rājovāca
yad etad bhagavata ādityasya meruṁ dhruvaṁ ca pradakṣiṇena parikrāmato rāśīnām abhimukhaṁ pracalitaṁ cāpradakṣiṇaṁ bhagavatopavarṇitam amuṣya vayaṁ katham anumimīmahīti.
Translation
King Parīkṣit said: 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 accept that the sun-god proceeds with Sumeru and Dhruvaloka on both his left and right simultaneously?
Commentary
sa hovāca
yathā kulāla-cakreṇa bhramatā saha bhramatāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ pipīlikādīnāṁ gatir anyaiva pradeśāntareṣv apy upalabhyamānatvād evaṁ nakṣatra-rāśibhir upalakṣitena kāla-cakreṇa dhruvaṁ meruṁ ca pradakṣiṇena paridhāvatā saha paridhāvamānānāṁ tad-āśrayāṇāṁ sūryādīnāṁ grahāṇāṁ gatir anyaiva nakṣatrāntare rāśy-antare copalabhyamānatvāt.
Translation
Śukadeva said: Just as the motion of ants on a potters wheel moving in the opposite direction from the rotation of the wheel is different from that of the wheel, because they can be observed moving from place to place on the wheel, the motion of the planets and sun moving with the wheel of time which is moving clockwise around Meru and Dhruva as seen by the stars is different from the movement of the wheel of time, since they can be observed moving in different constellations and zodiac signs (in the opposite direction).
Commentary
sa eṣa bhagavān ādi-puruṣa eva sākṣān nārāyaṇo lokānāṁ svastaya ātmānaṁ trayīmayaṁ karma-viśuddhi-nimittaṁ kavibhir api ca vedena vijijñāsyamāno dvādaśadhā vibhajya ṣaṭsu vasantādiṣv ṛtuṣu yathopa-joṣam ṛtu-guṇān vidadhāti.
Translation
The original cause of the cosmic manifestation, the Supreme Lord, Nārāyaṇa, made of the Vedas worshipped by the sages by recitation of the Vedas, divided himself into twelve forms and six seasons for purifying the activities of the people, and he arranged the qualities of the seasons for enjoyment according to their karma.
Commentary
tam etam iha puruṣās trayyā vidyayā varṇāśramācārānupathā uccāvacaiḥ karmabhir āmnātair yoga-vitānaiś ca śraddhayā yajanto 'ñjasā śreyaḥ samadhigacchanti.
Translation
People, by following varṇāśrama conduct and worshipping the sun with faith by yoga and by regulated activities high and low which are authorized by the Vedas, easily attain the highest goal.
Commentary
atha sa eṣa ātmā lokānāṁ dyāv-āpṛthivyor antareṇa nabho-valayasya kālacakra-gato dvādaśa māsān bhuḍkte rāśi-saṁjñān saṁvatsarāvayavān māsaḥ pakṣa-dvayaṁ divā naktaṁ ceti sapādarkṣa-dvayam upadiśanti yāvatā ṣaṣṭham aṁśaṁ bhuñjīta sa vai ṛtur ity upadiśyate saṁvatsarāvayavaḥ.
Translation
The sun, soul of worlds, situated in the zodiac belt in the antarikṣa between heaven and earth, enjoys twelve months, indicated by the names of zodiac signs, which are limbs of the year. The wise say that one month is two fortnights by lunar calculation, which is a day and night for the Pitṛs, or the time it takes the sun to pass through two and a quarter constellations. Passing two months it enjoys a season. In this way one limb of the year is described.
Commentary
atha ca yāvatārdhena nabho-vīthyāṁ pracarati taṁ kālam ayanam ācakṣate.
Translation
The time to move over half the zodiac belt is called an ayana.
Commentary
atha ca yāvan nabho-maṇòalaṁ saha dyāv-āpṛthivyor maṇòalābhyāṁ kārtsnyena sa ha bhuñjīta taṁ kālaṁ saṁvatsaraṁ parivatsaram iòāvatsaram anuvatsaraṁ vatsaram iti bhānor māndya-śaighrya-sama-gatibhiḥ samāmananti.
Translation
The time it takes for the sun to pass completely through the antarikṣa along with earth plane and heavenly planes, with slow, quick and medium speeds, is called saṁvatsara, parivatsara, iòāvatsa, anuvatsara, and vatsara.
Commentary
evaṁ candramā arka-gabhastibhya upariṣṭāl lakṣa-yojanata upalabhyamāno 'rkasya saṁvatsara-bhuktiṁ pakṣābhyāṁ māsa-bhuktiṁ sapādarkṣābhyāṁ dinenaiva pakṣa-bhuktim agracārī drutatara-gamano bhuḍkte.
Translation
The moon, situated 100,000 yojanas above the rays of the sun, moving with quicker speed, covers the suns year in two fortnights, its month in two and half days and its fortnight in one day.
Commentary
atha cāpūryamāṇābhiś ca kalābhir amarāṇāṁ kṣīyamāṇābhiś ca kalābhiḥ pitèṇām aho-rātrāṇi pūrva-pakṣāpara-pakṣābhyāṁ vitanvānaḥ sarva-jīva-nivaha-prāṇo jīvaś caikam ekaṁ nakṣatraṁ triṁśatā muhūrtair bhuḍkte.
