As the Sun is directly above them, living beings residing on Mount Meru eternally experience heat and light as if it is midday. Even though the Sun moves anti clockwise towards the left of the Meru, it appears as if he is rotating clockwise on the right. Cities that are exactly diametrically opposite to where the Sun is rising experience Sunset. Those cities that are diametrically opposite to the cities where the Sun is shining brightly causing people to sweat will be experiencing midnight. They will be in deep sleep.

During certain periods the Sun will be shining brightly all through the day in certain cities. Exactly at that time cities that are diametrically opposite will be experiencing darkness as the Sun would be invisible.

The Sun travels from Indra’s city Devadhāni to Yama’s city Samyamanī covering 23,775,000 Yojanās (190,200,000 miles) in 15 Ghatikas (approx 6 hours). From Samyamani the Sun travels to Varuna’s city Vibhāvarī and from there travels to Moon’s residence. From here it once again travels to the residence of Indra. In this way, the Moon, along with the stars and planets rises and sets.

In this way, the Sun’s chariot travels between the 4 cities covering a distance of 3,400,800 Yojanās in an hour (27,206,400 miles).

The cyclical time period of a year (samvatsara) is the wheel for Sun’s chariot. The 12 months are its wheel spokes. The 6 seasons are the wheel rims. The three sets of 4 months each are the 3 dimensional hubs. One side of the axle rests upon Mount Meru. The other end of the axle rests on Mānasottara Mountain. While the chariot wheel which is fixed to this axle rotates like the wheel in the traditional oil pressing machine, the chariot continuously rotates around the Mānasottara Mountain.

There is another axle affixed to the first axle. Just as in the traditional oil pressing machine, this axle is 1/4th the length of the first axle. With the help of the Lord the upper end of this second axle is positioned upon the Pole star.

The Sun’s chariot is 3,600,000 Yojanās (288 lakh miles) long and 900,000 Yojanās (72 lakh miles) wide. Its Yoke is 900,000 Yojanās (72 lakh miles) wide. To this Yoke horses that are named after Gayatri and other Vedic chandas (meters) are attached. Aruṇa is the charioteer. Seated in it the Sun God eternally travels.

The Supreme Lord has entrusted Aruṇa with the duty of charioteer for this chariot. For this reason Aruṇa’s illumination becomes visible even before sunrise. It is visible for some time after Sunset.

In addition 60,000 Valakhilya saints, who are just the size of a thumb, have been appointed for the purposes of chanting auspicious swasti mantras. They are endlessly engaged in chanting these hymns before the Sun God.

14 other Maharishis, Gandharvas, Apsarasas, Nāgās, Yakshas, Rakshasās, Devatas, together with their wives are endlessly engaged in worshipping the Sun God with different names, different rituals and different procedures during different months. When these 14 are paired they become 7 sets of worshippers.

The Sun God travels across the entire earth which is composed on 95,100,000 Yojanas (7608 lakh miles) at the speed of 2002 Yojanas (16,016 miles) per second (kṣaṇa).

With this the twenty first chapter of the fifth canto comes to an end.

Fifth Canto Chapter Twenty two

In this chapter the orbits of the planets and the location and dimensions of the various planets are explained.

Parikshit enquired, “O Venerable saint! You had mentioned that the Sun god travels facing the zodiac signs and that he travels to the left of Meru and Polestar. At the same time you had said that in reality they are not to his left but to his right. How is it possible? Please clarify”.

Maharishi Śuka replied, “O king! When a potter rotates the wheel, ants and other insects that are on the wheel also move along with it. To the person who is watching this, it appears as if they are travelling in the opposite direction.

The speed of the wheel of time is determined by the Stars and zodiac planets. Nārāyaṇa is the cause for this creation. He is complete in every aspect. Mahatmas who exponents in Veda intensely desire to see Him. This Supreme Lord has manifested as the Sun God. For the wellbeing of the world He wanted to purify the fruitive activities. He divided his time into 12 months. In order to reward the living being in accordance to their fruitive activities he created 6 seasons.

Vedas preach not only about the path of Yoga but also about big and small fruitive activities. Through the medium of these activities the human being diligently worships the Lord Sun. Sincerely and effortlessly they abide by the Varṇāśṛama dharmas (obligatory duties specified for each class and stage of life) and thereby obtain liberation.

Sun is the Self for all living entities. He is situated in the centre of the outer sky exactly in-between the earth and heaven. He passes through the 12 months as he travels. The Hindu calendar months have been named based on the zodiacs (rāśi) through which he passes during that month.

The 12 months are the limbs for the period of one year (samvatsara). According to lunar calculations, a total of 2 fortnights is a month. According to Pitrmāna (for the fore-fathers) the total of a day and night is a month. Astrologers state that the time taken to cross 2 and a quarter nakshatras (stars) is a month based on solar calculations.

1/6th of the time the Sun takes to complete the journey of a year is called season (rtu). Season is also a limb of Samvatsara (year). Learned scholars declare that the time taken to cover half of its yearly journey is called āyana i.e. a period of 6 months approx.

The Sun can be quick, moderate or slow in his movements Based on the time taken to travel completely around space, earth and heavens at these three speeds, astrologers have divided time into Samvatsara, Parivatsara, Vatsara, Iḍāvatsara and Anuvatsara.

Pradyumnāya namah