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Chapter
23: Description
of
the
Stars
of
S'is'umâra,
our
Coiling
Galaxy
(1) S'rî S'uka said: '1.3 Million yojanas
above them [the stars of the sages] one
finds that supreme abode of Lord
Vishnu which is praised in the mantras
of
the
Rig Veda. It is the
source of life of all entities that live from this moment till the end
of creation. There the great devotee Dhruva, the son of
Uttânapâda resides even today. His glory of obedient devotion I've described already. Agni, the fire god, Indra the king of
heaven, the founding father who is the Prajâpati, Kas'yapa as
also Dharmarâja, in unison
full of respect move around that place keeping it to their right [see 4.9]. (2) For
all the
restless luminaries such as the planets and the stars that place
constitutes the
incandescent radiating pivot
that is established by the Lord. The inconceivable, all-powerful force
of Time is considered the cause of their revolving. (3) The luminaries keep their positions, just like three bulls
that
for threshing rice are yoked to a central pole [at fixed distances]. Moving in their orbits they have a fixed position
relative to the inner and outer rims of the wheel of time, the same way
as the planets around the sun keep their positions. Holding on to
Dhruvaloka till the end of creation, they revolve in the sky as if they're driven by the
wind, just like
heavy clouds and big birds do who controlled by the air move their
bodies around in respect of their previous positions. Thus the
luminaries behave consequently, by the combined effort of material
nature and the Original Person, the way they always have and never
collide with the earth.
(4) Some imagine this great army
of luminaries to be a s'is'umâra [a dolphin] and describe
it, concentrated in yoga, as [that what can be seen of] the Supreme
Lord Vâsudeva
[see also a picture
of the celestial sky as factually seen in a telescope]. (5) With
its tail pointing to the end of the row of fixed stars in the sky [dhruva]
and
with
its
head
bent
downwards,
it
has
its
body
coiled.
The
[planets of]
Prajâpati, Agni, Indra and Dharma are found on the tail with
[those of
the demigods] Dhâtâ and Vidhâtâ at its base.
The seven sages are
situated on its hip. With its body coiling to the right there are as
its separate body
parts at its northern side the constellations of the
fourteen stars [from Abhijit to Punarvasu] that mark the northern course [of the sun] and to the
south there are the same number of them [from Pushyâ to
Uttarâshâdhâ] marking the southern course. Together the both sides appear like the coiled body
of a dolphin. On its back one
sees the stars called Ajavîthî [*] and
on
the belly one
sees the 'celestial Ganges' [the series of stars along the full body of
the S'is'umâra we know as our Milky Way]. (6) Punarvasu and Pushyâ constitute the loins right
and left. Ârdrâ and As'leshâ as well to the
right and left are his flippers. Abhijit and
Uttarâshâdhâ are the left and right nostril with following next in due order
S'ravanâ and Pûrvâshâdhâ for its eyes
left and right. Dhanishthhâ and Mûlâ are the right
and left ear and the eight stars such as Maghâ marking the southern course are to be seen
as the left ribs while the same number of stars like
Mrigas'îrshâ that
mark
the
northern course are there as the ribs positioned at the other
side to the right. S'atabhishâ and Jyeshthhâ should be seen
as the position of the right and left shoulder. (7) On
its
upper chin there is Agasti [Agastya] and on its lower one there is
Yamarâja. As its mouth there is Mars, as its genitals there is
Saturn, Jupiter is found at the back of the neck, the sun is found at
the chest. In its heart Lord Nârâyana is found while the
moon serves as its mind. As the navel there is Venus, the two sides
of the breast is where the As'vins reside, Mercury is there as the in- and outward
going breath,
Râhu is the neck and the comets are found all over its body with
the numerous stars as its pores.
(8) This [form of S'is'umâra] certainly is the form of the Supreme Lord, of Lord Vishnu who consists of all the demigods. With that form before one's eyes one should each morning, noon and evening in all modesty meditate upon the following words: 'Our obeisances unto this resting place of all the luminous worlds, unto the master of the demigods, the Supreme Personality in the form of Time upon whom we meditate' [namo jyotih-lokâya kâlâyanâya animishâm pataye mahâ-purushâya abhidhîmahîti, see also 2.2: 24]. (9) Those who in respect of that leader of the demigods consisting of all the planets and stars, that destroyer of sin, practice the mantra as mentioned above by three times a day offering their respects this way or by three times a day meditating as such [in silence], will by that respect [for our sweet Lord in the form of] time very soon find all their sins annihilated.'
(8) This [form of S'is'umâra] certainly is the form of the Supreme Lord, of Lord Vishnu who consists of all the demigods. With that form before one's eyes one should each morning, noon and evening in all modesty meditate upon the following words: 'Our obeisances unto this resting place of all the luminous worlds, unto the master of the demigods, the Supreme Personality in the form of Time upon whom we meditate' [namo jyotih-lokâya kâlâyanâya animishâm pataye mahâ-purushâya abhidhîmahîti, see also 2.2: 24]. (9) Those who in respect of that leader of the demigods consisting of all the planets and stars, that destroyer of sin, practice the mantra as mentioned above by three times a day offering their respects this way or by three times a day meditating as such [in silence], will by that respect [for our sweet Lord in the form of] time very soon find all their sins annihilated.'
