

> tatah--that (Mars); uparistât--above; dvi-laksa-yojana-antara-gatâh--situated at a distance of 1,600,000 miles; bhagavân--the most powerful planet; brhaspatih--Jupiter; eka-ekasmin--in one after another; râsau--sign; parivatsaram parivatsaram--for the period of Parivatsara; carati--moves; yadi--if; na--not; vakrah--curved; syât--becomes; prâyena--almost always; anukûlah--very favorable; brâhmana-kukisya--to the brâhmanas of the universe.

> TRANSLATION

> Situated 1,600,000 miles above Mars, or 10,400,000 miles above earth, is the planet Jupiter, which travels through one sign of the zodiac within the period of a Parivatsara. If its movement is not curved, the planet Jupiter is very favorable to the brahmanas of the universe.

> *******

> TEXT 16

> tata upamstâd yojana-laksa-dvayât pratîyamânah sanaiscara

> ekaikasmin râsau trimsan mâsân vilambamânah sarvân evânuparyeti

> tâvadbhir anuvatsaraih prâyena hi sarvesâm asântikarah.

> tatah--that (Jupiter); uparistât--above; yojana-laksa-dvayât--by a distance of 1,600,000 miles; pratîyamânah--is situated; sanaiscarah--the planet Saturn; eka-ekasmin--in one after another; râsau--zodiac signs; trimsat mâsân--for a period of thirty months in each; vilam-bamânah--lingering; sarvân--all twelve signs of the zodiac; eva--certainly; anuparyeti--passes through; tâvadbhih--by so many; anuvatsaraih--Anuvatsaras; prâyena--almost always; hi--indeed; sarvesâm--to all the inhabitants; asântikarah--very troublesome.

> TRANSLATION

> Situated 1,600,000 miles above Jupiter, or 12,000,000 miles above earth, is the planet Saturn, which passes through one sign of the zodiac in thirty months and covers the entire zodiac circle in thirty Anuvatsaras. This planet is always very inauspicious for the universal situation.

> *******

> TEXT 17

> tata uttarasmâd rsaya ekâdasa-laksa-yojanântara upalabhyante ya eva

> lokânâm sam anubhâvayanto bhagavato visnor yat paramam padam

> pradaksinam prakramanti.

> tatah--the planet Saturn; uttarasmât--above; rsayah--great saintly sages; ekâdasa-laksa-yojana-antare--at a distance of 1,100,000 yojanas; upalabhyante--are situated; ye--all of them; eva--indeed; lokânâm--for all the inhabitants of the universe; sam--the good fortune; anubhâvayantah--always thinking of; bhagavatah--of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; visnoh--Lord Visnu; yat--which; paramam padam--the supreme abode; pradaksinam--placing on the right; prakramanti--circumambulate.

> TRANSLATION

> Situated 8,800,000 miles above Saturn, or 20,800,000 miles above earth, are the seven saintly sages, who are always thinking of the well-being of the inhabitants of the universe. They circumambulate the supreme abode of Lord Visnu, known as Dhruvaloka, the polestar.

> > Back to the running text