Translation
The moon with its waxing and waning phases, creates day for the devatās during the waxing phases, and creates day for the Pitṛs during the waning phases. The moon called life itself, supporting the life of all beings, passes through one constellation in thirty muhūrtas (one day).
Commentary
ya eṣa ṣoòaśa-kalaḥ puruṣo bhagavān manomayo 'nnamayo 'mṛtamayo deva-pitṛ-manuṣya-bhūta-paśu-pakṣi-sarīsṛpa-vīrudhāṁ prāṇāpy āyana-śīlatvāt sarvamaya iti varṇayanti.
Translation
They describe the moon composed of sixteen phases to be the Supreme Lord, the mind, food, nectar, and the life of devatās, Pitṛs, humans, ghosts, animals, birds and reptiles and to be all-pervading, since it is the cause of all life.
Commentary
tata upariṣṭād tri-lakṣa-yojanato nakṣatrāṇi meruṁ dakṣiṇenaiva kālāyana īśvara-yojitāni sahābhijitāṣṭā-viṁśatiḥ.
Translation
Above the moon at a distance of 300,000 yojanas, inspired by the Lord, the constellations, twenty-eight in number with Abhijit, move clockwise around Meru n the wheel of time.
Commentary
tata upariṣṭād uśanā dvi-lakṣa-yojanata upalabhyate purataḥ paścāt sahaiva vārkasya śaighrya-māndya-sāmyābhir gatibhir arkavac carati lokānāṁ nityadānukūla eva prāyeṇa varṣayaṁś cāreṇānumīyate sa vṛṣṭi-viṣṭambha-grahopaśamanaḥ.
Translation
Venus is observed 200,000 yojanas above the constellations. It moves like the sun, with fast, slow and medium speed, sometimes behind and sometimes in front of the sun. It is always considered favorable for all people, generally causing rain by its movements and removing evil influence of other planets which are obstacles to rain.
Commentary
uśanasā budho vyākhyātas tata upariṣṭād dvi-lakṣa-yojanato budhaḥ soma-suta upalabhyamānaḥ prāyeṇa śubha-kṛd yadārkād vyatiricyeta tadātivātābhra-prāyānāvṛṣṭy-ādi-bhayam āśaṁsate.
Translation
Mercury, the son of the moon, is observed 200,000 yojanas above Venus. It moves in a similar fashion. It is generally auspicious. When it moves away from the sun then it produces a fearful situation with drought, cyclones, and continual clouds.
Commentary
ata ūrdhvam aḍgārako 'pi yojana-lakṣa-dvitaya upalabhyamānas tribhis tribhiḥ pakṣair ekaikaśo rāśīn dvādaśānubhuḍkte yadi na vakreṇābhivartate prāyeṇāśubha-graho 'gha-śaṁsaḥ.
Translation
Mars is observed 200,000 yojanas above Mercury. If not traveling retrograde, it passes through one of the twelve zodiac sign every three fortnights. Generally it is inauspicious, indicating grief.
Commentary
tata upariṣṭād dvi-lakṣa-yojanāntara-gatā bhagavān bṛhaspatir ekaikasmin rāśau parivatsaraṁ parivatsaraṁ carati yadi na vakraḥ syāt prāyeṇānukūlo brāhmaṇa-kulasya.
Translation
Situated above Mars by 200,000 yojanas, Jupiter moves through each sign in one prativatsara, if not traveling retrograde. It is generally auspicious for the brāhmaṇas.
Commentary
tata upariṣṭād yojana-lakṣa-dvayāt pratīyamānaḥ śanaiścara ekaikasmin rāśau triṁśan māsān vilambamānaḥ sarvān evānuparyeti tāvadbhir anuvatsaraiḥ prāyeṇa hi sarveṣām aśāntikaraḥ.
Translation
Above Jupiter by 200,000 yojanas is Saturn, which travels slowly through one zodiac sign in thirty months. In this way it travels through all twelve signs in thirty anuvatsaras.6 It is generally inauspicious for all people.
Commentary
tata uttarasmād ṛṣaya ekādaśa-lakṣa-yojanāntara upalabhyante ya eva lokānāṁ śam anubhāvayanto bhagavato viṣṇor yat paramaṁ padaṁ pradakṣiṇaṁ prakramanti.
Translation
Situated above Saturn by 1,110,000 yojanas are the sages. Thinking of the welfare of the people, they rotate clockwise around Dhruvaloka, the abode of Viṣṇu.
Commentary
The Twenty-second Chapter describes the various speed of the sun in the zodiac, the placement of various planets and their auspicious and inauspicious effects.
In the previous chapter (SB 5.21.8) it was mentioned that the Sun travels with its left side Meru facing the zodiac and also travels with its right side to Meru. Parīkṣit asks for clarification. Daily the sun appears to be moving in a clockwise direction. However you have said that, facing the constellations, the sun goes counterclockwise. How can this b e conceived, since it is contradictory?