The Śiśumāra Planetary Systems

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: 1,300,000 yojanas above the planets of the seven sages is the place that learned scholars describe as the abode of Lord Viṣṇu. There, the son of Mahārāja Uttānapāda, the great devotee Mahārāja Dhruva, remains until the end of the kalpa, around whom Agni, Indra, Prajāpati, Kaśyapa and Dharma rotate with respect. I have already described the glorious activities of Mahārāja Dhruva.

This star, established by the Lord, which is the pivot of all the luminaries, planets and constellations, which are made to rotate constantly around it by the inconceivable force of the Lord’s time energy, shines constantly.

Just as bulls yoked together and tied to a central post to thresh rice tread around that pivot without deviating from their proper positions—one bull being closest to the post, another in the middle, and a third on the outside--so all the planets and luminaries, fixed in the zodiac, revolve around the polestar in their respective orbits, some higher and some lower, till the end of the kalpa, propelled by wind. Just as clouds or eagles, controlled by the wind, pushed by karma, move about in the sky, so the planets, supported by matter and the Lord, and moving by their past karmas, do not fall to the ground

Some describe this zodiac belt to be the form of a dolphin, used for worshipping Vāsudeva in meditation.

This form of the dolphin has its head downward and its body coiled. On the end of its tail is the planet of Dhruva, on the body of its tail are the planets of the devatās Prajāpati, Agni, Indra and Dharma, and at the base of its tail are the planets of the devatās Dhātā and Vidhātā. On the hips are the seven saintly sages like Vasiṣṭha and Aḍgirā. The coiled body of the dolphin turns toward the right side, on which the fourteen constellations from Abhijit to Punarvasu are located. On its left side are the fourteen stars from Puṣyā to Uttarāṣāòhā. Thus its body is balanced because its sides are occupied by an equal number of stars on each side. On the back of the dolphin is the group of stars known as Ajavīthī, and on its abdomen is the Gaḍgā that flows in the sky (the Milky Way).

On the right and left loins are the stars named Punarvasu and Puṣyā. Ārdrā and Aśleṣā are on its right and left feet. Abhijit and Uttarāṣāòhā are on its right and left nostrils, Śravaṇā and Pūrvāṣāòhā are at its right and left eyes, and Dhaniṣṭhā and Mūlā are on its right and left ears. The eight stars from Maghā to Anurādhā, which mark the southern course, are on the ribs of the left side of its body, and the eight stars from Mṛgaśīrṣā to Pūrvabhādra, which mark the northern course, are on the ribs on the right side in reverse order. Śatabhiṣā and Jyeṣṭhā are on the right and left shoulders.

On the upper chin of the dolphin is Agasti; on its lower chin, Yamarāja; on its mouth, Mars; on its genitals, Saturn; on the back of its neck, Jupiter; on its chest, the sun; and within the core of its heart, Nārāyaṇa. Within its mind is the moon; on its navel, Venus; and on its breasts, the Aśvinī-kumāras. Its life air composed of prāṇa and āpāna is Mercury. On its neck is Rāhu. All over its body are comets, and in its pores are the numerous stars.

Morning, noon and evening, daily, while controlling speech, gazing at form of Viṣṇu composed of all the devatās, one should worship it using this mantra: "I offer my respectful obeisances unto you, the shelter of all planets, the form of time, the master of the devatās, the Supreme Lord. I meditate on you."

Persons who offer respects three times a day to this form and remember this form of the Lord which is composed of the planets, constellations and stars, and which destroys all sins, while chanting this mantra, quickly destroy all sins born of time.